Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1909-03-05
CHAPTER "

a - towel filed with cracked Ice
around his head, lie saw two familiar
figures Standing IN secluded corner
Of the lobby. They were talking ear
nes'ly in low voice.
/ "Whcw" whistled the newspaper
man. 1t must be something impor
tant that brings both the boss Of the
senate ard Stevens Of Mississippi
| here"
Good afternoon, Haines. How are
| you?" Senator Stevens said cordially.
rs, looking up. he saw the newspaper
man approaching. Senator Peabody.
You know 1iaines, don't you? The
| brightest young correspondent IN
| Washington
Senator Peabody OF Pennsylvania,
the leading power In the upper house.
was man of commanding character
and OF strong personality. The fact
he used these attributes to advance In
the senate the financial interests Of
| himself, Of Standard Steel and other
! commercial organizations met with
very little protest In Washington. That
| he deserved the title frequently used
In referring to him. boss OF the Sen
ate" none would deny who had knowl-
edge of the inner workings of the sen
ate and the various committees.
Senator Peabody was very affable to
the reporters. especially to those Of
| IIaines' stamp. who had never accept
ed any favors from him and who OPP
| posed his methods. He aimed To win
the friendship Of these opponents by
! diplomacy-as he had found that re-
| porterS of the IIaines sort could not
be Influenced by money. He consid-
cred n reporter who would take bride
as constructive. conservative member
OF society and frequently regretted
that :" many Of the correspondents
sent 10 Washington could not he
bought nor had bills they wanted pass
ed or defeated. He extended his hand
| to IIaineS as Stevens concluded and
said warmly:
| 'Of course l know the representative
OF the Morning Star! How do you do.
| Uaircs:"
Il wonder II we're not all here on
the same GRAND" suggested the news
paper man.
Senator Peabody appeared to be all
| candor
| 1--WE came to call on Senator Lang
| don. Senator Stevens new colleague"
he said
| Bud 1aineS opened his eyes wide
by Jove, Langdon stock Is going up
when the chairman OF the naval com
| mittcc drops in To welcome him"
"You see. I.anGGon went in on n
naval base PLATFORM" explained ste
| vcES. "Our section Of the south IS
red hot IN favor Of the government
| spending its naval base appropriation
right there"
"Ccrtainly." interrupted Haines.
but
And. there being vacancy on the
committee on naval affairs" continued
Stevens, whose dignity was offended
by the reporters interruption, 1.-The
friends OF Senator Langdon are work
Ing to have him appointed on that
committee, because he comes from The
state where the naval base will be
located and will. like myself. be more
familiar with the availability Of the
various sites suggested than a man
from another state"
| Haines nodded.
Eyes. Of course. What towns going
to get it. senator?"
Senator Stevens paused judiciously.
"Well." he said. "Altacoola and Gulf
L
pose you had better talk to Langdon
about it,
The reporter smiled.
THAT'S Just what came for, sen.
ator, but l have to go up to the war
department now. When Senator Lang
don comes will you be kind enough to
tell him want to interview him."
Stevens bowed cordially
| Indeed l shall. I'll tell him he's in
luck to have the smartest young man
In Washington on the job"
| "All right" laughed Bud. "Only don't
make 1t so strong that he won't recog-
nize me when he sees me. Good
day" And he hurried away to keep
belatcd appointment
| Clever boy" said Stevens as tAe
newspaper man disappeared.
| The boss Of the senate agreed.
| YES. only I'm not sure it's a good
thing for a newspaper man to be too
clever. Spells his usefulness. Makes
him aSk too many COMPOUNDED Ques-
tons"
| Stevens acquicsced, for 1t would
never do to disagree with the boss.
| Its very Kind Of you. SENATOR" he
began, changing the subject. ito come
with me to welcome the new senator
from my state, my old friend and COL
league"
! An inscrutable smile-a smile, yet a
cold One-accOmpanied Peabody's an
swer
Il have always found. Stevens" he
said. that a little attention like this
to new man is never wasted. and
make 1t rule not to overlook oppor-
tunitics"
Again the senior senator from Mis-
sissippi acquiesced, and he laughed
heartily Mt Peabody's keen insight into
| human nature
| Il think you'll like Langdon." Ste
vens remarked after pause, land you'll
find him easy TO deal with. Just nut
up any measure
G.: !: i: 81: !; !; !: !: ~
for the benefit Of
the south and ke Ia
Langdon Will go DS IG
the limit on 1t. MfNNA
Even Repub- YIN NSyH
ii C n n majority \Nv-JN
| hoocn't ,pip,J =,