Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-25
BITS OF WASHINGTON LIFE.
Minor Scenes and Incidents sketched
on the spot.

Minor Scenes and Incidents sketched
on the spot.
ofciaidom is following with keen in
terest every development in the senatorial
campaign in Colorado, on the result Of
which hinges the fate Of Senator Teller.
On the face OF the returns the fusionlsts
have a majority on Joint ballot. The re-
publicans control the house, the fusionists
the senate. Threats are made to oust
enough democrats from seats in the house
to give the republicans majority on
Joint ballot But the democrats In the
senate may play a similar game. The out
come OF the struggle cannot be predicted,
but there is little doubt the hght will be
hot one from start to finish. What In
terests Washington most is that In event
OF republican success former Senator VOL
colt is likely to succeed Senator Teller.
Wolcott is we'll known and we'll liked In
Washington and II is hoped he will win re-
election to the senate from that state. He
served for several years as member Of the
district committee and on the committee
on postofices and post roads OF the senate,
and was in this way brought into personal
contact with nearly all the prominent citi-
zens and business men of Washington, He
is a hustler and born fighter. There has
udS hlNdgb uetu u blIhlu Oh HBulluB DluOu
in the Wolcott family. The senator, when
a mere boy Of 16, enlisted in the One Hun
dred and F1ftieth Ohio volunteers and
served until the end OF the war.
He was born in Long Meadow, Mass,
and all his early associations are Of New
England. He attended Yale college for
while and in 1871 he was graduated at
the Harvard law school. He then went to
Colorado and practiced law with great
success. He also practiced politics with
equal success. His skill as a political
orator soon made him famous throughout
the entire west and his reputation in this
regard preceded him to the national cap
ital. Many OF his speeches in the senate
were masterpieces of eloquence.
From over the river at Fort Myer, where
the guileless rookie" holds sway, comes
the following story, for which confrma-
tion cannot be obtained at the War de-
partment. On his first guard, so the story
goes, raw recruit was approached by
the sergeant of the guard, who adopted
toward him the usual tone of mont CONS. -
when dealing with recruits. In a voice
that suggested far-off thunder he de-
manded II the sentry had seen the of1cer
Of the day. The sentry hadn't, and he
admitted 1t shamefacedly. Thereupon the
sergeant, having explained his exalted
rank, departed with dignity, leaving the
recruit nightly impressed with the Inn
portance of the same sergeant. Presently
the officer OF the day strolled down the
line and passed the sentry. As he stopped
IN front of the post the recruit inquired
grufiy:
Are you the officer of the day7''
Yes" came the surprised reply,
well, you want to get onto your fob,
you do; the sergeant Of the guard is looking
for you" ...
Souvenir hunters and collectors OF rare
articles Of historic value have been pre-
pairing for a raid on the White House since
the announcement the other day that there
would soon be a sale Of china and old
brio a brac at the executive mansion. II
seems that this report was without foun-
dation and that there is to be no auction.
The laws forbid giving away by the mis-
tress of the White House OF any OF the
furnishings Of the executive mansion that
were purchased by government money. The
only way to get rid Of wornout chairs
china, tables, etc, is by public auction. It
was reported recently that Mrs. Roose-
velt had decided on a cleaning out of a
lot OF stun, including some of the old
china. AS before stated, the rumor was
false and there Is no indication that COL
lectors are to have an early chance to
pick up any Of the historic pieces Of the
White House.
Comparatively few people know. writes
the Washington correspondent of the
Brooklyn Eagle, that Uncle Sam is plan
ming winter naval maneuvers in the Carib
bean sea to the tune OF a round million Of
dollars. The summer maneuvers of New
England and Long Island were so much
nearer home that in the general interest
they aroused the Porto Rican plan has
been rather overlooked The warships
have taken their turn one after another in
the dry dock to be groomed and freshly
equipped for the coming operations.
December 1 is the date arranged by the
Navy department for the operations to be-
gin and for two months the entire force
will be busy with attack and defense. AL
though the department has been forced to
drop from the original list a few warships
that have been crippled by accident, II is
certain that the feet will be the largest
and most powerful ever assembled under
the Stars and Stripes, whether for pur-
poses OF peace or war.
The fleet is scheduled to arrive today on
the island OF Culebra, which will be the
base of operations and which, It is ex-
pected, will prove the most available head
quarters in future for the West Indian
naval station. AS an island Culebra doesn't
amount to much. 1t takes a pretty de-
tailed map to show It at all and then II is
merely a dot in the sea. II was ceded with
the island of Vieques by Spain in the treaty
of Paris and was not considered worth
mentioning, but was included in the gen.
eraI designation, porto Rico and adjacent
islands" Even in Porto Rico the people
hardly know Of its existence. The island
lies between the eastern end of Porto Rico
and the island of st. Thomas and seven
teen miles from the latter. 1t is a bunch
OF picturesque hills ranging In height from