Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-31
BITS OF WASHINGTON LIFE.
Minor scenes and incidents sISetched
On the spot.

1
vestigate flings on the land with the local
| land ofIicer In that state. Every applca-
| tion for entry will be held up pending the
| investigation. Ohicials OF the department
are convinced that this sudden rush is due
| to the work OF a land syndicate that is
seeking control OF Indian allotments and
land that may be secured under the timber
| and stone act for speculative purposes.
| There is nothing to warrant the rush for
lands at this time and the department has
discovered the employment Of the same
methods used by spectators to secure con-
troll OF public lands in Nebraska, Washing
ton and other states. Oficials OF the de-
partment feel justified in warming home
seekers against being misled by repre-
sentations regarding this or any other land
now belonging to the public.
Among ONCE holders in Washington
! Comptroller Tracewell of the treasury is
regarded as a most extraordinary person.
Mr.. Tracewells salary is $500 and he
thinks he 10 overpaid. Worse than enter
| tanning such heterodox opinion, however.
is the fact that he has not hesitated to give
expression thereto. During the recent ses-
sion of congress he was giving a sub
committee some information regarding his
ONCE. The chairman compllmented him by
| saying; you are the first man govern
ment of1cer who has appeared before us
who did not ask for an increase of salary"
Tracewell replied bluntly; I'm getting a
blank sight too much now" In private
conversation later he said: "Considering
the hours Of labor and their responsible
ties government employees are paid more
than any other class OF men in the world"
All Of which is regarded in bureaucratic
circles as little short OF revolutionary.
An observing policeman explains In the
Washington Post why 80 many Washington
people regularly travel over roundabout
path in the White House grounds The
path is not a crosscut to save time and
distance, and its frequenters are not
strangers. standing or walking on Penu-
slyvania avenue, either on the north or
south side OF the street." says the police
man, "all that one can see Of the new Of
fee building is a small portion of the roof.
The office entrance and, in fact, the entire
area in front of that building is shut off
from view by a swell in the ground, so
that the person entering at the office, pass
ing under the White House veranda or por-
tico. and leaving by way OF the northeast
exit looks to those on the avenue as
though he had just come out of the White
House To one unacquainted with the
ground 1t would seem impossible for them
to have come from any other quarter than
the executive mansion and this fact affords
a key to the mystery.
"It is only now and then that a person
wakes up to the utter smallness and mean
ness of human nature. The object which
so many people have of going blocks out
of their way is simply to fool others, whom
, they know, or expect will be on the avenue
about that time, into thinking that they
! are just leaving the White House, where
they have been on important business either
with the president or his family or i'm
portant members of his household. Women
are as much given to this species of petty
deceit as men.
Young men fool their girls in this way,
, residents their country visitors, politicians
: their constituents, women their neigh
bors, business men their competitors In
short It Is the most popular road to cheap
notoriety that know Of"
When the president is passing people
down the line after a handshake at re-
ception in the White House he does not
expect any one to stop in reply to anything
he may say, nor is he expected to cause
any delay There was an exception to
a the custom at recent reception, and the
president It is said, admitted afterward
e that 1t was his fault.
The day of the reception referred to was
E stormy. The downpour was deluging the
capital. As the president grasped the hand
Of a Daughter Of the American Revolution
: from Wisconsin-for the reception was to
= the congress Of the Daughters-he said;
VERY pleasant day"
The d. A. R. was partially drenched by
! reason of q delay at the White House and
she was In no mood to agree with the
8 president in his remark.
v "If you don't care what you say, yes
: Mr. President" said the D. A. R.
: The president had not at that moment
v nassed the lady on He held to her hand
: and looking at her steadfastly moment ne
y said:
q MADAME. I stand corrected. Thank you
o I meant 'beastly' when said pleasant
[ The remark caused stoppage In the
d line that was momentary, but 1t was long
enough to cause a number OF people to
wonder what the president was saying.
The D. A. r. sent an apology to the
president afterward for unintentionally
4, causing a hold-up of the line,, and, he, 1t
is said, sent back word:
Served me right"
: A,tsr a long search Colonel w. H.
Z. Michael chief clerk Of the State depart
4 ment has discovered that the original
: emancipation proclamation by which Abra-
/, ham Lincoln set free the slaves was de-
v stroyed in the great Chicago fire in 1871
n A few years after the proclamation waF
d issued a society of women in Chicago re-
s ouested the president to place the original
% Of the emancipation proclamation tempo
n rarily in their possession that they might
e axhibit II and devote the proceeds to a
d philanthroplc work. ofioials in Wash
e ipRton we're loath to permit the famous
Il instrument to leave the capitol, but In view
70 of the charitable purpose for which 1t wa'
l. requested It was finally sent to Chicago
If Colonel Michael now believes that he has
y proof absolute that 1t was destroyed In th'
n great hre.
II Lloyd c. Griscom. United States minister
Ie TO Japan, recently presented to the stat'
n hanartrnAnt two Mthographie copies of thl