Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-08-09
LETTER FROM
NATIONAL CAPITOL
WASHINGTON. d. [

WASHINGTON, d. &.
Bro ALBERT:-"Charlie Lands
OF Indiana, one Of the humorous and
logical takers In congress, was dis
cussing tariff not many weeks ago in
reply to brilliant man and caustiC
debater, Mr.. Williams of Mississippi
leader of the democratic party on the
floor of the House. Lands always
furnishes fun as spice to his argu
ments, A short extract from bis
speech is submitted:
"We republicans, he said, "have
been having our own way about mat.
tiers and things for the last ten years
This is pretty long time, but it does
not seem as long under a republican
administration as it would seem
under a democratic administration
1t has been long enough time for US tC
enact wise laws and rebuild the in.
duStrial temple, for us to fight a
foreign war and set up two separate
aud distinct republics and drive a
foreign nation from the western
hemisphere; for us to come into posses.
sion OF cluster of islands on the
other side of the world and impress
upon the people who inhabit them
that the school book and not the bOlC
is the acknowledged badge of nine
teenth century existence. 1t has
been long enough To explode absolutely
and for all time the policy of free
silver by connecting with it the fuse
OF daily fact running through all these
years. 1t has been long enough to
lay the foundation for the construc-
tion of the Panama canal and do a
whole lot of other things, any one of
which would constitute sufficient
asset for an ordinary party and Justify
it's asking for renewed lease of
power.
= Il changed cars in Cincinnati re-
Gently. In less distance than block
from the Union station / came upon
an employment agency and in broad,
bold letters l read this sign, which
said: All Kinds OF Work for All Kinds
of men, That is the sign, gentlemen,
that is displayed in all the great cities
OF this republic today. - / believe
that Mark HaDna's advice is still good
and | am willing TO let well-enough
alone.
of the democratic party should
again come in power while Mr.. Will.
liams lives | shall advocate the eStab.
liShment Of new department of the
government with representation in
the cabinet. | will be known as the de-
partment of mendicancy. There will
be bureaus OF beggary and divisions OF
want and despair. / think it would
be fit and proper for Mr.. Williams tC
be the first secretary for this de-
partment.
The busy country needs help. This
condition Of our trade and manu-
facturers, indicate everywhere by the
sign "All kinds of work for all kinds
of men," leads me to a story apropos
Ii was my first week in the national
capital. Mrs. LaVigne, still in Crane
Rapids, met on the street our genia
friend, the popular townsman Mr.
Edward Huban, who said:
Well, has your husband gone t(
work in Washington yet?"
"Oh, yes; he made a record. HI
reported at the Census office and haC
his coat off at work within one huuI
and a half after reaching that CITY,"
"Humph!" said Huban, "they must
have been ID hard up for help
People come from remote parts tt
see Washington, and a weeks stay
gives them better knowledge of TIT
capitol city than many have who wer,
born and reared here. The sightsee
visits all the departments and peep
into every avenue, while the loca
resident rests content nursing the on,
ambition TO "go through" tn,
Treasury. | know an elderly lady wht
has been an expert money counte
here for years and years, yet she ha
never taken the pains to visit tn,
Library of Congress, which is easily
the finest building in the United
States, with its mural paintings
mosaicS, bronzes. and marble interior
presenting real wonderland of ar
and architecture. A 60-year-old tell
me that his home all his life has beer
within radius of fourteen blocks: b,
has never been outside of Washington
he never cast ballot in any election
or cared for the privilege; and he ha
seen few of the places and men anC
things that attract patriotic Amer
cans TO this Mecca for tourists. III,
is good carpenter, at that, bu
scarcely worried whether 16 to is Uh
chance man takes of reaching hi
destination when he starts out on al
automobile trip or whether it mean
sixteen tries for one political Office
Another Government employe, her
fifty years, We know has never beer
inside the capitol building, and so on
These listlesS Washingtonians remind
me OF what some smoker wrote: lie
others seek the bliss that relgns il
homage paid at the nations shrine
We enjoy not such foolish gains-ir
sweet content old pipe of mine"
During many years, scarce either
of Grand Rapids made pilgrimage Il
the national theatre of Government
Travel in this direction is growing
call to mind a good list of hom,
folks who from. time to time since W,
came here have paid respects to tn,
White House, the Washington Monu