The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-11
FREE~HAND COMMENT
ON MEN AND MANNERS

The snow is falling gently down,
About which poets gush;
1t dances gaily through the town
And fills the streets with slush.
Oh, shall 1 call it pure and fair,
The snow we all have read of,
or shall 1 stubbornly declare
1t makes me sneeze my head off?
The Hon Mr.. Grosvenor of Ohio
wishes il distinctly understood that he
referred to the Senate as it," not as
they" No mere grammatical bubble
is here involved Mr.. GrOsvenor's pur-
pose is deeper than that. Under the
able and unterrihed direction of the
Hon. Joseph Cannon Of Illinois there
are times when it almost seems as
though the House were it And, in
this connection, we are reminded Of an
amusing story that went the rounds Of
the press not long ago. one of the
Roosevelt children. being asked by his
public school teacher, What is your
fathers occupation" is represented as
replying, why. my pa, he-he's it,
SO, there you are.
Rooters from different cities of the
country that desire one or both of the
political conventions are beginning to
arrive in town and put up at our va
rious hostelries. They are for the most
part winning and specioGs gentlemen.
any one of whom could talk a dog into
believing 1t was a kangaroo, and it will
be their duty to buttonhole the mem
bers of the Republican National Com
mittee on any and all occasions. 1t
would make the heart of any patriotic
American thrill with joy could he hear
all that is said in praise OF the various
cities submitted. He would be led TO
believe that the United States is spotted
from end to end with Parises, Venices,
and Babylons. He would hear that the
shrinking river that winds its Stygian
way through the heart Of Chicago is
crystal stream. giving off an odor
of crushed violetS; that people really
have to- wear overcoats in New Or
leans in mid summer and sleep under
two blankets; that there are no mos
quitoes in st. Louis, and that the skies
of Pittsburg resemble those of Athens
in clearness. But if money can get the
convention, Chicago will have it. Chi
cago is perfectly indecent when it comes
to a question of money.
The Anti-Saloon League, now holding
its eighth annual convention in this
city, will have the good wishes Of all
serious-minded people. Certainly a state
of society in which no saloons existed
would be something far IN advance Of
anything we at present know And if
the liquor habit were thereby restrained
or diminished, there is no doubt that
crime. despair, and suicide would we'll
nigh reach the vanishing point. Such a
result at present has a utopian look,
but Il is certain that all the various
moral influences, each working i'm it's
own way. must. when taken as a sum
total. be a tremendous force for good
And it often happens that the strongest
help comes from unexpected quarters.
The moral effect of King Edwards re-
quest that his health be drunk in water
can hardly be overestimated. And. on
this side the ocean. the order Of a rail-
way president that no employee who in
dulges in intoxicating drinks shall be
retained. is very much 70 the point The
men who stay out Of saloons are doing
as much as anybody to make them
go"
Despite the disastrous outcome Of the
second trial of Prof. Langley's airship.
the scientist Is still confident. Tempo
rary failure always furnishes food for
the scofers. yet we should not forget
that it is this sublime confidence in me
face Of apparent defeat that has won
for the world many of the splendid vic
tories Of progress.
By the death Tuesday in Baltimore Of
| the Rev. John Lanahan. a notable and
| noble life was brought to a close. DIT.
Lanahan was one Of the great old men
Of whom the past century has been so
prolific and whose chief representative
Was Gladstone. He died at the ripe old
/ age Of lightweight. but tained his in.
dOmitable vigor and youthful fire al
most to the last. Those who were pres
/ ent two years ago at Ocean Grove will
remember him as an "old man elo-
luent." and will not soon FORGET his
striking and almost majestic presence.
| For many years DR.. LaIahan took q
keen interest in public affairs 1r1 was
consulted by those high IN aul4rritl,
Among his close friends ne Sul.- Lered
| Presidents Hayes and McRir' ". both
OF whom were members of r. church
I The influence OF his grand life will long
be felt in this city.
That young Austrian nobleman who
has applied 10 the Associated Chart
| ties because he cannot live on the co
cents a day allowed him by his uncle
should consult with Major Bean. of
Omaha The gallant major has been
conducting experiments with other peo-
pies stomachs TO demonstrate that a
man can get along very nicely on scent
meals. Three scent meals a day would
not eat a very deep hole into the young
nobleman's allowance. He would still
have 45 cents left for expenses and
even luXuries- Evidently this noblernan
is not awake to the opportunities OF