Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-04
BITS on wAsHINGroN LIRE.
Minor scenes and Incidents sketched
on the spot.

Minor scenes and Incidents sketched
ON the spot.
Not the least interesting feature prom
ised in the coming ruction In the senate
over the discharge Of the negro soldiers, y
says the Washington Herold, is that SEN
ators Spooner and Tilman will be on the
same side of the controversy. They have
enlivened many a session of the somnolent
senate with Tits over the negro They are
warm friends, and like each other in the
genuine sort of way, but on numerous Oc-
caslons they have had clashes over the
| negro question that seemed seriously to
| threaten n severance Of their friendly rela-
tons 1t is suspected that Senator Spooner,
as former Senator Chandler used to do, has
more than once baited the fiery South Car
Gilman, just for the fun Of a rumpus with
him. Persons who know of their personal
relations and former spats over the race
| issue are not prepared to believe that they
viii dwell In harmony on the question long.
even II both of them do take up the
cudgels for the president against Senator
Foraker. 1t is the impression around the
senate that before the debate has pro-
ceeded very far both Messrs. Spooner and
Tillmsn will forget all about the interest
of the president involved. and go at one an
other hammer and tongs over the black
man. There is a considerable negro vote In
Wisconsin, and Senator Spooners troubles
there with his colleague, Mr. LaFollette,
may give him about all the load he cares
to carry In his forthcoming campaign for
reelection. so that he probably will not
want to be placed In the attiture of hostil-
ity to the blacks, as might be done II he
should get along too tremendously with
| Senator Tillman in the debate of the TWEEN
| ty-fifth infantry Incident
While he was secretary of war Elihu
Root was not supporter OF the movement
for increasing the salaries of government
officials and employees, especially of army
officers. A delegation of army women
waited on him once to urge him to recon-
mend in his annual report an increase of
the salaries of army officers. They pre-
sented the usual arguments-that the cost
of living had greatly increased since the
pay of officers was fixed forty years ago;
that they had a terribly hard time to
make both ends meet" that their social
obligations were such that they had to buy
more clothes than women whose husbands
earned less that they had to keep more
servants etc.
Mr.. Root listened with great courtesy
and patience, and when the army women
had finally finished the presentation of
their case he calmly inquired how many
children each had. One had three, an
other two, another one, and another none.
My father" said Mr.. Root, reared a
family of eight, and he never earned more
than 81 500 a year as a professor at Hanil-
ton college. He educated all of US, and
then gave us a start in the world. / know
that the salary drawn by the husband of
each of you ladies is a great deal more
than was earned by my father, and can't
see why you can't get along on II quite
as we'll as my parents did, even though
the cost of living is heavier now than
when my father and mother reared
family of eight children on only $500
year"
Internal Revenue Commissioner John w.
Yerkes objects to the title of colonel. The
fact that he halls from Kentucky and is
almost invariably addressed by the time
honored handle gives him great distress Of
mind.
Every time a man calls me colonel"
said Mr.. Yerkes, II turn around and ad-
dress him as general or admiral. The city
OF Washington is just about the worst
place was ever in for titles. You can't
find any plain American citizens here. 1t
Is general, admiral, colonel, captain, OF Mr..
Secretary, Mr.. Commissioner, Mr. Door
keeper, Mr.. Attorney General. Why, even
the colored help around the Treasury de-
partment address each other Mr., Mes
senger or Mr.. Elevator Conductor.
zone day, soon after / reached Washing
ton, l was in my Office talking with a
crowd of congressman and in walks old
Admiral Watson. AS he opened the door he
Tnkw
Ieaped up from my chair and rushed for
ward to greet him. Admiral / cried, I
could just hug you for calling me that.
Please do 1t again. I'm 50 dead sick of
being called colonel that my given name is
music to my ears "
1t is generally agreed among occupants
Of the galleries at the capitol that the
most polite and accommodating member of
the senate is Mr.. Pettus of Alabama, aged
s. One of the most rigid rules regarding
elevators in the senate wing is that they
must be run to accommodate senator's. no
matter who the other passengers may be.
Mr.. Pettus never allows this rule TO be
enforced in his case, always instructing
the man to let other passengers OF wher-
ever they wish to alight.
waltz Me AROUND again. WuHe' mas
been changed to Run Me Around Again,
Johnnie" as the result of bloodess and
ludicrous ARRAY between Representative
John Wesley Gaines OF Tennessee and
man in Washington who is known as a
publicity agent.
AS the story goes. Gaines and the pub
licity agent engaged in an alteration In
the rotunda OF a leading hotel which con-
cluded in an invitation TO Gaines to step
out on the sidewalk and take licking"
The alacrity with which the invitation was
accepted somewhat discouraged Gaines
would-be antagonist. who led the way
toward the street.
When a big, revolving door, leading into
Pennsylvania avenue, was reached the pub
licity agents courage shrunk completely,
Instead of passing into the street he calmly
followed the door around in a circle. the
irate Gaines at his heels. Around and
around went the pursued and pursuer, with
ever-increasing velocity each in his sep
arate compartment, dragging his heels from
under the door, following relentlessly upon
his footsteps.