Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-22
BITS OF WASHINGTON LIFE.
Minor Scene and Incidents sketched
on the Spot.


on the Spot.
One Of the most interesting foreign Wis
itors to Washington just now is ]. N. Yata
Of Bombay, India, merchant prince, man
ufacturer, philanthropist, scholar and phil
osopher. Mr.. Yata is known in every
great commercial center because of his vast
business interests. He is by birth a Parsee,
that historic race the members of which
believe in Zoroaster and are commonly
called fire worshipers. He is a personal
friend Of Mr.. Foster, former secretary Of
state, by whom he was entertained at din
ner the other evening.
IN Of the interesting features Of
the great strike which is now about
ended" says a Washington letter to the
Brooklyn Eagle, was the part played in
the negotiations by President Samuel Com
pers Of the American Federation Of Labor,
and COMMISSIONS of immigration Frank
Sargent, formerly chief Of the Brotherhood
Of Locomotive Firemen. The former was
entirely ignored by the president through
out the entire proceeding. while Mr.. Sar-
gent was frequently called into consultation
by the president and was more than once
entrusted with personal missions by the
chief executive. II any deduction is to be
drawn from the events of the last ten days
as to whom the president considers to be
the most influential mai in labor circles, he
regards Mr.. Sargent as that individual and
not Mr.. Gompers. In fact, it was notice
able on more than one occasion that the
counsel Of the latter, as expressed In news
paper interviews, was turned down abso-
lutely. Gompers held out tenaciously
against the acceptance Of the restrictions
imposed by the operators In the naming Of
commissioners, and he filled Mr.. Mitchell
with alarming tales of what would happen
to labor II these limitations were not lifted.
Commissioner Sargent, on the other hand.
recommended that the president be trusted
to give the miners a fair deal, and his view
Of the matter was taken by Mitchell. This
is only one Instance where the advice Of
Sargent was taken in preference to that
Of Gompers. In fact. Sargent comes out OF
the negotiations with q long and brilliant
plume In his cap. He has demonstrated
that he is still a power in labor circles,
despite the fact that he Is holding a gov
eminent position. But more than anything
else he has shown that he possesses rare
good judgment and tact. So far as can be
learned, he did not make a single false step
!n discharging the commissions placed in
his hand by the president, and, while repre-
senting Mitchell in the selection OF commits
sioners, he seems to have done equally well
by the miners. Altogether Mr.. Sargent has
shown that he is one Of the big men Of
the administration"
President Roosevelt keeps the depart
ments on the jump supplying him with
data and statistics bearing on matters
which will come before him in future
months" writes a Washington correspond
emit. HE is keeping ahead OF the process
sion Of events, and 1t is mighty seldom that
a subject comes before him and finds him
in a state Of unpreparedness. II 1t chance
to be trust legislation which looms In front
he goes into the subject from all sides, read
ing as II he we're preparing for a thesis,
studying the history Of trusts from the
earliest times and familiarizing himself
with the theories and opinions Of all the
leading political economists and publicists.
He digs into reports Of the census and Of
the Industrial commission and the various
bureaus of statistics. He secures legal ad-
vice from all the sources at his disposal and
! c~onsults with practical men Of affairs whose
| experience and common sense he values.
"of his reading, his advlces and his own
| theories and beliefs he talks freely and con-
tinuously to those about him. sitting, reject
ing, proving, combating and formulating,
until he has SOM well-digested convictions
and a great supply Of ready information
bearing on all sides Of the affair.
With other questions 1t is the same. One
after another, and with equal enthusiasm,
he takes them up and goes ravening through
them. He likes to work and he goes at 1t
as II IL were a wrestling match and he
thirsting for the encounter"
THE old Lady OF the Goats" is the name
given to a most eccentric character VINO
lives in the scrub timber about hve miles
southwest OF the capital city, relates tht
Washington News. Her domicile is 8
tumbIedown hut, which stands upon the
lip Of a half-obliterated rife pit about a
half-mile from the Virginia bank OF thu
Potomac.
She never leaves the valley or the hills
around It, which she thinks belong to her
and no one knows just exactly how sh'
exists. Just what her right name is nj
one seems to know-the negroes are un
decided between several-but her nick.
name came through her fondness for tbs
society of goats. She always has a half,
dozen or more of them following her abou
and with the exception OF two pairs the!
never get more than half grown befor'
she slaughters them. The smaller tn
goat the more fondness the old woman
shows for the animal. She generally ha
one pet animal. which she carries aroun'
with her in her arms.
The old woman will sometimes tel
fortunes when one wanders her way. bu
II she does not fancy the looks OF thosa
who are approaching she will pick up he
pet goat and make CT through the ravine
with the rest Of the herd seampering a
her heels. The negroes have a supersti
tious awe OF her and no power on cart
could persuade n of them 70 Ventur