The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1899-04-07
Letter from the National Capitol.
From our Special Correspondent,
John E. Harris.
WASHINGTON. D. c.. April 3. %

BRETHREN OF ALL SEXES:
With Easter, Americas fairest city has
arisen from the incubus of five months of
frost and rain and hail and occasional
billiards., and went to church yesterday
in dazzling beautiful spring suit. The
grass is already long enough to require
barber, potted plants are being trans
planted to the front yards and parks, the
buds on the trees are bursting into tiny
leaves and the colored boys on the streets
are offering handful of beautiful freshlv
cut flowers for five cents These little
things all go to show that a permanent
thaw is at hand.
The most beautiful sight to a stranger
in the city-and one dear to the heart of
every residents the magnolia trees in
bloom. Imagine a nicely proportional
tree much resembling a maple, loaded
with white or white and purple flowers
the size and somewhat the shape of wa
teI lily. Nearly every one of The many
little parks and circles at the interSec-
tlon OF he avenues has several magnoliaS,
and as the scent is strongly sweet the city
is flied with the odor. The magnolias
are just hlossoming and with the acres of
roses of all varieties and other flowers the
general effect and atmosphere can posi-
bly, be imagined.
From now until possibly the middle of
June is the very best of all times to visit
InS OilJs IOl luC bCAJ tWO lllODlllS ~
will be at its fairest and best, and offers
induceme nts 10 visi Ors which no other
American city can possibly parallel. Of
course congress is not here just now, but
possibly one can be reconciled to it's alb
Sence. A large number of senators and
members yet remain, however, as horrible
examples, and any one in search of these
points of interest can easily and speed
lily be gratiiied: Many members of each
house keep their permanent residence
here, and only go home or to some point
at the sea shore or i'll the mountains for
few weeks mid summer vacation There
fore there are always plenty on hand for
specimens, and a visit to the office of any
one of the leading hotels will always un-
earth a batch for the edification of those
who venerate statesmen.
And right here may say that distance
invariably lends enchantment to the view
of a stat esman. To the country school
boy and sometimes to his father it seems
as II the statesmen of whom we read in
detail in the daily papers and whose name
has for years been shining aureole about
his majestic brow and gradually taper off
downward into mist and mystery. You
can't make it seem possible that he really
wears boots and has corns or that a sus-
pender button ever comes off or that he
s@Ac reaniiae he seryines Of a ianndrS [,
man. But the crude fact is that 1.-THE
statesman OF commerce"-to quote Bill
Nye--is very human, at times sadly so.
He usually wears good clothes, but not
invariably So A statesman in a hump
backed sack coat with cavernOus and sag
gng pockets and a pair of trousers that
appear to have been fitted to a churn is
not the rule but is not at all exceptional
have known statesmen to borrow black
plug chewing tobacco of each other for
prOfuse and immediate use, and a soiled
shirt fl ont is frequent attribute of true
greatness. | may also say without any
breach of cOnlidence-as the fact was dis
covered by me in sort of incidental way
that statesman is frequently accom-
panied by breath that would eat the
paint off board or break pane of glass
inside thirty seconds. In fact, one eX-
senator is now employed by the govern
ment at large salary TO breath on and
explode the shells at the trial of heavy
ordnance. This is related to me by a
member of the House from his state, and
therefore must be so. The member him
self is usually intoxicated after 1.30. but
this was told in the forenoon, an added
reason for veracity
Among the many virtues of statesmen
is that they always stand by each other.
Possibly they take the same view Of the
situation that Ben Franklin did in 1775-|
IF we don't hang together, We'll hang one
at time" One da i'll the Senate heard
one statesman say to another,|"C ONE out
a moment, Platt; | want I o Introduce y on
to friend" The ready answer c. me, "a
friend of yours is friend of mine, Quay"
The moral of this true iory is that great
minds often run in the same channel and
that an Ounc of prevention is the best
policy. So, little children, be good and
YOU will be lonesome, and also escape be-
ing a statesman. n
Congressman Amos CUMMINGS of New
York once told me that it required all OF
new members first term of Two ears
in CongreSs-the lower branch-tU learn
the way around the capitol building and
to learn how to keep out of the way of the
cable cars and bicycles in the streets. |
think, my self, that if member succeeds
in acquiring this knowledge in two years
lie is doing nicely and has promising fu-
ture. Very likely, however, as soon as he
gets this all down fine and is ready to
tackle the intricate prOblemS of legiSla-
ton some measley dutTer at home will de-
feat him for a renOminat ion and his pain
fully acquired knowledge OF two years
will vast e it, sweet ness on the desert air
of his nariv. village. This tutf, but it
is politics as she is played.
As a matter of serious fact, the value
of a congressman to his district increases
with his length of service. An ordinary
member of five terms experience is more
influential and of much more use than
the most brilliant of man in his first term.
AS an iluSl ration, no living NermOnter
could begin to fill Gen. CIRCUITS place i'll
his tirst term. The general has had six
teen Icing ears of experience. and sixteen
NearS in ongreSS means mucn 1t means
knowledge of Il e ways aud means of
legislation and of how to 'lo things which
must be acquired by long years of arduOus
labor by his Succpssor. such experience
is worth something to Vermont. ! do not
say this as IN advocacy of any claims of
CONGRESSMAN GrOut, only as an illustra-
tion and plain truth.
An ordinary county court 1uryman
could occupy a seat in Congl eSs for six
teen ears and be of more service to his
constituents Than the brightest man in his
dist rict in his first term, and YOU know
that iuryman is prohibited by law f. I'M
knowing any thing. Ibis is no reflection
on the jury man, who cau't help il, / is
only another illustration of the value of
experience.
Tom Reed n u been around here for sew
eral days, accompanied BY his everlasting
snper at every policy aud act of the All
miniSt ration aud shafts at sarcasm aimed
at ever body and every thing within range
| woull really like tO know who ON
loves, if any body. He apparently hates
the administration and ever, budy cOnect-
ed with il, he hates Joe Wheeler, all DEM