Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-27
w ashin gton Life
some interesting Phases
and Conditions Observed
~ the NAtlon'a Capitol.

Since the day when Congressman George
". Norris Of Nebraska introduced his res
olution deposing Speaker Cannon as a m M
Der OF the committee on rules and doubling
the membership Of the committee, news
paper correspondents have felt that their
days work Is never complete unless they
look up the Nebraskau to get the news
from the insurgent camp. The other day a
member Of the press gallery tackled Mr..
Norris for his views on the coming retire
ment OF Senator's Aldrich and Hale. The
Nebraskan blew off little Joyous steam.
relates the Washington Times. and was
about to pass on when the correspondent
sprung the question:
Anything else on your mind?"
"I have nothing else myself" remarked
MIR. Norris after a moments thought. Il
think, however l know where ] can put
you on TO a good story, but l rather hest
tato to do So"
What is the yarn about?" he was asked.
oh observed Norris, 1T is right in
line with the retirement Of these two dis
tinguishcd senator's. In fact It relates to
the retirement Of distinguished member
Of the house. on second thought hesitate
to do so. / don't think the member wants
The correspondent pleaded earnestly for
the tip and finally Norris agreed to give
1t to him.
II have just come from the members
dining room," said Norris "Beng late
in the afternoon there is only one member
of the house left in there. He is now eat
ing his lunch. HeNhas gray hair and gray
whiskers and wears a carnation in his
!
a personal friend of mine and that l would
regard 1t as a personal favor IL he would
tell you the story Of his retirement from
congress"
The correspondent followed instructions
and found the man who answered the de-
scription given by Norris. It was Speaker
Cannon, quietly munching a bowl OF crack
ers and milk.
Il was having luncneon in the restau-
rant at the capitol yesterday" said a
prominent republican senator, when the
man who runs the elevator took seat
at the same table. He began to COM
plain about his hard luck He said:
Il get only $50 a month and find it
| almost impossible to make both ends meet
After 1 pay my rent, my board, my bar
Der and go to the theater once or twice a
week there is nothing left
THE waiter came along then and 1 or
dered oxtall soup and the elevator man did
the same. Soup in the senate restaurant
is % cents While 1 sympathlEed with him
he ordered a cup Of coffee and a piece
Of rhubarb pie at 10 cents each. 1 called
for my bill and my companion asked the
waiter the price of strawberries. He was
told So cents, and ordered plate That
made so cents for his luncheon, and 1 don t
know how much more he ate.
Il picked up the afternoon paper later
in the day and saw that Uncle Joe Cannon
had eaten a 10-cent breakfast at a dairy
high cost of living
Appearing before the supreme court OF
the United States few days ago to in
troduce q constituent who was admitted
to practice on the senator's motion, some
one expressed surprise that Senator Elkins
was a member Of the bar of the supreme
court
why" said a friend OF the senator,
Mr. Elkins practiced law in New Mexico
many years before he ever went to West
Virginia, and he has been a senator from
that state for sixteen years.
mot only did Mr.. Ekins practice law
| in New Mexico, but he was United States
district attorney there. And his court
work was at a time when the official
language Of the court was Spanish"
| Senator ElBins seldom finds use for his
knowledge OF Spanish these days, but he
manages to keep up sufficient practice to
enable him to speak Spanish when re-
qulred even though his days OF practicing
law in the Spanish tongue have long since
passed,