Cañon City record., 1906-05-31

tory of our nation, and here all our
great statesmen of a hundred years
have lived and worked.
Congress is still in session | spent
day watching the national lawmak-
ers, principally in the Senate, as the
rate bill was up for consideration and
there was something doing all the
time.
l was greatly interested in seeing
and watching the senators of whom we
have heard so much at their everyday
work They seem to be a very ordi-
nary bunch of men. We read so much
of Lodge, Foraker, Allison, LaFollette,
Tillman and others that we sort of
idealize them and expect to see some
thing noticeably big or great about
them. But in that you are disappoint
ed. Like most beautiful women. they
don't even come up to the newspaper
pictures and campaign posters.
There are not dozen men in the
senate who would attract any special
attention in a Canon City audience,
and | am sure there are not half that
many who are the equal in looks or
ability of our own late Senator f. o.
Wolcott
Colorado is represented by Senator'S
Teller and Patterson, both Democrats,
and they average up very well with
those from any other state on the
Democratic side Both Senators Tel
Ter and Patterson were doing all they
could for the Royal Gorge Park bill,
in which / was interested.
Colorado is especially well repre-
sented in the House of Representa-
tives, no other state. think, having
such a strong team. Our representa-
tives are all Republicans. E.
Brooks, r. W. Bonynge and H. NJ.
Hogg. Mr.. Brooks, who introduced and
has been championing the Royal Gorge
Park bill, has had a hard fight but he
has practically won.
| One thing that surprises me about
| Washington Is the ease with which you
can reach many of the cabinet mem
! bers and heads of departments. You
can see the comptroller of the cur
rency or the secretary OF the treasury
as easily as you can the cashier Of the
Fremont County Bank. Only two
members of the cabinet have the repu-
tation of being hard to reach. Even
the president can be seen by any one
who wants to butt in" with the slight
est prete1t to business.
There are many interesting little
car trips out from Washington. Arl-
ington, the National cemetery, is just
across the river 1t is hallowed ground
to the older people, especially those
who fought in the War of the Rebel
lion. Here are laid many of the ia
nous soldiers and officers of that war.
The old CustisLee house is fine
old relic of the olden day. 1t was
built in 1902 by Washingtons adopted
son 1t was later the home of Gen.
Robert F.. Lee and was taken by the
government during the war. Congress
later paid the Lee estate $150,O00 for
the estate Twenty thousand soldiers
have been buried here.
Mount Vernon, George Washington
DIu uoIut, lo- 4 tulhh. ohV VI 'iiV hi'o'
interesting places near the city. 1t is
over on the Virginia side and can be
reached by boat down the Potomac or
by an hours ride on the car.
The old homestead is Just as 1t was
in Washington's time and visit there
helps us to realize that George Wash
ington was man living like other
men of his day, and not SO very far
In the past. Like others, suppose,
have always had Washington away up
on pedestal, thinking Of him more as
super-human, like Elijah, John the
Baptist, or one Of the Apostles. but
here we have the best evidence in the
world that he was just an everyday
sort Of a country gentleman, living
much as we do today.
Here you see much that belonged to
and was used by Washington. His
swords, books. furniture, clothes.
boots, the bed he slept and died in,
his old coach and many other things
which indicate his tastes and mode Of
life.
Everything points to the fact that
Washington was gentleman-an ar
istocrat. It must be remembered that
this old house was built In 1742-one
hundred and Sixty-three years ago