The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-18
JOHN ALIENS EXPERIENCE.
WHY HE GAVE UP APARTMENTS At
THE WALDOFF-ASTORIA.

some Incidents in the Career of the
Late Congressman Harmer-P2c-
turesque Groups on the Floor of
the CapitoI-SenafOr CuIIOm, the
Petitions He PreSents-Other Mat
ters of General Interest.
Washington. March 17.-Though the late
Father of the House" Representative
Harmer of Pennsylvania, was for 50 many
years one of its most striking figures, it is
not recalled that he ever made a speech.
wrapping nonsense round with pomp
and darkness TIL it seems profound"-Mr.
Harmer was quietly performing services
which satisfied his constituents so well
that they made him their representative
mere speech-making, for he answered,
with own hand every letter received from
every constituent. He did not dictate
few hasty words to a stenographer, nor
leave il to a clerk to answer according TO
his own ideas-but with good, old-fashion-
ed pen and ink, he wrote himself. what
seemed to come from the heart. No doubt
his successive re-elections were largely
due to this fact; for the people like TO feel
takes a personal interest in their affairs.
Gen. Farmers last appearance in the
House and the only one this session, was
on the opening day when as Father of
the House" he administered the oath OF
office TO Speaker Henderson. Al thar
time he was so feeble that he had to .
supported by two of the House employ =.
The veteran statesman's eyesight had also
failed him, and several times he had to be
in Of =
oath. 1t was pathetic scene and closed
the public career of one long familiar to
the place.
And now Mr.. Harmers colleague, Gen.
H. II. Bingham of Philadelphia has the
honor of being the member in longest con-
tnuous service 1t is interesting to note
that beginning with the famous Pig
IRON Kelly, Philadelphia has four times
furnished a Father of the House" Mr.
Cannon of Illinois has really served more
years than any of them but his defeat
when a candidate for the Fifty-second
Congress makes his longest period of con-
tinuous service only eighteen years.
There were three picturesque groups on
the floor of the Capitol one day this week
One was composed of long-haired pistol
carrying miners in attendance upon the
Occur d'Alene inqulry-at least the way
their hands sought their empty hip-pock-
cts now and then, testified to sense or
something gone which should be nigh
because of their obedience of the District
laws relating TO the carrying of weapons
Another group was composed of Porto Ri
cans, who presented a petition to the APP
propriate committees of the House and
Senate; and the third and most striking
group were a lot of Pattawatomie Indians,
who are here to press their claim TO the
land on which Chicago is built. However
Just may be their claim, it is perfectly safe
to say that it will not be allowed.
Everybody who has ever visited Wash
ington knows that there is a fine restau-
rant in the basement of the Senate-a mar
ble-fIoored cut-glass bedecked, expert ne
mediation of the members of both Houses
who wish to treat their friends. or
save time by lunching in the building,
during the sessions of Congress;
but few are aware that it is also run
ning' on Sunday. when there Is no session,
like any other public hosiery Any day
of the year, and at almost any hour of the
day one may order a complete and sump-
tuous meal-if he has the money to pay
for il. at the rate of say fifty cents for
couple of eggs, and five dollars for clam
chowder or panned oysters for two. 1t
has lately come to light that an especial
New England breakfast is served in that
basement, al eight o'clock on every Sun
day morning, consisting of baked beans,
brown bread, doughnuts. ct cetera, after The
exact manner of Bos ton. MIR, Page the
present manager of the staurant, is
Maine man and gives the affair his per-
sonaI attention. knowing well what he IS
about The result is that regularly every
Sunday morning an ever-increasing num-
Der of New Englanders are seen toiling up
Capitol hill to the Mecca of the beam
spread-Senators Frye, Chandler, Proctor,
Hoar. Representative Littlefield and many
others.
Senator Cullom of Illinois presents more
petitions by half, than anybody else on
his side of the House. 1t is a cold day, in
the language of slang, that passes with
out a petition of some sort from Senator
Cullom; and never a week goes by with
out his getting in several Being rallied on
the subject the other day, the Senator eX-
planned that the great bulk of these petit
tons are drawn up by the various labor
unions and socie ties that abound in Hi
nois, as nowhere else, especially in and
around Chicago. 1t is a noticeable fact that
the New York senators present a cOmpar-
atively small number of petitions or mem
orials and of those that are presented, the
greater number come from the Board Of
Trade or from other large financial cor
porationns or societies. The biggest bill. as
to bulk which has come before the pres
ent Congress, was introduced by Senator
Carter of Montana 1t fills 6Q fooscap
pages and is entitled "A bill making fur
Their provision for the government of
Alaska and for other purposes"
Represeu alive Cushman is seen on the
floor of the Senate almost as frequently
as in his own place on the other side. Day
after day an irresistible attraction seems
to draw him over. and he wanders about
like an uneasy ghost, seldom sitting down
or speaking to any one. but pacing
thoughtfully to and fro with his hands be-
hind his back He is very tall thin and
Ic...l.inc. md his lanl. GalLra in 10 8