Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-03-28
INTERESTING TALK
VIM. Reese on washington CITY
and It's Public Men"
Observation-Disclosures ST.pAUL
Meeting Was Held at Home of Geo.
HaW-large Number Present-A
Choice Program Was Given-His
Impressions Of Washington,


From Tuesdays Daily.l
The monthly meeting of the Broth
erhood of st. Paul of the First Metho.
dist church was held last evening at
the home of Geo. Haw, ST., l16 East
Fifth street. The principal event of
the evening was the address by VIM.
Reese. upon Washington city, it's
environments and public men. Pre-
vious to the introduction of Mr..
Reese, Mrs. e. c. PIERCE. contributed
vocal solo, that was much appreciat-
ed by the large assemblage. piano
solo by Mrs. Frank Daggett was also
faultlessly rendered. Light refresh
ments We're served later in the even.
ing. Mr.. Reese was introduced and
he said in part:
/ Mr.. Reese said in part:
A little more than five years ago l
arrived in the city of Washington to
assume the duties of secretary to the
committee on public lands in the house
or representatives, to which | was ap-
pointed by the Hon. John F. Lacey.
When left the train at the B. &
y. station to find residing place for
the first session of the fifty-fourth
congress | was met by colored porters
galore, one of them extended his
hand for my grip, while he thus adj
dressed me: Right this way Mr..
Congressman for de Vendome.' I
thought that this was an opportunity
for little Righteousness for the
amusement of those about me and 7
said: Don't you call me a congress-
man. Whereupon he replied: Eek.
cuse me, Mr.. Senator | did not re-
proach him for calling me senator or
he would doubtless have next address
ed me as Mr.. President.
Washington city from a business
point of view is hardly more than a
political camping ground. 1t is, how
ever, decidedly cosmopolitan: styles
of clothing vary according to the local
iity from whence the people come
When you see a high silk hat in that
Icity you may depend upon it that a
newly elected congressman or cab
driver is under it. According to the
latest census the District of Columbia
shows the smallest per cent of illitera-
cy of any territory or state within the
bounds of our highly enlightened re-
public which speaks volumes for the
advancement made by the colored peo-
pie who comprise almost one-third of
the entire population.
Washington society consists of
''Banquets and balls,
Dinners and calls;
High living;
Gay dressing; y
Political rises and falls
Few there are working
While many are Sinking,
And the women are painted like
DOLLS
The city is sometimes called the
city of churches as we'll as the city
of magnificent distances. l attended
a meeting of the American Sabbath
Union over which the Hon. Nelson
Dingley, ,Jr., presided, and this, too,
was his last appearance in public.
Bishop Herst was one of the speakers
on that occasion and he made this
statement:
Washington is the most religious
place the streets of which ever walk
ed and that is also the impression |
have of it. 1t is true that it is not
free from saloons, but they are kept
CLOSED on Sunday and that is more
than can be said of any other city of
its size in the world
1T has been my pleasure to hear
the Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage many
times, and he without any exception
is the most entertaining and instruc-
tive teacher of the Bible that | have
ever listened to and drew the largest
audiences of any preacher in Amer
lica. Some charge him with being dra.
matte and sensational, but the charge
has generally emanated from gentle
men of the cloth, who are afraid to
leave the old rut in which they have
been running until it has worn so
deep that when preacher once falls
Into it he is lost sight of. Notwith-
standing Mr.. almage's unselfsh
statement that Dwight L. Moody did
more for the evangelization of the
world than any one man that ever
lived in it. ] believe that Talmage
has done more to Christianize the
world than any man living or that has
lived since the days of the apostles
for his sermons are read in every
country on the earth. You no doubt
expect me to talk about public men and
THE congress of the United States and
this leads me first to speak of Thos.
b. Reed, VINO, as speaker OF the house
for the first time in the nfty-first con-
gress distinguished himself for break.
ing over the time worn rule of ascer-
tanning when quorum was present.
1t had been the custom to count those
only who answered present on a call
of the roll, but Speaker Reed decided
that when a member was physically
present that he was there whether he
said he was or not. The minority
for the purpose of embarrassing the
majority. refused to answer when
their names We're called and the
speaker proceeded to count them and
record them present for the purpose
of making quorum and proceeding
with business, as no business can be
transacted when quorum is not pre-
sem. i. e. if the question of no uuor-
UNI is raised. 1t is true that business
is often done and bills actually passed
when not more than dozen members
are on the floor This may seem to
he very careless. But all such meas
ures have been acted upon by a com
imittee and enough members are al
ways present to watch. If the oues.
ton of no quorum is raised business
is suspended until a quorum is