The Washington herald., 1907-02-09
CAPITOL GOSSIP.
startled the Foreigner.

startled the Foreigner.
visiting German journalist. fresh from
Berlin, and exultant I'm his pride of what
he called the superior size of German
statesmen 10 those he had seen IN this
country, was seated in the Senate press
gallery the other day when Secretary Taft
emerged from the Republican cloakroOm.
''Ah" gasped the German journalist.
there is one Of your Senators who would
size up very well in our Reichstag. He
has the embonpoint, the height the
broadness Of face, and the bigness Of
hands all right I think / shall tell about
MIN IN my next letter to my paper"
When he was informed that the object
Of his admiration was not a Senator. but
the Secretary az War, the foreigner
seemed even more gratified
i thought" said he compIacently, that
you people wouldn't elect that sort Of man
TO your Senate, as We would on the other
side"
As Judge Taft was walking toward the
main door to make his exit he came face
TO face with New HamDshire's towering
statesman, the hon. Cyrus SullOway.
They shook hands and chatted for mo-
ment. The Germ journalist looked on
In unspeakabe dmazement Secretary
Taft seemed almost a pygasy as he stood
facing Mr. sulloway. whose dome Of
thought nodded proudly in the upper air
currents that gently waved his long locks
about.
"And that-that man." exclaimed the
German journalist.
He is only a member OF the House.
the visiting journalists cicerone.
The German looked at the New Hamp-
shire man long and earnestly.
He Is bigger than any man in hts i'm
perial majesty's Uhlan Guards" said the
foreigner, in tone Of chagrin. "and l
shall write one whole letter about him."
McAdOO's Mailman.
Former Assistant Secretary Of the Navy
McAdoo, who also used to be a member
OF the House from New Jersey. was dis
Cussing with Representative Olcott IN a
Capitol restaurant the recent investiga-
ton Of St. ElizabeIh1 Insane Asylum, in
which Mr. Olcott participated
When I was Assistant Secretary of the
Navy" said Mr.. McAdoo. I cad a coach
man named Jim. The last time Jim drove
my carriage he came so near cOlliding
with Connecticut avenue street car that
was going at full speed that 7 didn't
sleep any when l got home from the
theateT
" That was the closest call I ever had,
jim ! said 10 him.
g" It was indeed. sir replied Jim. look
ing at me with a queer grin on hts face.
and adding: We would have had a big
damage suit against the street car com
pany II that car had run into as
THE next day Jim was carried over to
st. Elizabeths stark mad. and I under
stand he is there yet. I have never been
able TO tell whether Jim was crazy when
he came near colliding with that street
car. or whether he lost his mind as a re-
suit Of cur narrow escape.
over the Senate.
The criticisms to which Vice Presi-
dent Fairbanks has been subjected by
some Boston preachers because he called
Senator Smoot, the Mormon apostle, 20
preside over the Senate recently have d.
rected attention 10 the Vice Presidents
conduct as the presiding officer Of the
upper chamber. Old-timers assert that
no Vice President within their experience
has been as constant in attendance upon
the sessions OF the Senate as has Mr..
Fairbanks, and that since he has held
the Office he has welded the gavel a
greater number Of days IN any one session
than any OF his predecessors did. Mr.
Fairbanks arrives at his room, just back
II the Senate chamber, before II O'Clock
every morning. and is usually the first
person to enter the Senate. As purely
a matter Of courtesy he turns the gavel
every day over TO one or more Senators
while he steps out Of the chamber He
does not discriminate between the parties,
as Democrats are called TO the chair
quite as often as Republicans. In the
course Of a month nearly every member
Of the Senate viii thus have served as
presiding officer of the body for a longer
Or shorter time. Sometimes the Vice
President remains away from the dais
only a few minutes, but always long
enough 10 have the record show that
Senator So-and-so was in the chair.
II was in pursuance OF this custom that
be few days ago called upon Senator
SmoCt 10 preside over the Senate. and
without any thought on the part of Mr.
Fairbanks Of comforting special distinc-
ton upon the Mormon apostle with the
view Of making any sort Of capital out
Of it,