Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-05-28
NATIONAL CAPITAL NEWS AND GOSSIP
By Ralph Smith

senate during the consideration of tie
tariff bill have attracted more general
attention than the speech Of Senator Clay
on the sugar schedule. The press of
, Washington was exceedingly generous to
the Georcian, the editors evidently be-
ueving that the speech warranted atten-
] tion and display.
! The Washingt Times, on the after
noon the speech was delivered, published
on its front page two-coiumrt cut OF
/ the Georgian and published four col
umns of the speech, covering much OF
/ Mr.. Clay's running debate with Senators
Smoot and Foster. The Wash ngton star
devoted a column and hNlf -
: speech. and the Washington Post pu0-
lished the following morning, carried oven
two columns, starting the story on the
front page, under a display head.
There are two reasons, the one bearing
or the other why Mr.. Clay's speech at
traCted so much attention in Washington;
primarily, it was strong presentation OF
an interesting. though complicated sub
ject; secondarily, the Junior senator from
Georgia does not speak often, and il is
a well known fact that the senators who
arc not too often in the limelight attract
the genuine attention when they do talk.
Senator Foster, of louisiana, has CIV
en- notice that at a future date he will
answer Mr.. Clays speech on sugar. it
is certain, however. that he viii attempt
To 0SISnSe OF the sugar
THE PRESIDENTS MAIL.
The president of the United States re-
ceives on an average about 450 letters n
day, Sundays included. His ligntest mUlt
comes on Mondays and Tuesdays which
is explained by the fact few letters
are written on Sundays, and she bux
of the population of the country re-
sides within forty-eight hours of WASH
| ington.
President Roosevelt, it is said averaged
about 500 letters a day. which was larger
than the mail of Mr.. Taft or any other
president. Of course, during the early
days of Mr.. Taft's aGmilistratiol-ths
is the first month. his mail was n...t
heavier than now. running some d4ys -
: loo to 15O0 letters. Most of these how
ever, were congratuiatory in their nature.
: OF course, the president receives
number of crank letters every day.
i Some of them are threatening, and the
, are referred to secret service agents fer
| Investigation.
The president does not see all of the
/ letters written him; his daily mail IS
opened and assorted by CONFIDENT 4
clerks. and only comparatively small
number of the letters addressed 70 the
president ever reach his eyes. He would
have little time for anything else If he
| tried to attend to all the letters that
come to the white house addressed to
! him.
HOW THE MAIL is HANDLED.
Letters referring to routine matters are
sent direct to the bureaus or depart
ments of the government having jurisdsc-
tion over the subject matter of their con-
tents. Formal letters are answered by a
corps of secretaries. under the direction
of Fred W. Carpenter. Mr.. Tafts pri-
vate secretary. The president never sees
them, nor does he sign the answers. This
is all attended to by Carpenter.
| Communications of a personal. political
or official nature of sufficient conse-
quence are placed in a basket for the
presidents inspection. He reads as mary
letters and as much of each Of them as
his time will allow. AS he reads he out
lines the reply to be made, which is not
ed by stenographer. competent TO frame
Ia satisfactory answer. Occasionally the
president will dictate entire letter.
\ Probably One-fourth of the letters adj
dressed to the president are seen BY him,
and probably one-third Of these are read
m their entirety by the chief execu-
tive.
| Senator Simmons of North Carolina, was
the only Democrat to speak up for a
duty on cotton seed oil, when Aldrich
proposed to place cents a gallon on its
Importation.
LUMBER LOBBY AT WORK.
! The activity of the lumber lobby I'm
Washington indicates that the lumbermea
ihave not abndoned hope of having the
| Dngley duty of 81 a thousanG restored
lin the present bill by the senate. al
though the finance committee saw fit 10
make no changes from the rate fixed by
the house.
Just how we'll the lobby is established
here is evidenced b. the fact that there
is maintained somewhere in the city A
= regular bureau. from which mail is ds-
/ .FibHted. Members of congress and repre-
sentatives Of the press are flooded with.
literature bearing on lumber, the iltera-
ture being circulated to discredit the ar
| euments that have been set forth in favor
or free lumber.
The latest contribution the lnI by has
made to the daily literature Of congresT-
men end newspaper correspondent is
! four-nage folder taken from the Amer'-
lean I.umberman. Much of this space IS
given over 10 review of the speecl,
of Senator Knute Nelson. Of Minnesota.
: advocating free lumber. and the remarks
Of Senator Elkins. of West Virginia. dis
1 putting the existence of a lumber trust
The review of Nelson's speech is evidently
an effort 10 discred't his arguments. an
the impression on Ell<ins' speech indicate
a desire to substantiate his assertion that
there is no trust. Lumbermen themselves
]
( but It is very doubtful if any other per-
son would burden himself with all the
views and comments contained in the
folder.
! And speaking of the fight over the tar
/ IF on lumber. the writer feels almost
! justified I'm predicting that several mem
bers of the upper house who have adj
vocated an increased duty on lumber, are
wavering, almost ready TO change over
for a reduction in the duty or. when thu
vote comes. absent themselves from the
senate. Hot shot from home caused
, them to pause. and they are beginning TO
wonder if they haven't made q mistake.
I The people, it appears are becoming
aroused, and the people, it appears, be-
| Iieve there is a lumber trust. whether
there is or not; moreover, the people
think that a reduced duty on lumber may
possibly mean cheaper lumber. whether
! II does or not. and the people, it appears,
are more interested in saving "A few doll
/ lars on lumber than they are in saving
the lumber industry even of the states
where the lumber industry is a great big
thing in politics
Whatever the result of the lumber fight