Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-27
Mrs DE WASHINGTON LIFE.

BITS OF WASHINGTON LIFE.
EtchinEs Of People and Events at the
National Capital.
zone Of the most promising young men
in the house OF representatives. Gays a
Washington letter in the New York Trib-
une, lis Elmer Jacob Burkett. who comes
from Mr.. Bryan's home and is that great
sp~ellbinder's successor in congress. Mr..
Burkett is only 80 years old, and looks
even younger, but he impresses one with
his dignity and reserve force. with an
acumen possessed by few young members,
he has refrained from exploiting himself
on the floor Of the house, has rarely en-
gagged in debate OF made eloquent speeches
to the galleries, but he has worked to some
purpose in the committees on which he is
a member. and has proved himself so efi-
cient that In this congress, his second term,
he was rewarded by a place on the com
mittee OF appropriations, an unusual honor
for SO young a member. Not long ago,
however, he broke the silence he has main
tained since he FIRST took his seat, and made
a speech on the permanent census that
won him the applause Of his colleagues
on both sides of the house, even those who
dissented from him expressing admiration
OF the mastery way in which he presented
his views. Mr.. Burkett's alma mater is
Tabor college, Iowa, from which he grad
uated with high honors in 1890, and OF
which he is now a trustee. After receiv-
ing his B. A. Mr.. Burkett taught school
for two years, then entered the state uni
versity, where he took a course In Law,
being awarded the degree OF LII B. in
1898 and LII. M. in 1896. Since being ad-
mitted to the bar he has practised law in
Lincoln, and is regarded as one Of the
sblest lawyers in Nebraska His constitu-
ency is almost q unit for his election to q
third term, and some of his admirers pre-
dict that the toga OF the upper house will
one day be bestowed upon him"
81 see," said the old congressman, quoted
in a Washington letter, that Galusha A.
Grow, father Of the house, is to retire at
the end Of the present congress. 1 never
hear Of Grow but l am reminded Of some
thing which happened when he was speaker.
1t was during the time when Godlove S.
Ortiz Of Indiana was a congressman. 0rth,
1t may be remembered, was for many years
a veteran Of the lower house.
"On the day In question Grow had as
his guest a prominent member of the Brit
ish parliament, who was intensely inter-
ested in everything about congress and its
method of doing business. The Englishman
sat close beside the speaker and frequently
leaned over to him and asked questions
when something puzzled him.
Soon after he came in the roll was
called. One after the other the names Of
the various members were called in al
phabetical order, the visitor straining his
ears to keep track Of the hurried, sing
song pronunciation Of the clerk.
"In the midst Of the call he whispered to
his friend. the speaker.
"T say he said, isn't that a peculiar
custom? Right in the midst of the roll
call the clerk stops and offers up a prayer.
God love US ALL" he says. How did that
custom originate? l think 1t interesting as
we'll as remarkable
Speaker Grow was dumfounded for a
moment. Then 1t dawned on him and he
had hard work to suppress a smile.
That's the name Of the gentleman
from Indiana be said. It's really God
love s. Orth, though the mistake you made
is perfectly natural
How extraordinary said the English
man"
THE magnificent decorations in the new
committee rooms Just completed In the por-
ton of the capitol formerly used for hous-
ing the congressional library" says a cor
respondent of the st. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat, " caused a number Of members Of the
house noted for abstemious and econom-
ical living to comment upon the e~xtrava-
gance manifested. A gold mirror on its
marble carved base was under considera-
ton. Upon inquiry it was found there were
four of these in the different new commit
- r@A-.1 TI@~ ..-A an0n - a a.
niture, which is of solid mahogany, was
made from special designs and for the spe-
cial rooms, in which the color schemes were
all worked out before a single purchase was
made. Where the chairmen OF the respec-
tive committees were known they we're con-
suited as to these decorations. Otherwise,
the architect Of the capitol used his discre-
tion and individual taste. But the extrava-
gances in the new committee rooms do NOT
exceed those of former years and former
administrations. There is the solid gold ink
we'll in the office of the vice president, now
the office of the president pro tempore OF
the senate. 1t cost the government 81, 900
Then there is that ordinary looking clock In
the marble room of the senate. It came
originally from Switzerland, and when the
government paid the bill the receipt was fol
$4,000. These were expenditures for the liv-
Ing, Dut there is the dead as well, Tor one
Of the most expensive of the small pur-
chases of Uncle Sam is the tip on top Of
the Washington monument, raised to the
memory of the first president. 1t weighs
twenty-six pounds. 1t is OF platinum, more
precious and expensive than solid gold"
GAS a matter OF fact" says the Wash
ington Post, there is little or no gambling
now in the capitol, compared with the con.
ditions Of years ago. There used to be q
time when certain committee rooms were
the rendezvous for poker players, and the
games were generally without limit.
MANY senators and representatives d.
not object to a little game now, but they
play in the evening and not at the capitol
There were poker stories galore around the
capitol In the olden days. One incident
became a classic. There was a party
in the room OF a southern congressman
and the game ran high. A western member
opened a jackpot, and the southerner, VIII
was upon his left, came in, together with
two other congressman. The westernel
stood pat, whereupon the southerner dis.
carded two cards. The betting began anC