Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-14

Reed Smoot of Utah, the Mormon United
States senator, Is one OF the quietest men
In the senate. He commands respect from
his colleagues and is popular with them.
While not aggressive, he is a hard worker,
and is we'll posted on all that is transpir-
ing In the senate. on account Of the at
tempt Of the religious associations and
women's clubs to have him ousted from
the senate he is one Of the notables whom
the women visitors desire to have pointed
out to them. When the senator finds that
he is the center Of attraction he becomes
annoyed and rushes off to the cloak rooms
to hide until the curiosity seekers move
on. Personally he is very agreeable. So
popular is he in Utah that he was unani-
mously reelected to succeed himself last
winter. He is tall and slim, gentlemanly
in appearance and dresses carefully, gem
orally in dark clothes, with light waist
coats. There is just as much need that
q woman should be taught how to cook
and sew, make her own hats and darn
her husbands socks, IL she has a husband,
or expects to get one, as there is to teach
a mar how to farm" said Senator Smoot
recently. He announced that he would
introduce a bill making appropriations of
$4,000 each to agricultural colleges, to be
used in the teaching Of domestic science.
Charles @. Bennett, secretary of the SEN
ate Is being flooded with letters these days
from young men to I'LL the job Of turning
back the hands of the senate clock at the
windup of each session. 1t is true that
the man who does this has other duties,
but it has become famous on the stage
and in fiction by reason Of the curious
aarVipa which anahlaa the aanafa fn Awn1so
promptly at noon at the end Of each con-
gress.
Alonzo Stewart, who has regulated the
senate clock for the last quarter OF a CEN
fury, is to retire. He is paid $500 a year.
Some one started the story that Mr.. Ben
nett was looking for a young man to fill
the nice, easy job OF dressing neatly and
turning back the hands Of the senate
clock, and to receive pay for it at the rate
OF 1880 a year. Mr.. Bennett has been
amazed to learn how many nice young men
are willing to assume this burden. Some
Of the letters are pathetic in the ignorance
displayed by the writer's of the ways Of
federal patronage,
President Taft has broken his c~astiron
rules about receiving senator's and repre-
sentatives, and to this extent has lessened
the criticism OF himself which was getting
to be sharp. A few weeks ago, relates the
Brooklyn Eagle correspondent, Secretary
Carpenter announced that the president
would see senators and representatives only
by appointment When senators rung up
the White House to make an engagement
to see the president they were told, in
some cases. that they would have to wait
ten days or two weeks. This didn't APP
peal to the autocratlc lawmakers, who had
been accustomed to walking directly into
the presence OF the chief executive.
Loud and long were the kicks that went
up from the steps OF the White House as
the solons took their departure after be-
ing told to come around In a week or so,
when they could get the presidents ear.
II ave been In congress for nearly
twenty-five years" said one veteran, "and
this is the first time 1 have ever been
turned away from the White House.
Sometimes 1 would have to walt, but there
never was an occasion when 1 was told
that 1 could not see the president short OF
a week, and l have dealt with democratic
ana republican presidents alike This thing
won't 60"
Talk OF this sort has finally had its
effect, and now the president had adopted
the Roosevelt policy Of gathering his callers
into a room and then walking In upon them
and disposing Of them one at a time, and
as rapidly as possible. The new plan
works well. Callers are less inclined to
chatter about foreign topics and tell funny
stories. Seven or eight listening statesmen
have the effect Of discourag ing this pas
time.