The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-01-14
WASHINGTON
SIDE LIGHTS
Time to Play and Time
to WOrk---NeW
Years.
CN1an Special to the Advertiser.)

(AIan Special to the Advertiser.)
WASHINGTON, l.. c.. Dec. 31-The
National capital is girding itself for a
new period Of strenuosity. There has
been a pronounced lull. Since Presi-
dent Roosevelt became executive head
OF the nation, the city Of his official
residence has waxed and waned in ac-
tivity by tremendous vacillations.
When the President goes out of town
nearly every official figuratively throws
down his tools and takes things easily.
As there are time honored precedents
against working industriously for the
government between Christmas and
New Years, there would have been in
activity any way but the President
went away to Pine Knot, Va, for the
hoIidays-or Immediately after Christ
mas-and why should we work rea-
sons the government clerk and the
government official.
But how everybody jumps when the
Presidents special train comes snort
ing back into the Washington station!
And how everybody jumped when the
President returned from Pine Knot,
thus signaling the beginning of the
New Year. the beginning OF executive
activity in 1907. the beginning of the
social season. the beginning of real leg
islative activity on Capitol Hill. al
though Congress does not reassemble
till Thursday. January 5. and really
Il. e. a 0-I-
about Monday, January {.
There has been a world Of official
loafing la Washington during the last
twelve months. Probably that feature
was never more prominent At least
Washington observers think so. But
there has also been a lot of mighty
strenuous work at intervals. The New
Year OF 1907 will begin the right way,
with everybody attending pretty strict
ly TO government business. Scores OF
millions of dollars. in fact hundreds of
millions of dollars, must be appropriat-
ed within the next sixty days Con-
gress must do the strenuous TO accom-
plish its task. The thousands of work
ers in the departments are generally
less heedful OF Congress than they are
of the President but il is a rule which
holds most of the time that If Congress
is buckling down TO business the de-
partments are doing likewise. When
Congress is minding its tasks. il has
many a thing for the departments to
do. Members of Congress are asking
questions about this and about that
They are seeking recommendations
for bills they have introduced and as
nearly every bill introduced goes to
some department for a recommended
ton. the work of examination by the
proper officials keeps a small army of
men busy Public land bills, for In
stance. are referred to Secretary of the
Interior Hitchcock: bills affecting the
revenues. to Secretary of the Treasury
Shaw: pension bills, to the Pension |
Bureau. Not that the recommended (
tions of executive officials are always
followed. They simply guide and If
the recommendations from a depart \
ment are favorable the bill has better 1
chances of passing
OF course the New Year started of. 4
as II always does in Washington, with /
the big reception at the White House.
The army officers and the navy officers
in Washington looked over their full l
dress uniforms. patched up the moth 4
holes and brushed of the dust This
has been in anticipation of the assem-
bling two abreast under the bare arms
OF the big trees, in the White House
grounds and OF the marching into the
White House. where the President
stands with a smile and a handshake
for every conner. But the army and
navy officers. whose numbers in wash
ington is always a mystery, are only
a small portion of-the annual contin-
gent that marches past the President.
The ambassadors. of course are first
for they represent the persons
Of their respective sovereigns and all
official Washington. except the Vice
President. who is a sort OF heir appa-
rent. must yield the pas to them on
all occasions. With them. with the
Supreme Court and also the judiciary
OF the district OF Columbia, and with
army and navy officers, the New
Years call is duty and IL Is perform
ed puuculiously.
On New Years. however, the Presi-
dent also receives Congress" The
.ustom means that Senators and MEM
oers are expected 10 call and receive
the Presidential greeting. after work
Ing their way UP the long line. As
matter Of faCt the New Years Gus I
tom with reference TO Senators and 7
members is more honored in the breach !
han the observance. Very few OF
hem think IL worth the while. There
: a lean coterie of Congressman al I
ways present. but il rarely includes c
my Of the prominent leaders Some
Ire not back from the holidays but {
more do not care 10 take the trouble
They see the President frequently.
while the most of the other callers on
New Years see him only rarely.
But at the end Of the long line al
ways comes the dear public Any
me who viii fall in and stand his
ground long enough TO get UP 10 the