Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-03-22
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.

WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Interesting Notes Gathered at Odd
Times at National Capital.
Washington Bureau of Courier.
Washington, D. c., March 19.
There is still some little talk among
members of congress about the post
office report and it is largely to the
| effect that they are only sorry that
| the report was not more complete in
giving instances of their going to de-
partments to look after the interests
of their constituents. Col. Hepburn for
instance, declared on the floor that he
believed he had "interfered" while in
congress at least ten thousand times.
Major Lacey also was very open in his
statement that he had made many
visits to various departments and ex-
pected to continue to do SO. AS an
instance of what sometimes occurs in
department work and what a congress
man is able to do Major Lacey cited
an instance of a pension case of one
of his constituents in Newton. The
man put in a claim back in the SOS
under the old law and was unable to
get it allowed. He put in another
claim under the new law and secured
his pension but was always OF the
opinion that his old claim was good
one and wrote to Major Lacey about
it. Mr. Lacey took the matter up
with the department, examined the
mans papers which he had submitted
and found that he had perfect record
and chain of evidence that was cor
rect in every detail. This fact Major
Lacey pointed out to the proper officer
who had possibly been little too has
ty in his examination and the result
was that the constituent was granted
pension on his old claim and given
something over $1,000 in back pay.
Several days ago man came up to
the capita. looking for Editor Rose
water of the Omaha Bee. Some one of
whom he asked directions told him to
go in and look for fine looking man
who wore boots. Shortly thereafter
the man met Major Lacey and was
noticed to eye the major closely and
follow him a short distance. He looked
at Major Lacey's face and then at his
feet and after brief consideration
went toward him with an air of deci-
sion and would probably have accosted
him as Editor Rosewater if the major
had not just at that moment made off
in another direction. 1t is not to be
inferred that Major Lacey looks like
Editor Rosewater but that he is a
fine looking man and wears boots" is
true beyond doubt. Both Major La
cey and Editor Rosewater are men
who care a great deal more for COM
fort than for style and while their
clothes in all other details are quite up
to date they both stick to good old
fashioned boots as their choice of what
is good and sensible in footwear.
When w. L. Roach of Muscatine was
in the city this week he found time to
spend an hour or two greeting &C.
quaintances at the capitol and before
he left the building had quite chat
with Senator Allison. Mr.. Roach took
son on his healthy appearance, The
senator he declared, looked like a
boy and had the ruddy cheeks and the
vigor of man of so rather than one
of rs" Mr.. Roach's congratulations
elected a little of the secret of Sena-
tor Allison's splendid constitution. He
declares that it is due mostly to good
habits, and regular and methodical
system of living.
1t is fact that Senator Allison's
health is surprise to all of his
friends. Senators Quay, Tillman, Hoar
Morgan, Pettus and others are often
absent from the senate because Of the
illness or because they find it neces-
sary to go south to recuperate but
Senator Allison is always on hand and
no man in the capitol does bigger
days work or harder days work
than he. A large part of this time is
spent in working on the burdensome
appropriation bills which are passed
by congress at every session. AS
chairman Of the committee he goes ov-
er every one of these bills and
knows their contents as does no 9th
er man in the senate.
Senator Allison leaves the capitol
every afternoon about $50 o'clock and
goes directly to his home where he
dresses for dinner. He is often out to
dinner but he does not accept invita-
lions that will require him to go with
greater frequency than he feels he
should. AT least two or three evenings
week he spends in his own library,
where he reads the Iowa papers or
looks over matters connected with his
work at the capitol. In fact it is said
that Senator Allison is the only man
in congress who reads carefully all of
the reports issued by the various de-
partments of the government each
year. These reports will make little
pile of reading matter at least two
feet high but it is stated that Senator
Allison digests each and every one Of
them and is thus able to pass on the
demands for appropriations with unus-
| ual wisdom.
Next Monday evening the republic
cans of both the house and senate will
meet jointly in the house chamber to
appoint committee and plan their
congressional campaign this fall. This
committee will look after the political
fights in the various congressional dis
tricts and will of course be separate
1