Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1908-03-20
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial correspendence.l

congress. 1t carried him as the third
richest man in congress-, one whose
credit would be $25,00O,OO0. There
| were thirty other supposed millionaires
! On this senate list. -.
Discount those figures by 90 per
cent" said Senator Elkins infsall seri-
BUSINESS as he surveyed the names of
| his very rich colleagues, land they will
be more nearly correct 1t Is the hon
est truth that many Of the men listed
In the senate by these writers as worth
all the way from $1,O00,OO0 to $60,OOO,-
boo each would be willing to take 10
per cent Of these estimates in cash
today.
! Wealth In the Senate.
| "Run over the names Of the wealthy
men of the senate" continued Mr. FL
kins. There are admittedly some
wealthy men among its members. They
are nothing like as rich as they are
represented to be. but with only one or
two exceptions you will find they are
self made men, who started in very
modest circumstances.
I'm some ways this kind Of exagger-
ated talk about millionaires predomi-
mating in the senate Is not just. I have
personal knowledge from my long bust
ness associations that the figures are
greatly exaggerated: Observers famil-
lar with affairs here know that very
rich men do not control In matters of
Legislation. They bear their part of the
work according to their ability and
service just as do all other senators.
1.-The impression that it is otherwise
does great injustice"
Not Many Miliionairee.
An equally rich senator and one Of
long service, which has qualified him
to speak with some authority regard
ing the possession of worldly goods by
his colleagues, said that fully one
fourth of the ninety-two senators have
little else than their salaries Of $500
year. Another fourth Of the ninety
two have somewhere between $4,000
and $4,000. The personal fortunes Of
another quarter of the senate would
range between $4,000 or $4,000 and
100000. Most Of this class of twenty
odd, the senator thought, were worth
between 100000 and 100000. The
: other quarter comprised senators all
worth one-half million and probably
ten or twelve only entitled to be called
millionaires not multimillionaires, but
simply worth from one to ten millions.
New Public Buildings.
1t has practically been decided by
the house leaders to permit public
buildings bill, carrying appropriations
amounting to not over $4,000, 900, to
pass the house before adjournment.
t Four great projects Of interest to the
. District are being considered by Rep
, resentatives Bartholdt, Burleigh, How.
ell, Brantley and Thomas, who com
pose the subcommittee on the District
and territories. One is for new
building for the bureau of engraving
! and printing, the necessity Of which
a has been repeatedly urged because OIL
the insanitary condition of the presen
. structure and its inadequacy to NEE
the requirements of public work. An
other provides new Washington city
postodce, to be located near the Unior
l station and to be one story building
t with plenty of light, such as have beer
f suggested for Denver and Chicago. 4
q third is for a new building for the de
4 partments of state, Justice and com
. merce and labor. This is incorporated
in bill which has already passed tn.
senate. A fourth proposition is for {
new hall Of records.
Story of Two Rings.
Senators Carter and Dixon of Mon
n tana presented to the president part!
S of visitors from their state, and anon,
r them was man whose story abou
t. two finger rings greatly interested tn
:, president This man was Major W. r
=, Logan, an Indian agent on the For
= Belknap reservation. Major Logan
father was Captain Logan Of the Unit
S ed States army. He was killed by Ne:
y Perez Indians at the battle Of Bi;
Hole in 1877. The Indians mutflate.
his body and took from his hands tw'
n handsome rings, one of them bearin,
emblems of the Masonic fraternity, o
which he was prominent member,
Il -. - ''7e z. 1ss~xgssua xsy.
sse Jon at once began hunt lur Ct,
rings. One Of them, was taken BY al
a Indian who was killed in battle tw
s years later. A Mexican half breed tool
r the ring Off the Indian and went to oil,
e Fort Benton to trade it. Major Logal
recovered It. The Masonic ring wa
hard to trace, and 1t was twentf-tare
years afterward when an Indial
squaw, with the ring In one hand
T. walked into Major Logan's Office. S
), soon as she spread out her hand Majo
e Logan recognized the ring. The squay
J. told long and strange story of hoy
!, she had obtained 1t from the buck VIII
had originally taken it. Major Logal
wore one of the rings and showed 5it t
the president. .s. u :$|E I,
E. Sheds For Farmers.
The commissioners have recommend
J. ed to congress that $4,000 be approprl
s ated for the erection of steel portabI
It sheds on the Haymarket square, bound
v ed by Tenth, Twelfth, B and Little
. streets northwest. This action Il Id 5th