The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-19
LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.

oHlce, PRESIDENT Mckinley has the reputa-
ton of being one of the most diplomatic
men who ever occupied the White House
tie has manner of cordially receiving
the would-be public servant and turning
him down so politely and gracefully that
the ofilceseeker not only goes away with
out feeling any keen disappointment, but
highly horored at the reception rendered
him by the President Then it usually
requires day or two before the office
seeker realizes what has happened to
him.
In this connection. story Is told by n
Cabinet officer who was with the Presi-
dent when delegation of colored men
| called to see the Executive. They were
| for the most part bishops. cIergymen,
and members of the African Methodist
! Church The President received them in
most hospitable manner. The spokes-
man made known their mission. which
was to request an increase In the number
| of colored men employed in various de-
| partments of the Government service, In
| fact, wider recognition of the rights Of
| the race.
Without a moments hesitation the
President recalled a list of important
| offices held by colored men. enumerating
the Register of the Treasury. the Record
| er of DEEDS. and eight or ten others which
came Immediately to his mind. The col
ored brethren were forced to admit that
| after all the race had been pretty well
cared for. and then falling back upon an
other argument the spokesman said:
That Is true, Mr.. President. The col
| ored people have received a large number
! OF good places under this Administration
, but then there is the good old Methodist
Church Don't you think that ought to re-
ceiye some recognition"
Why" responded Mr.. Mckinley quick
ly. and with pleasant smile. the Meth
| odist Church has the President. What
more can be asked?" t---
In regard to the sale of the old desks
which have been removed from the House
of Representatives Clerk Mcdowell has
had quite nice point to decide. He has
been called upon to construe the resolu-
| tion under which the sale of the furni-
ture was authorized, which seems not to
have been specific enough in its terms.
1t states only that the desks" are to be
sold, and the question arose. what was
| the Clerk to do with some 350-odd chairs,
seatless, broken-backed, and withou.
rollers I'm many cases, without any au-
| thority to dispose of them. After some
elaboration Mr.. Mcdowell decided that
as desk Is useless without a chair, and
as chair is no good without a desk, and
further that it took both of them to make
a Representative comfortable, and still
further that one was never known to go
without the other. 1t was mete, proper,
and lawful that he should also sell. trans
fer. and deliver into the keeping of
whomsoever bought a desk the chair
which accompanied IL when II was In po-
sition in the House
If the present demand by members
and ex-members for desks which they
used in Congress continues there will be
none left for the general public. The
Clerk has now on hand the orders OF
about $50 members to reserve their desks,
and they are still coming in at the rate
of about three day. 1t will be possible
for q bidder at the auction sale of the
seats which will take place In month or
two to make things uncomfortable for all
the Congressional purchasers The law
says that the Representatives shall be
allowed to buy their desks at the average
price brought at the auction. A few desks
bought at 500 apiece because of their as
ISOLATION with prominent men, will cause
a little trouble by raising the average to
a high figure.
A short time ago, when WI Ting-fang.
the Chinese Minister, was going away
to make an address in Southern city.
he was approached by a reporter at the
depot. Before the newspaper man had
an opportunity to ask a question the
Oriental diplomat started the auizzfng-
$50 you are a newspaper man."
Yes. sir
How do you like it?'
Very we'll
what do you do?"
II am reporter?
What sort of a reporter?
"A police reporter.
"A police reporter? / never heard OF
one. What does a police reporter do?
"Oh, he reports murders, cutting af-
trays. robberies. thefts, assaults. fires,
and the like
Mr. WI gave a startled gasp.
Il don't think you have any business
with me- he said. and he refused to be
interviewed
There is some discussion among War
Department officials over the plan of Sem
ator Bacon to organize a Congressional
expedition to the Philippines this summer
and take advantage of Secretary Roots
offer of free transportation to all Sena-
tors and Representatives wishing to visit
our new possessions. One official, in dis
cussing the plan yesterday, said that ne
favored it, as it would broaden the minds
of statesmen and remove many of the
prejudices against the Philippines. He
added that many Southern members of
Congress had never been in New England
and that many Western members had
never been in Atlanta, and. as result.
knew nothing about the country for which
they enacted laws.
Why said the official lit reminds me
of a Tennessee Representative who some
years ago lived at the same hotel with me:
He received a pass over a New England
railroad and took trip through that
section for the first time When he got
back | asked him how he liked the coun-
try.
must admit. sir. that the people of New
England are intelligent, wealthy, and in
dustriouS
The experts of the United States Fish
Commission are engaged in making ex-
periments in this city to determine the
cause of the strange deterioration in the
flavor of whitefish 1t has been noticed
this spring that the whitefish caught
and placed on the market have not been
as good as usual. AS the Commission
last year propagated and distributed some
35O.000.Oo0 young whitefsh. the strange
change in the flavor is causing no little
worry. 1t is believed by the experts here
that delay in serving the fish is largely
to blame and a bulletin viii be issued adj
vising that they be not kept in cold stor-
age or shipped any distance, but be Serv-
ed within day after being caught
One reason why the two long eight-inch
rifles now lying on the pavement in front
of the Navy Department have not been
mounted. and may not be mounted for
some time to come, is the fact that they
are really French guns and were made
in France Although they were captured
from Spain and We're found mounted at
Manila. they bear the French arms. Sec
rotary Long feels. 1t is said. that it might
not look well to display guns bearing the
arms of France as trophies of war. and
they may not be given "A permanent place
in front of the Department.