Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-17

Ing ever cane OF his efforts, but some
members of congress learned that they
had been Swallowed, and they Immediately
assumed that 1t was by secret service men
acting under the direction OF the president.
although nothing could be further from the
fact" &
The quarters occupied by the ways and
means committe in conducting the tariff
hearings is known as the marble hall, or
audience chamber, of the new House of
Representatives office building. The room
Is arranged with a studied design to LEND
the committee the pomp and dignity of a
high court; but the actual result laugha'
bly, overshoots the purpose. says a Wash
ington letter. The committee members are
seated on a raised platform behind q SEMI
circular desk or bar of dark, rich wood,
mounted and polished stone. They thus
look down upon the witness, who stands,
as II were. IN a well at the center OF the
semi-circle, while the seats for the public
extend to the other end OF the long but
comparatively narrow hall. II property
treated, it might have been a beautiful
room; in fact. It was beautiful until its
effect was marred. 1t has a high vaulted
ceiling, with arches springing from pillars
on either side, and its windows are large,
but SOME one WITH DdrDdIlC eye LOT stage
effects has provided elaborate and
costly hangings of deep crimson. Not only
do these shroud the windows, but at the
rear of the committees platform there
hangs from a carved and golden eornice a
similar folded curtain of crimson which
stands out from the wall a distance equal
to the concealed steps, which on either
side lead down to the special door which
the curtain hides. This detailed description
is given because of the instant impression
which the scene has made on more than
one observer.
With the crimson window curtains drawn
together and the brilliant electric chan
delers, hideously swathed in flags, the
long and lofty chamber takes on the as
pect of a chapel or temple. The likeness
is intensified to the last degree by the
crimson hangings which stand out from
the end wall behind the committee, as II
an altar, the very holy of HOLES, were hid
beneath the richness of their folds.
Embarrassing and amusing incidents crop
out in the tariff hearings. Some enemy Of
the protective system, anxious to score
on his opponents, discovered that the
towels in use by the committee were Of
foreign manufacture, the imprint, made
in Great Britain being conspicuous on
the linen. Says the Washington correspond
ent of the New York Evening Post anent
the episode. Chairman Payne is reported
to have been visibly embarrassed when
his attention was directed to the circum-
stance that his committee had discrimi-
mated against an American industry by
purchasing foreign towels. representative
Dalzell, another high priest of protection,
turned red in the face and refused to make
any ommen when he was questioned
about the damning foreign towels. The
chances are that the imported towelling in
the ways and means committee room will
give way to a domestic product within a
day or two - '
One of the republican members of the
committee, whose desire for a downward
revision of the tariff is well known,
chuckled audibly when a newspaper clip
ping containing the above story was shown
to him.
Look at the bottom of the chairs in
which you are sitting was his message to
the press table in returning the clippings.
An examination of these chairs disclosed
that they are labeled, in large printed let
ters, vienna, Austria" AS a matter of
fact, many OF the furnishings In the ways
and means committees room are imported.
When the gypsum men were making their
plea for protection on their product they
called attention to the fact that the plaster
used on the walls of the committee room
was manufactured from gypsum imported
from Nova Scotia.
Champ Clark and his democratic col
leagues, laughed gleefully when 1t was
brought to their attention that the advo-
Gates of the protective policy who have
been olamoring for a home market for
American products went abroad for their
purchase in fitting out headquarters of the
tariff committee of the house. They re-
called that when, eleven years ago, Mr..
Dingley was making a speech In the house
and pointing out the advantages that would
accrue to American industry under his
tariff bin, Representative Jerry Simpson of
Kansas turned the tables on the Maine
Congressman by calling the attention Of
the house to the fact that the lining Of
Mr.. Dingley's silk hat bore the mark Of
a london maker.