The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-12-30
LIVE WASHINGTON GOSSIP.

l TtspcHutuct.D- hiS Is titiccu $3.50
| in Washington and ii is nowhere more
apparent than in newspaper circles. There
| III a yeritable news drouth here and the
press gang are appealing TO one another
| In vain for news story. The depart
ments have been closed since Friday and
everybody who has such snug retreat
is hiding in the bosom OF his family. a
| few members OF congress visit the capitol
every day and lcok over their mail and
there are more Texas members TO be seen
there than those of any other state. All
the Texas members remained here during
the holidays except MIR. Hawley, whd
went TO New YORK to meet his wife and
daughter returning from Europe, and Mr..
Bailey. who took a little run over to Penn
sylvania TO visit his old friend, Joe Sibley.
When anybody wants to find Joe Sayers
there is no need to 20 TO the Riggs house,
whore he lives, unless il is after 8 O'Clock
in the evening. Just cop sattler,' which
Is Washngtons slang for boarding a
street car, and 90 straight to the room
of the committee on appropriations. where
him the other day IL he was giving any at
tention to his campaign for governor, he
said he was not. but was husily engaged
in preparing to thwart .he plans OF the
republicans to give all The money to be
appropriated for rivers and harbSrs to tina
goose creeks of the East and see that
our people got their snare In Texas.
While speaking OF the appropriation and
expenditure of money belonging To the
people by congress it would be very inter-
esting to the people of Texas II sney could
read the report of the secretary or the
senate on expenditures under the contip-
gent fund. This sund is very elastic Many
crimes have been and are being committed
in its name and Barney Gibbs was not
far wrong when he made those charges
about the enormous expenditures of the
peoples money by the senate. This secre-
tary's report contains some Very interest
Ing items and ii will be my pleasure some
day to dissect it for Texas readers
For Instance, 1t is shown therGi1 that
MIR. benjamin Durfee, who used 10 De the
clerk OF the finance committee, made
numerous trips to New York on various
matters, notably In connection with the
committee which is investigating ire use
OF alcohol in the oats and he rendered an
account of $l( for every time he travelled
to New York and return, Mr. Eugene
Davis, who went over to New York for
another committee, conten.ed himself with
a $40 round trip ticket MIR. Henry bailey.
Jr., of New York a perfumer by trade. has
had several very delightful trips TO Europe
for the alcohO committee. visiting Liver
pool, London. Parts. Amsterdam brussels.
Cologne Berlin, Geneva aud other CLarm-
ing cities at government expense. MIR.
Charles q. Phelps accompanied him on
one trip and together they spent over $1,000.
On MI Dailey's other excelsior he sutnt
over $1,000. Mr. S. n. u. North drew
80 day as "statistcan" fer the senate
nnance committee and all his expenses
while travelling. James =. Voorhees, got
$500 for bust of Vice President Breckon-
ridge Mr.. purfee also got $206 TO S21O
Il month for compiling a history Of rev
cnue and general appropriation bills"
while it cost $2lS to feed with meals and
lunches" tbs senatorial committee and att
tehiants While going to and returning from
the Grant memorial exercises in New
York. The other expenses of this excur-
sion 10 New York amounted to s7S2 1t
cost little over $500 to bury the late Sem
ator Earle Of South Carolina
The above are only a few SAMPLES Of
how this body helps to create the treasury
deficit.
1t is the closest corporation and the
biggest club in the country. As a senator
remarked the other day, Eve take
care of one another ovel in the senate"
1t is unnecessary to remark that tho
members of the house eujoy none of these
delightful perqusites
There is very little political gossip going
on just now The trouble will all begin
as soon as congress begins 10 grind again
Lots of people here are beginning TO believe
that Mark Hanna will be defeated for re-
election and the democrats are sorry it is
So They maintain. and with logic. that
Hanna's presence is necessary here to show
'he people of the country, and keep con-
stantly before them. the fact that he is
'he real president of the United States
and allow them to note how he oyersnadows
Mch'nIey In everything appertaining TO the
work of The president. The democrats
cram that they can see no good excuse for
the ONO democrats voting with disgruntled
republicans for a republican senator who
WIN come mere and vote as Hanna would
on all questions affecting the welfare of tina
people and that it really hurts the admin
istratioh worse to have Hanna here. With
me fiahna influence as a handicap and
eage as hoodoo. this administration Is
IN bad row for stulnps.
- NNhiotiHts are already counting IN
winning the house OF representatives nov,
year and there is more talk about the
speakershlp than one would believe There
is another Richmond IN the field in the
person of De Almond of Missouri, since It
Is announced that Mr. Dockerv NJ that
state viii run for governor in 1900 and
WI not be a candidate for the Fifty. sixth
eohsress, De Almond is without doubt one
VI inc aniest men in the house and is so
recognized and think Bailey has more 10
leSr from him than any other man whose
n csnd,,d mas peen suggested as probable
Sahalaate, 1t is rumored also thai Nj
n'ehafa Croker of New York intends 10
see TO II that whole lot OF ambitious
young representatives OF the West ana
south Remain in speakeriess eonditinn
ne says SO the story goes, that he win
sualantte to elect sixteen democratic con-
sressinen from Greater New York IN 1Sas
anu mat II VIII give him control as Inc
Vim ShvaN an contest. If he can do il II
hn, ~, -" 81 ana there IS no doubt about IT,
put Lnt ueinOCracV IL - ~,