The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-31
SEEN AND HEARD AT THE FED
ERAL CAPITAL.

Washington, Die. 29.-(EditoraI cor
respondence.)-Tb is the season of mid
winter dullness at the capital. Most Of
the members of :Congress are spending
the holidays in the bosom of their fami-
lies. and those who remain are busy pre-
narina long speeches to print in the Re
cord on the Cuban question when Con
eress re-convenes. 1t is a short season OF
dizziness. however, for beginning Janua-
~,, 1st +he social season will be formally
opened by the big White House JAM
called here n reception, when thousands
Of people will rush and jostle each other
standing for hours in line just to get a
chance to shake the hand Of the Presl-
dant and his wife. She is stouter than
last season, but it has not deprived her
of that beauty and ease that make her as
gracious as Gtoyer is stolid and heavy
Flverv man who comes to Washington
ought TO go to one New Years reception
at tba White House, and then, If he is sen
sible. he viii swear off and never go
there any more" The game isn't worth
tbe candle. But from January LIST TIL
Congress- adjourns the social whirl will
make Washington a gay city to those who
on in TO see all that this Vanity Fair af-
fands to those who are on the lookout
for pleasure. And it Will cost thousands
md thousands of dollars, but those who
lead in it as a rule have money TO
burn. They have made their money else
where, and fad the entertaining OF pub
lie men and foreign ministers the most
pleasant way OF diverting themselves
and marrying off their daughters.
This city knows little about hard times
bank failures, or business depression.
1t has no factories to speak of, except
the great government establishments
which give employment at high wages to
a great army. Its trade is wholly retail
It's banks do not carry speculative en-
4er,rfses. The government employees,
who are the best paid people in the world
receive their money promptly and spend
ct freely; there are no strikes or lock-outs;
a panic has no effect at all upon them
nxcern to increase the purchasing power
If rheir dollar; and the only way they
ln0v about hard times and low wages
is what they read in the papers, 4Ae
argument for more money in order 10
prevent the increased purchasing power
of the dollar, had little inHsenee upon
the man vino earned big wages by seven
hours work, some Of IT easy and sone
not so easy, but little Of IL very hard.
While ycu can learn yubIbe sentiment
.in the whole country here better than
AZ any other point, oeai public senti-
meat that lis seen on the surface is IKE
the shifting sands. -Four years ago this
was STRONG Democratic city, apparent
Nv. and an; that you heard was of reJoie-
ing at the: incoming OF the Cleveland ad-
nrinistratien. Now IL it has many
friends, they do not show themselves.
They are so anxious to speed the part
ing guest3 that they would let him go
quickly ard without ceremony. In truth
Mr.. Cleveland is not much more popular
here than he is in Rhamkatte, n. g.,
where he had two staunch friends up 20
THE Chicago convention, but mary" one
the morning after he bofted his party
You will hear men say: He is big man,
but too big" referring to his idea that
he is bigger than his party and his eoun-
try. But If Mr.. Cleveland cares, he
makes no public sign. heard two sto-
ries to-day about his attitude in the re
cent campaign, vouched for as true by
those who told them 10 me.
1. A short time before the election
prominent Democrat was talking with
the President about the situation that
confronted the party in it's serious split,
when Mr.. Cleveland is reported to have
said to hsm: If the convention had left
out its AltgeQdism and it's allusion to
the Supreme court and had endorsed
the administration generally, would
have supported the ticket
2. Since the election two members OF
Congress were talking with the President
when one of them said: 1.-The only thing
that trotlbled me during the campaign
was whether to vote for Mckinley or
Palmer: whereupon the President said
with emphasis, II would never have yot-
ed for Mckinley"
/ got these stories properly vouched
for at third hand You can believe them
if you choose. don't more than half be
lieve them myself.
=
A we'll known New England Demo
erat. WHO holds an important position
here, said to me: IF the election could
be held to-day, Bryan would be elected
with a rush" Another Democratic Of
fice-holder sitting by said: HE was elect
ed anyhow and swindled out of it" The