The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-14
CONGRESS- HAD TO
TAKE A BACK SEAT
BALTIMORE FIRE AND WAR
UPPERMosT TOPICS AT THE CAPT.
tai.

Senators md Representatives Quit
Washington to Visit the BaIti-
more Rains-LegisIative Galleries
Almost observation-disclosures Bever-
itIrc'S Experience I'm IA Baltimore
Northumberland Clay
toms Thanks to Representative
Maddox-RurnI Free Delivery and
the Country POstmnsters.
BY R. NJ. Larner.
Washington, Feb. 13.-War news
from the Far East and the Baltimore
fire have dwarfed all other public in
terests here. The proceedings of the
two houses Of Congress and the doings
at the White House have passed prac-
tically unnoticed. Last week the gal
leries at the Capitol were daily crowd
ed with gayly dressed ladies and their
escorts, eager to listen to the political
debates then on draft. This week, or
the first part of it, would have found
nearly a quorum of Congress wading
through the mud and water in the
fire district of Baltimore.
Senator Beverage and several mem
bers of the House went over TO Balti-
more Monday to see the fire. After
tramping around fire lines for several
hours they went to a cafe to get some
thing to eat Provisions were scarce,
but the menu did not indicate short
rations.
The service was very slow, and Sen
xrith the Inn afungifW
of youth, grew impatient, and deliv-
cred himself quite freely to the some
what ratified walters. Finally he gave
his order. 1t was for a sirloin steak
with mushrooms, coffee and hashed
hashed brown potatoes, with toast on
the side.
1t was late at night, the rush had
been great and the young Senator from
Indiana was evidently annoyed because
of the slim consideration shown him.
After nearly an hours wait, instead of
beefsteak and mushrooms, the waiter
placed before the hungry and impa-
tient Senator platter containing two
fried eggs, a piece Of ham, with
bread and butter and coffee.
A look of disgust came over the
young Senator's face as he demanded
of the waiter:
This is not what I ordered"
Il know it amt, boss. but it's all
you'll git" And the waiter dashed
off to serve ham and eggs to the next
table.
Representative Maddox of Georgia is
not very popular just now with his con-
gressiOnal associates, because of his
vigorous attack on the extra mileage
graft was largely responsible for its
defeat.
The subject was under discussion in
the Democratic cloak room, and some
of the members were scoring Judge
Maddox quite severely for depriving
them of what they probably thought
was due them.
Representative Clayton of Alabama,
one of the best-natured men in Con-
gress, broke into the discussion and
remarked:
You fellows ought to thank Judge
Maddox instead of cussing. Now, so
far as / am personally concerned, he
has saved me money. If L had taken
that $500 allotted to me, it would have
cost me about 500 to explain to my
constituents why 1 took it"
Representative John Dalzell recent
ly received a letter from one OF his
most influential political friends in
Pennsylvania, saying: please send
Isthmian canal"
Now 1t is universally known, or 1t
ought to be, that Senator Morgan has
been making a continuous speech on
the canal question for the past fifteen
years.
How did you comply with the re-
quest?" inquired Serene Payne of New
York.
why, I have ordered the bound vol
umes of the Congressional Record for
the past fifteen years to be sent to my
good friend in Pittsburg,"' replied Mr..
Dalzell.
The extension of the rural free de-
livery system make 1t necessary for
the discontinuance of many small post
offices in all section of the country.
The keepers of little country stores,
who have heretofore enjoyed the priv
ilege of being postmaster, are not in
sympathy as q rule, with the new pop
ular rural mail service. Members of
the Georgia delegation are frequently
in receipt of vigorous protests of coun-
try storekeepers against the extension
of the rural system. which interferes.
with their business. In some cases the
protests are considered as just. but as
a general rule, the rural carrier is more
popular with the people than the coun-
try storekeeper is, so far as mail Serv-
ice is concerned.