The leader., 1904-03-02
WASHINGTON LETTER


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The pretty young wife OF brand
new congressman, for instance, who
hasn't been initiated into the perplexi-
ties of the Washington social code
with trunkful Of smart garments
aching TO be worn-waits and wonders
disconsolately in her parior empty of
callers. EFT cometh not" cries Mari
ana of the moated fiats-the crowd she
expected, with Its eager welcome OF
her. mot one OF the wives Of all my
husbands colleagues has called" she
pouts.
"How many Of them have you called
orr This from a veteran.
"If' disdainfuliy. "Don't you know
I'm an utter stranger1 OF course I've
made no callsv'
"But you ought to. my dear. You
know it's the law of the Modes and
the Perstans in Washington that new
congressional women invariably make
the irst calls"
So the poor little newcomer who
doesn't want to be left out in the deal
buckles on her nerve and, smothering
all hereditary prejudices, goes forth to
conquer an alien world.
SimpIiMcatiOn of Laws.
Quite q number Of changes have
been noticed In the method Of drawing
bills In congress- Measures which are
intended to become law now contain
shorter sentences and wherever posi-
bic commas and semicolons are omitted
and periods used instead. This is for
the purpose OF making 1t easier to In
terpret q law and avoid mistakes. Sew
eral times questions have arisen wheth-
er comma or semicolon was in the
right place. In some instances 1t has
been found that the displacement of a
comma in the law has changed the en-
tire meaning Of the section and render
ed the act nugatory. II the laws that
are enacted could be stripped of the
verbiage and much of the indefinite
words, along with the commas that are
being eliminated, the average layman
might he able to understand them bet
ter.
The President's MuHleR.
President Roosevelt at the theater
the other night wore red, white and
blue silk muf1er with broad stripes.
Mr.. Roosevelt Is very fond of dis
playing the national colors. When he
became president, he put cockades of
red, white and blue on the hats Of his
coachman and footman and also on
the rosettes Of the brides Of all the
White House horses.
He himself affected the muller. re-
sembling the blue dotted handkerchief
worn By soldiers in Cuba about their
necks. The president acquired the
handkerchief wearing habit when he
was out in the cattle country.
When the president entered his box
on the night referred to and removed
the muller from his neck, he shook 1t
out, and It looked like a flag. of the
United States. except that the blue
was in stripes instead Of In the upper
corner. 1t impressed the leader of the
orchestra 50 much that he played the
"Star Spangied Banner"
To Open Rosebud Reservations.
Before this session Of congress ends
an agreement doubtless will be ratt-
fed with the Brule Sioux Indians By
which they will give up their lands
on the Rosebud reservation in South
Dakota. Civilization is hemming In
the Sioux. The Rosebud reds are still
savages. They have been savages all
through the years that the teachers of
civilization declared they were being
reclaimed. He Dog, High Hawk, Black
Bird and LOIS other Indians of the
Cut Meat, Black Pipe and Lone Wolf
districts have signed the agreement,
and they will try in other places to
make a living from poor parcel Of
ground by means of farming indus
Try about which they know nothing,
and the whites will come in and take
up their land and in taking it will sag,
THE Indian has gone where he ought
10 go-to the wall"
A Strenuous Clergyman.
A fine specimen of muscular Chris
tianity is Rev. Dr. Schick Of Grace
Reformed church, Washington. He ID
Just the man to catch the fancy of his
most distinguished parishioner, Presi-
dent Roosevelt.
One of DIR. Schick's hobbies is to
shovel snow. We have had plenty OF
1t this winter at the capital, and the
worthy divine, not satisfied to keep his
own front clear, has regularly shoveled
the snow from the board walk leading
to the entrance to his sanctuary.
One day when the snow lay i've
L. -. n. Aryn feat
In drifts the president rode by the
church. Pastor Echick, smiling and
rosy, was piowing through the obstrsic-
tons like an electric street sweeper.
Good morning, doctor said the
president What are you doing
there?s
..I'm doing my duty, Mr.. President.
replied the minister, with a strenuous
movement Of his shovel. In strictly
limited but necessary sense / am obey
ing the Scriptural injunction, Prepare
ye the way Of the Lord. Z"
The Pages Joke.
One Of the younger house employees,
Ripley Taylor, Is a hardened practical
Joker On recent Saturday he was
intrusted with all the checks Of house
pages and dispatched to the treasury
department to draw the money. When
he got downtown he indited telegram
to the chief page, which read:
Have gone to Boston. VIII forward
money soon.
The lads who run niInbly on errandsi
at that end Of the capitol were struck
with CONSERVATION, but Taylor soon APP
peared, and the money due for saiaries
was paid. CARL sCHOFIELD.
Raw or Unframed Lungs
Yield quickly to the wonderful cura-
tive and healing qualities of FOley's
Houey and Tar. Il prevents pneu-