Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-13
nIrs OF WASHINGTON LIFE.
Minor Scenes and Incidents sketched
on the Spot.

Massachusetts, and Senator william Mason
OF Illinois. Above the Illinois statesman's
desk in the postofnce committee room is
tackled an engraved copy Of the Declaration
OF Independence, on the margin Of which
appears in Senator Hosr's own handwriting:
ITO one of its defenders. with the compll-
ments Of George f. Hoar."
On the mantel in the senate judiciary
committee room rests a photograph Of Sena-
tor Mason and across the picture is writ
ten: Very sincerely yours, william e.
Mason"
The reconciliation followed Senator
Mason's speech on the Philippine bill. The
two men had not spoken for months before,
but now they have nothing but soft smiles
and liquid glances for each other. 1t was
only a few weeks ago that neither could
see the other when riding in the same ele-
vator. Now Mason says Hoar is a great
statesman and Hoar says Mason is a man
Of principle as well as patriotism.
Brevet Brigadier General 1. c. Abbott
writes to the Washington Post, saying:
"on the 10th day of May, 1861, the First
Michigan three months volunteer infantry
arrived In the city of Washington and on
the 22d 1t was reviewed by President Lin
coin near the White House, and at 8
o'clock in the evening the field and staff,
the line officers and the regiment band. led
by the colonel, o. B. Wilcox. now major
general United States army retired, called
upon Lieutenant General Winfield Scott at
the War department. The band played
Hail to the Chief, and after grasping the
hand Of the old veteran. the party marched
over to the White House, with the band
playing America There the party were
escorted to the East room.
The president came in and all were
introduced. The president shook their
hands very heartily. After greeting the
members Of the band, the president walked
up to the leader, whose avoirdupois was
about 300 pounds and whose height was
about 5 feet 6 inches. Sir said the presi-
dent to him, you are the biggest blower l
ever saw
"This evoked a cheer and the drum
major ordered the band into position. The
band struck up Yankee Doodle and the
company passed out and to quarters. Thus
ended one of the most pleasant incidents
Of my service during the civil war"
President Roosevelt doesn't smoke, at
least not in his office during business
hours said an attache at the White House,
quoted by the Washington Star. I'm fact.
4 a v hSNSi SVSu Hill 5IuOhluB anywhere,
and l understand that he does not indulge
in tobacco in any form, Yes, President
Mckinley was an inveterate cigar smoker
and was rarely without a cigar in his
mouth during his working hours in his
office. l remember that he was sensitive
to newspaper suggestions that he was
smoking too much. For instance, some
OF the yellow journals occasionally pub
lished that he was threatened with cancer
because of his constant smoking. He didn't
like this.
vat another time / remember that a
newspaper man wrote a story describing
President Mckinley at work at his desk.
In the story was something about the blue
wreaths Of smoke curling upward toward
the ceiling. Mr.. Mckinley called this young
man in his office and requested that he say
nothing in the future about his use of
cigars, as 1t would surely lead to stories of
disease from excessive smoking. Mr.. Nc
Kinley, during his long service in congress,
smoked a good deal, and the habit grew
with him after he entered the White House.
He found pleasure in a good cigar, and
when talking or thinking he had a lighted
cigar handy. He had a special brand of
cigars that he bought and paid for despite
the fact that admiring friends throughout
the country sent him hundreds of boxes Of
the best cigars ever put up. After we had
acquired Cuba and the Philippines box after
box Of the finest cigars made in these coun-
tries used to the reach the president from
army officers and friends. Very few men
ever remember to have seen President Nc
Kinley at the head of the cabinet table I'M
less he had a lighted cigar in his mouth or
one lying on the table nearby"
Congressman Lands of Indiana found
among his mail one day last week an
envelope from the island OF Martinique,
sent by his brother, Walter lands, post
master at San Juan, Porto Rico. On the
outside were scrubbed a few words an
nouncing that the contents Of the envelope
was dust from Mont Pelee, such as fell
upon the deck Of the steamer Potomac,
fourteen miles distant, at Fort de France,
like snow in winter time"
In the letter accompanying the package,
which was dated May "a, Postmaster Ian
dis wrote:
II would give 800 If you could have been
with me on the stern Of Potomac at
st. Pierre last Monday. when we ran to
sea from an eruption Of Mont Pelee. 1t
was the most magnificent spectacle the
eye of man ever beheld.
81 went from San Juan on Sterling
| WIN "a 6NOANo " ~ bulGIGISs AI
Fort de France l met your friend, Consul
Ayme, and he secured a permit for me to
go on Potomac with a party that went
to st. Pierre to get the remains OF the
American consul. We were driven out OF
town twice by volcanic eruptions. The sit
ustion became so critical that the sailors
dropped the casket and we ran into the sea
to our necks to reach the rowboats, which
had refused to beach for u.s." :,
"Uncle Joe" Cannon sat in the rear seat
OF an f street car the other morning, re-
lates the New York World, looking hap
PLY at the world and singing softly to
himself the old hymn, "There VIII Be No
Parting There" Representative Mann sat
beside him, reading a paper.
Hello, joe" said Mann. whats this
"a conference at the White House last
night on tariff revision?"
There will be no parting there sang
Uncle joe" melodiously.
What do you think OF that?" asked
Mann.
There will be no parting there"
warbled uncle joe" Then he said. sud
denly:
"Conundrum: II 1t takes six months to
pass a Cuban reciprocity bill. how long will