Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-06-23


mixed lot they were-some with fine,
scholarly faces, and others as COM
monplace as country merchants. How
ever, 1t often happens that the ones
who appear most commonplace are
the ones Of the greatest power and
influence. Probably the most unique
among them was the halfbreed Indian
from Kansas. Close behind him strobe
powerful, heavy-set man with a
rather ponderous tread. II suppose
you know who that is?" said Bill
to me.
/ shook my head.
"Tillman!" he said, and then /
took another look. Rather bent
about the shoulders he was and look
ing somewhat older than his pictures
indicate. But this was just at the
time when he was having his tilt
with President Roosevelt, from
which he emerged rather the worse
for wear, SO that may account for
his aged appearance.
From here a long corridor leads
to the house of representatives, and
entered the visitors gallery there
in time to find them still in session.
This is, as everybody knows, not
nearly so select gathering as the
senate-it doesn't cost so much
money to join it. Speaking of cost
recalls the little story that they used
to tell on Senator Clark, of Montana.
One day, as he was ascending the
capitol steps, two or three other
senators CHANGED to be standing in
the doorway conversing. Two little
children approached them and asked
timidly, How much does it cost to
get in here?"
ASK that man coming up the
steps," they replied.
Still, a visit to the house is well
worth a mans while, for he will
doubtless have his eyes opened as to
the way they do business-or,
rather, to the way they do not do 1t.
The first sight that greeted my eyes
on entering the gallery was the at
tenuated form of Uncle Joe Cannon
without his cigar-seated in the
speakers chair. Ranged before him
In a sem-circle were various other
members seated at their desks. More
than half of the desks were empty.
One member was on his feet making
speech, or rather, reading 1t, but
the others did not seem to be aware
of the fact. They were seribbling
away at their desks or busying
themselves in other ways and paying
no attention whatever to the
speaker. But few loyal supporters
had. seated themselves near him, and
as he read OF page after page of the
manuscript (who knows but what his
secretary wrote 1t for him). they
would periodically give vent to fee
Bile applause. This was done in or
der to get the word Applause in
serted occasionally In parenthesis
when the speech came to be pub
lished in the newspapers. And his
poor constituents back in Jasper
county read his speech by the fire
side and swell with importance when
they learn how the house was held
spell-bound and shook with repeated
rounds Of applause over the merits
OF their pet measured These things
all go to make up the education one
acquires in Washington.
But while the old city is attrae-
tive to everybody 1t is a veritable
Mecca for army men-espeeially
young, unmarried ones. A poor lieu
tenant does not create much Of a
furry among the millionaires of Chi
eago and New York. but in Washing
ton he Is right In his element. The
reason is quite obvious: It is the
seat of government, and as an ofii-
ciaI OF that government he is brought
in touch with the powers that be.
Thus Il is that he rubs shoulders
with ambassadors, shakes hands with
dignitaries, and even makes formal
calls at the White House. Society
opens 1t arms to him, invitations
pour in daily, and maDv = subaltern
has risen to influence by way Of the
social route. One, for instance, that
/ know well was. a very few years
ago, a private in the Philippines. He
obtained q commission, was detailed
-. a vrr.sa.,-.,, ,,,.--fad s1,