Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1902-07-17
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence.l


Especial Correspondence
For the foreign relations committee
room Of the senate was reserved the
honor OF having the finest table In the
national capitol. 1t is the longest. the
best, the most expensive, the most or
1ate and placed In surroundings which
,nly superlatives can describe. Just
VOW some Of the most prominent sena-
tors and most accomplished statesmen
| gather about II. 1t is safe to predict
that in the coming century, for II Is not
too brash to assume that the table will
last for hundred years. men of this
| stamp will seat themselves about II fire.
quently and, with elbows resting upon
Its mahogany edges, will decide the
fate Of our relations with nations of the
old world
The table is twenty-one feet long.
longer by two feet than any other table
| In the capitol. The legs are Chippen-
dale style, but are bound at top and
bottom by beautifully cast and highly
| polished brass, contrasting well with
| the dark red Of the mahogany. The top
is framed In polished mahogany. but
its center is of dark green broadcloth.
| The cost of the table is a secret of the
capitol architect, but no statement OF
| price or description in words quite con-
veys its quiet elegance.
Where Senators Live.
Comparatively few senators have es-
| tablished homes of permanent nature
| In Washington. Not one-half OF them
maintain housekeeping establish
ment. OF the lightweight senators now
holding seats in congress thirty-three
live In hotels and ten live in apartment
houses. Three fourths of those who re
side in hotels are up town, the balance
being southern senators who have quar-
tiers in down town houses that have be-
come famous In the past as stopping
| places for southerners and that still
| have memories OF great statesmen
clinging to them that form an attrac-
tive feature for many of those who con-
tinue 10 give them their patronage. All
the senators except two live in the
northwest" the venerable Senator
Pettus of Alabama being one of tho.e
who has taken up his domicile In an
other part Of the city. He is located on
''the hill" not far from the Congress
sional librapy building and the capitol.
A considerable number OF those not III
hotels or apartments have rooms and
board in private houses.
Justice HarIan's Great Drive.
Justice Harlan is goifiac. He says
it is the greatest game in the world.
He plays several times a week He Is
more than six feet tall. weighs fully
300 pounds and has deep chest and
shoulders yard across. When he hits
ball squarcly. it goes soaring through
the air for yards and yards.
There is one hole on the Chevy Chase
| links called "Harlan's hole" In some
wonderful manner the Justice once
made the hole in one stroke He drove
the ball off the tee. and 1t rolled into
the hole The caddy spent half an hour
looking for the ball In the high grass.
while the justice fumed and frctted.
Then somebody shouted:
"Why. here's your ball in the hole"
The justice was 80 proud that he
would PLAY 10 E0t' that day. No one
has duplicat, the feat.
The Minister to China.
The report that Major Edwin III. Con
| ger will not remain much longer as
minister to China has led to the presen-
| tation OF the name OF John Barrett,
| formerly minister to Siam, to succeed
to the prospective vacancy. Senator
Mitchell of Oregon the other day talked
with the president about Mr.. Barrett
for minister to China. Senator Mitchell
told the president that all OF the Pa
cific coast states would he delighted
with the selection OF Mr. Barrett. 1t is
stated that the president might be glad
to give consideration to Mr.. Barrett IL
there was any outlook for vacancy in
the Chinese mission. No such vacancy
is expected, however, and the story Of
Mr.. Conger's going to retire is believed
to be premature. The president knows
nothing about such an intention on Mr..
Conger's part.
The Presidents Life Insurance.
/ Since entering the executive office OF
the nation President Roosevelt has tax
en- out some extra life insurance. The
amount is not known. but is reported
to be $4,000 and was placed In one of
the large New York companies. This
was in addition to policies that the
president had carried prior to his ac-
cession TO his present office. President
Mckinley had about $67 900 insurance
on his life and President Roosevets
various policies probably amount to
more than that The life insurance
companies do not take into serious cal
culation the extra danger that some
people believe attaches to the occupant
OF the White House. The premium on
the new policy is no larger than charg
ed to any other man. and the company
is said TO consider President Roosevelt
one OF Its best risks.
VIII Print Their Pictures.
An illustrated edition OF the congress
/ gional directory Ia IN no tho Ia taat nov