Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-13
BITS OF WASHINGTON LIFE.
Minor scenes and incidents sketched
on the spot.

On hme Spot
One OF New York's keen lawyers with
a scent for a good thing Is doing wash
ington good and plenty on a stake Of tl7.-
900 won ON stocks by forecasting the deci-
sion OF the federal supreme court In the
New York gas case.
In the course OF his practice before the
supreme court this lawyer made a point
of studying the trend OF the reasoning Of
the various justices and had achieved such
proficiency in this study tina he felt he
could almost infallibly predict a decision
by hearing the opening paragraph Of the
opinion.
Trusting to this knowledge Of the JUS
tees, he placed $4,000 with his broker and
came to Washington. BY accident the
Consolidated Gas Case was preceded by a
similar case from Tennessee, the city of
Knoxville against the Knoxville Water
company. and the lawyer felt sure that
whatever predictions he might make as to
the Knoxville case would hold good for
the Consolidated Gas.
Listening intently to the opening of Jus
tice Moody's decision in the Knoxville case,
he was convinced that the decision would
be adverse to the public service corpora
ton, and that on the same line of reason
ing the New York case would go against
the gas company. Hurrying from the court
room, he wired his broker to sell Loo Con-
solidRted Gas at the market. He then got
where he could watch the market and at
the same time keep In touch with his
broker.
He followed gas down for II points and
gave the order to cover, which was done.
He felt so good over his winning of $1,000
that he decided to stay in Washington and
see the sights.
Something of a fuss is likely to be made
In congress over a request by President
Roosevelt to remove certain furniture from
the White House and the White House
offices on March 4, when he retires to
private life. II trouble comes, says a
Washington dispatch to the Boston Herald,
It will be largely because of the unfriendly
relations that exist between the president
and congress. Senators and members say
the president has improved every possible
opportunity to cast reflections upon them,
and he ought to expect no quarter in re-
turn.
Not long ago the president wrote to
Speaker Cannon a letter that has been re-
ferred to the house committee on appropria-
tions. 1t stated that when he retires to
private life he wishes to take away the
chair at the head OF the cabinet table,
where he has presided, and also the chair
at his office desk in the corner room. Mrs.
Roosevelt. the president added, would like
to take away a sofa. which was the first
article of furniture that she purchased for
the White House.
Furthermore, the president said he would
like to permit the members Of his cabinet
to take away chairs they had used at the
council table. He did not mark the letter
personal" and therefore 1t was referred
to the appropriation committee.
1t is not probable that the house or the
senate will refuse the presidents request,
but pains have been taken at the capitol to
look up the cost of the property in ques-
ton, especially OF the chairs. 1t seems that
the government paid SO each for them.
The cost OF the sofa to which the president
refers is not known at the capitol.
Last winter the president wrote a letter
to Speaker ann about appropriations for
furthering the operations of the Hepburn
law and also In behalf of the secret service.
He marked that letter personal" and yet
as soon as the wrangfe between the con-
gress and the president began to grow
warm senators and representatives became
aware of the fact that persons in the
Treasury department. including Chief
Wilkie. were making much OF the speakers
failure to make that letter public. Plainly,
the house leaders think the president has
not intended this letter should be public.
but as he did not mark It confidential
they are allowing It to follow routine chan
nels.
The president writes to the speaker that
1t has been customary for his predecessors
to take away certain articles OF furniture.
It is claimed at the capitol that no record
of such procedure can be found. However.
1t has been the custom for the retiring
vice president to appropriate certain fur
niture OF his room at the north end of the
capitol. and It is a matter Of record tina
those officials have taken away some very
costly pieces.
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