The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-01-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Fine Home For the cdurts-Roden-
berE's Constituent--A Joke on
Ex-Speaker Reed.
. Especial cOrrespondence.l


by Chairman Mercer of the house COM
mittee on public buildings and grounds.
1t provides that a grand building, to
cost $7,000000. including site, shall be
erected as a companion to the new IL
brary Of congress and In a style Of ar
chitecture to correspond with that
building and the capitol as home for
the department Of justice, the supreme
court of the United States, the court
of claims, the court Of appeals Of the
District of Columbia and the National
Law library. The ground, which Mr..
MERGERS bill would acquire by cOndem-
nation or purchase under the.dlrection
of q commission, consisting Of the sec
rotary Of the treasury, IL , secretary OF
the interior and the chief justice, con-
sists Of &c., square feet.
Provision is made for repeal of the
bill authorizing the erection Of q de-
partment Of justice building at a cost
Of 100000, approved March 3, 1890,
and the attorney general Is directed to
return to the treasury any part Of the
$4,000 appropriated by congress and
to render an accounting. The bill also
provides for invitations to ten promi-
nent architects, or firms Of architects,
to prepare plans for the temple Of JUS
Al. - g. &bosr Novononcofian
Rodenberg's Constituent.
Valuable educational results often
attend a visit to Washington. The
other day a substantial German con-
stituent Of Representative Rodenberg
came on. He was we'll up In the bust
ness and politics and general informa-
ton of the Twenty-frst Illinois dis
trict, but he had never before visited
the national capital and mingled with
the men who make and administer the
government The congressman and
the constituent went to the White
House. The president greeted the old
German so pleasantly that he put him
at his ease Immediately. when did
you come to this cOuntryr the presi-
dent inquired after some other pre-
liminary conversation. II vas import
ed in 1876" replied the visitor. From
the White House the congressman and
the constituent walked over to the
treasury, the constituent expressing
heartily his good impression Of the
president. Mr.. Rodenberg led, the way
into the Office of the secretary and pre-
scented the constituent to Mr.. Gage.
"Vot is your Manner asked the con-
stituent. "My name is Gage" answer
ed the urbane head of the money busi-
ness Of the government. "Yot yob do
you hold hereY asked the constituent.
This was almost too much for the Sec
rotary, but he recovered himself from
the shock and explained courteously.
A Joke on Tom Reed.
Stanley w. Davenport, from Penn
sylvania, loves a joke, and when, the
other day, he saw ex-Speaker Reed
ambllng through Statuary hall, where
echoes play so many strange tricks, he
grasped an opportunity. Mr.. Daven-
port stood on the threshold Of the cor
ridor leading to the house, just where
the capitol guides speak In low voices
to the never ending stream Of visitors
who are placed far out facing the
clock In the marble car Of time. A
bashful wedding couple was listening
to the long distance story at that par
ticuIar moment, and Mr.. Reed was just
passing them on the way toward the
supreme court.
"Tell them Tom Reed is passing"
said Mr.. Davenport to the guide. Mr..
Reed himself heard the Pennsylvania
through the medium of the wonderful
echo, although he was many yards
away.
"Look toward the clock, and you viii
see the Hon. Thomas B. Reed Of Maine,
ex-speaker Of the house. passing at
your left" droned the guide immedi-
ately.
The bridal couple, Of course, rub
bered" intently, and Mr.. Reed, startled
out of deep brown study, smiled at
Tie blldubS pANSSSOhSs
Extra Session of Senate.
President Mckinley the other day
explained to q committee from the ILL
nois State Manufacturers association.
who invited him to attend dinner in
Chicago on March 26, that he would
probably not be able to accept, because
there would likely be an extra session
Of the senate to confirm nominations.
This is the first intlmation that an ex-
ira session Of the senate would be nee
essary or that the president expected
to make any appointments other than
to I'LL places caused by the expiration
of terms. The president also said to
his callers that he expected to go as far
as the Pacific coast late in the spring
via New Orleans and the Southern
Pacific road. His visit Is for the pur-
pose Of attending the launching Of the
battleship Ohio at the yards Of the
Union Iron company.
Representative Denny OF Maryland
having been defeated al the last cleo
ton and, being DESTROYS Of getting rid
of quantity of garden seed which he
had to his credit before vacating office,
sent number of packages to persons
in his district unsolicited. One morn
ing he received the following communi-
cation:
Ny Dear Mr.. Denny-The sample peas you sent
me made splendid coup. II you can let me have
some more, you will greatly oblige.
Representative Brosius Of Pennsyl-
vania introduced a bill to create a
board of ten persons to act In an adj
visory capacity, and to report to the
next congress a plan for identifying
the city of Washington. similar bill
was recently introduced In the senate
by Mr.. Hoar. CARL SCHoFIELR =