Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-16
w ashington Life
some interesting Phases
and Conditions Observed
at the nations Capitol.


at the nations Capitol.
George d. Meikeljohn Of Omaha, formerly
assistant secretary Of war was in WASH
ington late last week, and talked quite
freely with newspaper men about Nebraska
sentiment and Nebraska affairs one in
terview gives him the title Of general" and
states he has been practising law IN
Omaha since his retirement from the war
department Among the expressions cred
tied to Mr.. Meikeljohn by Washington
papers are these:
The people OF Nebraska and the west
are with the president and his admlnistra-
tion. They have confidence In him and his
policies. No president has shown greater
earnestness, fidelity and zeal in his efforts
to execute the pledges Of the party to the
! people, as enunciated In its platform as
has President Taft Republicans of my
| state. after having survived the epidemics
Of Bryanism and populism, ere not to be
cajoled into the camp Of the opposition.
! Tn my opinion the high prices of COM
modities are not due to the republican
tariff measure, but to the Incompatible
Increase IN the production Of gold in the
last decade, and the consequent change
In the purchasing power of the dollar.
/
has been gradual, whereas It would have
been a rapid increase since the passage Of
the tariff measure, had 1t been due to that
legislation The tariff measure cannot be
an issue In an agricultural state like ours, |
where the high prices of farm products
have made producers independent. be- |
lieve the president is standing for the
greatest good to the greatest numbr of
his countrymen."
1T makes me disgusted with my as
sociates TO observe how they will be in
fluenced by a dinner invitation. Some of
the national lawmakers hold themselves
mighty cheaply."
The foregoing remark was made the
other day by the chairman OF one of the
important committees of the house to the
Brooklyn Eagle correspondent. He has
been having trouble over a matter of egis-
lation in which he and a certain cabinet
officer differ. The chairman complains
that the members of his committee go out
to fine dinner at night and come to the
capitol the next day with greatly modi-
fled views about legislation. He declares
that the lawmakers are influenced by the
oysters, soup and game which they eat at ,
these sumptuous repasts. He finds it a
difficult task to make his logic keep pace
with the dinner giving activities of the
cabnet-ufficer
1t has long been a question in washing
ton whether the gayeties of society had any
influence on legislation. No doubt the
lawmaker is in a frame of mind, to receive |
favorably certain views about a bill after a
comfortable dinner. The committee chair
man quoted in the foregoing says that he
can eat all the dinners anyone wants to
serve up to him and 1t won't influence his
views in the slightest. His contention is
that other members are being switched
about through the medium of rich foods
and wines.
Uncle joe Cannon ruled George Wash
ington out of order in the house of repre-
sentatives one day last week. In doing so
he made Representative William Sulzer Of
New York pretty mad
The house was discussing a bill presented
by Representative Richard Bartholdt of
Missouri, authorizing the presentation to
the Emperor OF Germany of a bronze rep
lica of the statue of General Van Steuben
now being erected in Washington. Mr..
Sulzer Offered an amendment to substitute
George Washlngton's statue. A point of
order was made against the amendment.
rs George Washington, the father of his
country, out of order here?" yelled Mr. l.
Sulzer at the top of his voice
I'm the present company he most de-
cidedly is" replied Uncle joe" as he
banged his gavel on the desk
Without the Sulzer amendment the Bar
tholdt bill was passed.
Government clerks in Washington are
allowed so much time every year for va
aaN lon md FTW--
improved health Of the capital city has
eliminated the sick leave requirements
and Of recent years clerks have been some
what worried as to how they should con-
tinue to secure it in view of their robust
health A conversation overheard in one
of the corridors throws light on the situ-
alton.
You bet I was up against it last
August.
Thought you had fine vacation; what
was the matter2"
Vacation was all right; 1t was before
] started. You see l secured medical GER
tificates from two different doctors. The
first was an insurance doctor who gave
me a clean health bill to obtain a policy.
The other doctor was a friend of mine,
and he gave me a certificate that would {
help out on my vacation for extended sick
leave"
We'll what Of It? Lots of us do that.
Does your conscience prick you now?" I
"Well l shuffled the two certificates ]
and sent the insurance doctors assurance
of good health 10 my chief with a note
asking for extended leave; the paper making
me out desperately i'll, 1 sent to the in
surance company"
What on earth did you do; 1 see you
have not lost your position?'
well, I lay awake all of one night
worrying In the morning 1 had an
inspiration told the chief the truth"
The English sparrow is the pirate OF
the air just as the rat is the freebooter
OF the earth, and ought to be extermin-
ated. So rules the Department of Agri-
culture In q hnlletln inst nnhlished which |