The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-29
CAPITOL NOTES AND GOSSIP.

OhI 1AOH iNUj LID AMI UtODlI.
Some Historic Pnrniieis--The talk in
the Houseiclcak room yesterday was upon
the Ship Subsidy bill. Everyone in the
party gathered around the fire had agreed
that 1t was ao"steal, robbery, dis
graceful and ''outrageous" in every
sense of the terms.
1T reminds me-" struck in Represen-
tative Gilbert. 'cf a number of things
which l learned when | was little boy
in school. When | contemplate the
amount of money which it is intended TO
take out of the pockets of the poor peo-
pie by taxation and put into the pockets
OF the rich as a free gift. a picture OF
ancient Roman times comes to me. 1t is
one shat used to be in my old tattered
history book. Underneath it was printed
these words: The trumpeters ride
through the streets of ancient Rome, cali
ing upon the plebeians to contribute to
the patrician feat of Lucullus.'
Il can't see that if the Subsidy bill is
passed we are in any different situa-
ton We simply levy on the poor people
to make holiday for the rich ship own
ers. They talk so much of this thing be-
by giving them work. 1t is too rich a
method OF doing 1t, in my opinin. There
is another historic, parallel that I'd like to
cite mere. Once upon n time. a crowd of
starving beggars swarmed out of Paris
ana invaded the precincts of the royal
palace at Versailles Bread Breadi'
they shouted, and the poor Queen inside
when she heard that there was no bread
to give them to stifle their cries, asked
why don't you give them cake? There
is too much profit for the baker. so to
speak. in this Subsidy bill business"
Morning Drink.-visitors to the
cloak room of the House. IL they chance
to arrive about a quarter to IL will find
the marble counter surrounding the water
filter set about with a dozen or so large
glasses. Thanking the row of tumblers,
standing as a sort of sentinel guard they
Will see tall bottle with a fiaring yellow
label reading "SeltZer.' AS the crowd of
Representatives comes drifting in, every
now and then. one will go up to the row
of glasses and have poured out from the
yellow bottle n tablespoonful of the con-
tents of the yellow bottle. mix it in the
glass with water, and drink it With evident
relish. Half dozen members can be seen
taking this drink almost every morning,
and they are not of such complexion CT
department as to lead to the suspicion
that they need settler" because of any
Nocturnal indulgence5. In fact, the most
clerical in appearance are those who seem
most addicted to the habit. Now and
again 1t is evident that the members has
taken refuge in the eiervescing beverage
as 'bracer" to help him through the
daily routine of calls from constituents.
but 1t is not often. The bottle of settler.
in for Il IL. a.,
which it seems to have. 1t was diScov-
cred by a dyspeptic member to be cool
ing, refreshing, and head-clearing drink,
and good foundation to begin days
work on, His example and his recon-
mendation was followed privately by an
ever-increasing number of converts until
it was decided to pool the interest and
have bottle in common, where everyone
could get at 1t. 1t is found to be an es-
pecially good preparation to take before
making long speech and after. The
furnace heat of the building is conducive
to dry threats even in those who do not
speak. so the settler bottle has among ell
the members great popularity.
The Michigan Club.-The Michigan
Legislators in both House and Senate pride
themselves on their esprit de corps. There
are only handful of them, but they form
the nucleus OF quite large body of Wash
ingtonians, including clerks at the Cap
itol and department employees. who take
pleasure whenever the occasion offers to
gather and make merry. Senator Bur
rows and Senator Mcmillan are leaders in
the celebrations and they find ready fol-
lowing in the delegation in the lower
house. The last celebration of the Mich1-
gan Club took place Saturday night. a
II i'm ri I'D
drinking. was given at Rauschers. with
siXty-four seated at the table Owing TO
their being confined to their homes with
the grip Senator Burrows and Senator Nc
MILAN were not present, but the missing
places were filled in the best way possible
by members of the Michigan contingent in
the House.
senator TOwne's Pny.-The question
Towne will be allowed to draw any salary
for the days he has served since his sue
cessor. Mr.. Clapp. was appointed. Mr..
Clapp's credentials were signed by the
Governor of Minnesota last Wednesday,
and according to the strict obstruction of
the law his salary begins from that day
Mr.. Towne has been discharging the SEN
atorlal duties since that time and it has
been claimed that he has a perfect right
to some compensation. This Latter argu-
ment is admitted but there is a further
difficulty arising from the fact that the
law providing for the emoluments to Sen
ators does not take into consideration any
such contingency as the one which has
arisen, and in consequence there is no
money which can be legally applied to
paying Mr. Towne even il that indebted
ness is admitted. The law contemplates
only one person holding the Senatorial
chair at one time. 1t is not expected that
Mr. Towne will himself make any move.
or ask that any Senator introduce bill
for his relief in this matter as he is prob
ably sufficiently recompepsed for his la
bors by the opportunity afforded to make
his speech yesterday. Relief, however is
possible In 1895 similar condition of
affairs came up from North Carolina. SEN
ator Jarvis was appointed to fill out the
term begun by Senator Vance, who died
Senator Pritchard was elected regularly
by the LEGISLATURE of the State but did
not appear in Washington to be sworn in
for two days Though Mr.. Jarvis could
obtain no remuneration for his three
days service out of the regular fund ap-
propriated for salaries he received the
amount due him out of the Senate con-
tingency fund. The precedent thus ere
ated will probably be followed in Senator
Towne's case should he bring 1t to an
issue.
THE PROPOSED ST. PAUL DEAL.
J. Prefpont Morgan COnfers With the
Rond's Executive Committee.