Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-01-04
CHRISTMAS IN
WASHINGTON
Optic Special Correspondent
Chats Airily Regarding Na.
tisasl Capital Hap.
penings
IN PUBLIC COURT
strong Drink the Cause Of Eighty
Five Per Cent OF Misery
and Crime
IN PUBL &c COURT

WASHINGTON, D. G., Dec. B.-
Christmas day has come and gone
Lots OF money has been spent, and
now people Of moderate mean are
making up their accounts to q how
far behind they win be In settling their
bills. In many ways Christmas has
become a burden to thofe who have
not large bank accounts. The MAORI
ty OF people are not only generously
inclined, but also want % 10 40 well
as their n~eiEhbors 10 the way Of max,
ing presents therefore, they spend
more money than they ought %.
During the past week the stores
have heen crowded, aud the feminine
portion Of our population has been
worn ont with oyersesertlon In shop
ping. II would be FAR better II gifts
were confined 10 articles made By the
ladies', and some simple and inexpen'
siye tokens purchased hy the men.
There has been, however. a vide do
p~artire from any Kiich custom as this.
We have q large percentage Of very
wealthy people. who d buy whatever
they please, They vet the pace In ex.
trayagance, and are Initiated all along
the line BY people 10 every walk Of
life. To Illustrate. n man, who has
made money very rapidly and who has
q large bank account; went into 0 mum.
Der OK stores one day last week and
bought his Christmas presents In this
way. In d leather store he said to
the proprietor, Il want You 10 pick
me out nifty presents that will not
cost more than 500. Send them mp
to my house He went into the de.
partment store and ordered 100 pres.
ents, which would cost not more than
$500. These, with other supplies pur.
chased in Q similar manner. helped
him to MI out his stock Of remember.
ances for his friends. When the pres
ents received. they were placed
In his library. and In company with
his private secretary. he made out a
list Of parties To whom the different
articles were TO be sent He thus dis
posed of his Christmas business In d
very m%ethodicai and easy way. Not
every one. however. could follow such
q plan.
The White House was the scene Of
much gaIety. Numerous presents ar.
rived. and the younger children were
In high glee, The presidents family
Is always the recipient OF a great
variety Of gifts from all parts of The
country. The people. irrespective Of
party, have generous feeling for the
chief magistrate, President Roose.
yelt attended the funeral Of Mrs. Sen
ator Hoar. who had died the night be.
fore. fIer remains were sent 10 Mas.
s~aehussetts.
During Christmas week business at
the police court Was unusually lively.
When the time for opening court N
the morning arrived, there was about
as hard q crowd waiting for the I'D.
ministration Of justice III could be
found In any city IN the union Judges
Kimball and Scott are both high.grade
christian men. and very frequently ac-
company their sentences with good I'D.
vice. The culprIis make large prom
Uses, hut In most cases forget 10 keep
them. The majority of offences are
committed on account Of strong drink,
which leads 10 fighting. theft. and. al
most every crime. Il Ia safe 20 say
that eighty.fye per zen 81 crime il
caused by liquor. Very often the IN.
cidents occurring In the court are quite
amusing. Yesterday. one old negro,