The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-06-02
THEWASHINGTON WIRE
Gossip From the Nations Cap
ital.
PROPOSED CHESS TOURNAMENT.

The International Postal Congress q Big
Junketing Trip Senators Who Cannot
Read Their Mathew Way of Report
ing speeches-PersonAi Matters.
WASHINGTON, j une a. Special There
Is a good deal Of talk about the interna-
tional chess tournament between members
Of the house OF representatives and the
British house OF commons. Speaker Reed
Is keeping a watchful eye upon the con-
test He plays the game and is very fond
Of il. but does not play we'll enough 10 en-
title him 10 the honor of serving as inter
national contestant. II is confidently be-
lieyed here that the American team will
carry OF the hOnOrs when the final score
i counted up, but the cable reports sim
liar confidence on the other side OF the wa
ter. shortly after this chess tournament
idea was first preached we were amused
here in Washington by an international
canard. The story was that the members
Of the house Of representatives, had held
meeting 10 consider the challenge Of the
members Of parliament and had solemnly
agreed 10 accept on condition that the
game was changed TO American draw
poker.
been duly communicated to the Britishers
and had created a good deal Of discussion,
not 10 say CONSERVATION, among them.
Some Of the members Of parliament who
had recently learned to play poker and who
thought they knew all about the game
were for accepting the American choice of
weapons. Others, older and more expert
enced, some Of them dating back 70 the
days Of Minister Schenck, warned their
fellows that IL the game OF poker were
chosen the English contestants might as
well be prepared for an overwhelming de-
feat and possibly for loss of their money,
iewelry, clothing and everything else.
This story bad a run all over the world.
Inquiries about il have been received here
by telegraph from many countries. The
yarn had its origin in "a joke. When the
chess proposition was first brought for
ward, Congressman Dave Henderson Of
Iowa said lie would be glad 10 join if poker
instead Of chess were made the game.
The Postal Congress.
The international postal congress dele
gates are about to leave the capital for a
journey through the west. 1t must be ad-
mittcd that the sitting Of this congress
has not been as much of a success as had
been anticipated. In the first few days the
members Of the congress showed remark
able inclination for quarreiing among
themselves. OF course these rows were
duly reported in the press for the Ameri-
can press does not stand upon It's dignity
quite as much Us the foreign press does
and has 4 much kcencr nose for news
When the foreign delegates saw their
squabblcs described i'm the papers, they
70 ind t.rsc lr
ting the representatives Of the press out Of
their meetings. From that day to this
the American people have lost interest i'm
the congress. The truth appears to be
that the whole affair is "a big junketing
trip for postal officials, and that il amounts
70 very little in the way of promoting
postal progress
The congress has done one thing and
that is to bring together the largest mum.
Der Of official representatives, of other ma.
tiOns ever seen at this capital. am in.
formed by "a postal official that the night
President and Mrs. Mckinley gave their
reception to the postal congress there were
present in the parlors of the executive
mansion tho representatives of 60 nations.
Only 30 nations are represented in the
diplomatic corps here. Ii was a strange
coincidence that at the presidents recep-
ton the delegate from Hawaii should faint
within ten feet of where Mr.. and Mrs.
Mckinley were standing. 1t was the Ha-
waiian minister who died at White
House reception one New Years day while
General Arthur was president.
Busy Senators.
1t may surprise great many Of my
readers who are in the habit of writing
letters to their senators to know that a
number of senators get so many letters
they make no effort to read them. All
their mail is gone over by their private
secretaries. If there are any letters of
special Importance or of peculiar interest
to the great men to whom they are ad-
dressed, the private secretary lays them to
one side. The great majority of commu-
nications sent to Republican senators in
these busy days of Office seeking are at
tended to by the young gentlemen who
draw 500 month each from Uncle Sam
for looking after the private business of
the statesmen of the upper branch.
"Since Dec last" said western SEN
ator to me, II have received about {, 900
letters from my constituents. Do you sup
pose it is possible for ne to answer all
these communications MYSELF Why, l
could not even read them. II even made ]
a hop and skip and jump through them,
1t would take all my time.
1t is remarkable fact that If one cares
to do so he may hear all the speeches deliv-
cred in the senate and house of representa-
tives without going to the chamber of the
upper branch or the hall of the lower. If
one is so fond of congressional oratory as
to induce him to take the trouble he may
hear the speeches delivered twice, but it is
only very hardy man that could endure
this sort of amusement. Suppose you 90
to the gallery of the house while Jerry
Simpson is trying to make speech on the
rules or Mr.. James Hamilton Lewis of
the state of Washington is rafting away
at the. rate of nearly 300 words per min
ute. You listen to their remarks, and ID
minutes later you are on your way home.
Down in the basement you are astonished
TO overhear tho very same speeches again.
You pause to listen. Can it DO possible?
Yes, that Is Jerry's own language. Those
are Lewis very words. The explanation
is n simple one. The official stenographers
take their turns on the floor and then come
down and talk the speeches into graphic.
phones iustcod of writing them ont or die.