The Washington times., 1906-01-12
Mint Juieps Included.

Mint Juieps Included.
Conditions and environments sur
rounding the daily life of a member Of
the press gallery. the manner in which
the members enjoy themselves during a
dull period" mint juleps and Southern
suppers at a downtown hotel. and
sketches of the men who have led in
Congress in those years. make enlight-
ening and fascinating reading.
Henry Watterson, for whose paper
Mr. Stealey is Washington correspon-
dent, has written the Introduction and
in il says.
Mr. Stealey brings together a good
~ company of Knights and Squires-
for how else shall we classify the gen
tlemen of the press gallery and the
gentlemen on the floor below"
WatteIson on Congress.
Mr. Watterson says the conditions at
sthe Capitol are not much changed from
those OF forty years ago when such
men John w. Forney, Horace
Greeley, James Watson Webb and
James Gordon Bennett We're often seen
in the gallery. mo man can be a hero
To his valet" quotes Mr.. Watterson,
and perhaps as little can the average
politician in Congress be a statesman
10 the Washington correspondent.
Experiences of the special CORES
pondent have doubtless a tendency to
develop the cynic in him. He learns
too many Of the frailties Of poor
humanity. His daily migratiOns into the
slums of political thought expose all
that is noNious in public life"
The shams, pTetenses. sordid aims.
base ambitions, and littleness of parties
make the correspondent feel like a stage
hand behind the curtain. he says The
TlaNrfTS
or The difference between the creased
painted, sayly appointed trickster and
the mimic of the dressing room, and a
comparison is drawn between the CORE
spondent and the man he approaches for
news"
Know 'Tmmortals."
This, lac says, is the seamy side of
the correspondents life, but fortunately
there is a silver lining TO every dark
cloud" There are real leaders among
men who hear
The immortal names.
That were not born 10 die
The book is divided into two sections.
Mr.. Stealey's experiences as d member
OF the pick OF newspaper men" and a
history. OF the growth OF the held now
covered by specials"
one chapter deals with the work and
pay Of a Congressman. On this sub
ject Mr.. Stealey says:
nat no liUDI man Oh dDllAlN mas any
business in Congress, unless he wants
10 be martyr Eighteen hundred dol
lars anywhere in the South or West is
more money than 5000 in Washington.
The cost of living of ii Congressman
here ranges from $500 to 1900 per month. I
he Congressman who has 10 depend /
upon his salary alone probably can get
through with $3.50 "A month, but even
that eats a big hole in his income
with campaign notes falling due just at
the wrong time.
Fayorites Well Played.
"Favorites are heavily played in |
Washington by all classes" says Mr.. |
Stealey, in the chapter devoted TO the |
White House. The occupant of the |
White House, be he either Republican
or Democrat. is the greatest favoTite of |
all, and his home is the candle at which 1
the human moths fly and fiutter. Rec |
osnition at the White House is the /
ambition in official and social life, and |
many are the sacrifices made 10 obtain |
it. OF the Presidents I have met in |
Washington, from Arthur through TO !
Roosevelt, Arthur was the most polished |
and courteous of them all. Always |
faultlessly dressed, genial and cordial II /
was always a pleasure TO meet him.
In the chaDter devoted TO Washington, |
q glowing tribute Is paid 10 its concep- /
tors and developers. Pennsylvania |
avenue" he says, is the greatest and |
most historic street in the country, as |
greatest men in the world"
The second part of the book which |
covers 80 of the 500 pages. is devoted to |
biographical sketches Of our greatest
lawmakers during the twenty years.
Great Figures Marshalled.
Notable among these are Aiograp phies |
of Thomas Francis Bayard, Thomas B. /
Reed. Orville II. Plat. Samuel ]. Ran /
dali. William NJ. Springer. David Tur-
pie. George G. Vest. Daniel W. VOORHEES,, /
Allen q. Thurman. John sherman, /
Thomas p. OchiltTee, BeT ION McMinin, |
George 3. Mcclellan. John J ingalls,, /
David B. Hill Thomas a Hendricks. /
David r. Henderson, Francis NJ. Cock |
rell, Benjamin Harrison, John r Tucker /
and John G. Carlisle of those now gone
and OF William b. Allison. Henry Cabot /
Lodge John Tyler Morgan. Henry NJ. |
Teller, Thomas c. Platt, Joseph G. Can
non. Joseph w Babcock, Nelson w Aid /
rich, and Augustus O. Bacon, at pres
ent active men in Congress
The biographies. OF these men. as well
as the hundred or more additional ones
were compiled by writers now men in
public or official life, such as Robert j.
Wynne, =. Y. De Graw. Eenry L. West
John NJ. Carson, Lee White Busbey and
Walter Wellman
Exceptionally fine illustrations of some
of the "old guard" abound throughout
the book. The frontispieca Is termed |
't'Thp Passing Ehpx- !