Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-08-02
A LETTER FROM
WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON, D. @.

BROTHER ALBERT: There is an old
maxim which suggests that "no
matter where man wanders, when
ever he may roam, his first, best
country always is at home" After
six aud one-half years spent at the
national seat of Government, | am
still proud to subscribe to the ABOVE
sentiment, with reference to Grand
Rapids, Wis. 1t is a real pleasure,
therefore, to accept your invitation to
use space in your paper at any time
that anything is discovered around
here of possible interest TO readers,
1t certainly feels much like home to
write again for the REPORTER, the
columns Of which were filled during
several years back there by my youth
full efforts as a humble employee on
1.-THE force". l pause to extend hearty
greetings and the compliments of
vacation season to the many SUBJ
ScriberS who remember me for better
or for worse; will they please spread
oyer this effusion and all future para
graphs the same old mantel Of charit-
able indulgence that made it posi- BILE
for me to push pencil days agone?
Then, truly, / shall attempt to make
a noise like correspondent and in
vite your occasional attention to a
little spot on the map known as the
District of Columbia; thus an adden-
dunn, as it were, to the geographical
circle represented in these columns
by Officer Muir, of the Philippine
soldiery, Mr.. Huntington, of Panama,
Mr.. Decker, the States trotter, ct al.
Washington, the great Ameri-
can Government pie factory! Finest
place to have job because it's the
counter . where they put jobs
up. Are you agreed to this? AT
the outset let's touch this PROPOSE.
tion briefly, because an occasional
leVscr reaches me from ambitious
friends WIZ merit who aspire to job
in the shadow IF the White House
and the Capitol Dome. These honest
fellows do not seem to be aware of the
fact that many man here in the east
appears in dress suit on occasion OF
ceremony without owning it. Familiar
with mothers pies only, they do not
know, that the average counter pie,
which looks so tempting, is mere
fabrication composed Of I. squirt of hot
air between two covers of dough.
The question asked about a stranger
in New York is "what is he worth?''
in Philadelphia "who was his grand
father?" and in Washington "what is
his influence?" The young man who
fiirts with civil service, expecting
rapid strides to the high places by
sheer merit, courts disappointment
and disbursement, and ignores the
| ripe lessons of accumulated experience.
Nowhere else in our country is sim
fiuence" so deified and absolutely
essential as in Washington. Ii this
is incorrect, then tell me why it is
that in the high-saiaried ranks, the
particular places of much pay and
supposed responsibility, may always
be found persons who should have
their hair cut and be set to work in
an honest endeavor to shovel coal or
sand, and thus do something worthy
OF their ability. 1 hope that the four
good souls recently making inquiry
of the writer as to "what course they
should take" will find sufficie Mt sug
geStion here. FS
This part of the United States is
essentially seafood section. At
least it has developed my table train
ing ia that direction. Such things to
eat as devilec crabs. soft crabs, spots,
rock, shad, soft CLAIMS, lawyers, mus
sells, little necks, eel, fresh blue fish
and long list Of salt water edibles in
shells, and scales, and skins were not
ordinary market delicacies when
used to do the shopping for mother in
Wisconsin. 1t would be worth while
to turn loose into one Of these fish
stalls the renowned fishermen, Baker
and Muir, just to see what they would
hook. But l would not trade our
black bass or speckied trout for any
thing that comes out of the sea.
That is the loyalty Of an inland
lobster. Down at the oyster wharf,
when about the last boat, OF the sea-
son came In With its treasure of
bivalves loaded like so much coal, I