Omaha daily bee., 1901-01-06
Men Who Shine in
Lobby of Congress

Boyd emphatically denies that the Southern
Pacific road Is objecting to the Nicaragua
canal now. All the same the Nicaragua
canal Is In trouble. even IL Mr.. Boyd doesn't
know why.
Colonel Tom Ochiltree will be here with
his funny stories In a short time. No ses-
sion of congress would be complete without
the Texas colonel. A personal friend OF
John w. Mackay, known of all men for his
genial wit, he knows everything that is
going on, and is particularly versed In the
desires OF cable companies Another colonel
Is Samuel Donelson, a former confederate
oHcer. This colonel Is as well known in
New York as he Is In Washington, and he
Is usually on the lookout for the welfare
of the Louisville & Nashville railroad.
All OF the large shipbuilding firms that do
work for the government have their repre-
sentatives here. They must be men Of
ability and address, The best known Is
General George II. Williams, who is now in
Turkey, looking after the famous contract
with the sultan, through which the Ameri-
can missionary claim Is to be paid. Cen
eral Williams looks after the work for
the Cramp brothers.
The Canteen Contest.
Old-time lobbyists opened their eyes few
days ago in astonshment when they heard
that the house of representatives had
knocked out of the army bill the canteen
clause. They were more astonished when
they found that this had been the work Of
one man Influenced by a large number Of
determined women.
The man Is Rev. DR.. Krafts, a Congre-
gational preacher. DR.. Krafts Is the enemy
Of the saloon in national politics and is
always on guard at the national capitol
DR.. Krafts' business Is crushing the demon
rum in legislatures, whether they be local
state or national His efforts have made
whole states adopt the policy Of prohibition
His work has been effective in Illinois,
Kansas, Maryland and Georgia. When the
Hawaiian legislation was up he was here
pressing restriction on the liquor traffic
in that territory. He seems to represent
all OF the national temperance societies.
He has house at 210 Delaware avenue,
near the capitol. He appears before COM
mittees, waylays congressman in the cor
ridors, sends for them on the floor and
visits them at their homes.
He Is a very thin, spare man, rather care
less Of his attire. like all intense reform
ers, but men who are successful in their
calling, as DR.. Krafts has been, can afford
to be careless In their attire. He rides a
bicycle and his neither extremities excite
amusement when he goes flashing through
the corridors with bicycle clips around his
small ankles.
A quiet little man, with face bronzed
by years of exposure to the salt air, takes
his lunch in the house restaurant every
day. He never seems to have much to say
and never seems to be doing anything
except looking on. Yet this man for six years
has bafiled all Of the efforts of the combined
shipping interests Of the United States to
abolish compulsory pilotage. He Is Cap
tain j. Edward O'Brien of Pensacola, Fla,
president of the National Pilots associa-
tion. The pilots have a close organization
and for years the great steamship lines
have been seeking to have compulsory pilot
age abolished They have been outman-
euvered by Captain OBrien every time and
have come to respect him as a worthy foe
man.
William r. Corwine of New York Is very
much In evidence In Washington. Mr. Cor
wine Is an old New York newspaper man,
with Wall street training. He is secretary
OF the New York Merchants association,
and that association is interested In legis-
lation at Washington as welr as at Albany
At Washington just now they are pressing
for an uptown New York postoflce, for