The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1910-12-22
CHRISTMAS DAY AT
NATIONS CAPITAL
Especial to the Silver state.)

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.-Christ-
mas in Washington lacks much of the
joyous flavor with which tradition
invests it elsewhere in civilized lands.
We are a community of expatriates
here in the capital. Without a coun.
try almost as much as the man made
famous by the late Dr. Edward Everett
Hale, Washingtonians make the best
of Christmas, but after all, most of
them claim some place as home, and
thousands of them are here, separated
from family and friends, employed by
the government, and in many cases
unable to visit relatives and home and
gather about the festive Yul log.
Somebody has said that men will
fight for home, but that it would
hardly be imagined that they would
fight for their boarding house. Wash
ington in one sense is an aggregation
of boarding houses, and it is in the
boarding houses that alarge proportion
of the Washingtonians eat their Christ
mas dinner. There are many native
Washingtonians and many others who
have cast their permanent lot in the
Capital City, so that Christmas does
not go by without being celebrated in
proper spirit in hundreds of families
and in many churches and societies.
The fact remains, however, that it is
rather a cheeTless day for thousands of
people who have been accustomed to
sonsider it the one happy festival Of
the year, day for family reunion and
the exchange of gifts and Fluctuations.
OF course congress invariably ad-
journs over the holidays for a period
of two weeks, and only comparative
ly small number of members who live
in the far west find it inexpedient to
travel to their homes and back before
business is resumed up on the hill
where the laws are made. A great
many government employees secure
brief leave of absence for the same
purpose, but all of this only makes it
seem more lonely and even desolate
for those who are compelled to remain
behind.
Will LaFollette Come Back?
The results of the late election
which demonstrated the strength of
the insurgent sentiment throughout
the country, has given the progressive
senators and representatives a much
otia iatCSit Booitlou III ndtlOudl
councils than they held before. In all
estimates of what congress may do
the attitude of the insurgents is al
ways canvassed with good deal of
intrest, and their acknowledged lead
ers in the senate, Cummins and La
Toilette, find themselves more sought
after than they were at the last ses-
sion. A great deal of interest has been
in Senator LaFollette IS
future. Word has come to Washing
ton that there is a possibility that the
senator may strike snag when the leg
islature assemblies on the second Tues
day in January and takes up the ques-
tion of electing his successor. 1t ap-
pears that Mr. LaFollette has 20 votes
in the legislature, and that he needs
but 81, but some of the political fore
casters have figured that if the Social
Democrats and the Standpatters should
unite against him, they would be able
to encompass his defeat Whether
there is any organized movement to
carry out such a plan, Washington
does not profess to know, but mas
much as the claim is made that Senat
or LaFollette has always owed his
strength in large degree to Demo
cratic support, it may be that he
would be just as likely to win. Demo.
cratic votes in the legislature as to
suffer by such a coalition in opposit
ton to him.
The resuluts of letting the people
rule have been somewhat interesting in
and long distance observ
ers are keeping an eve on that state
with the idea that the political evolu-
ton has been in progress there may
teach some valuable lessons. One re-
suit has beon the election of two
who do not agree on anything,
and who never make any effort to do
So Senator LaFollette hews his own
path, and has gone so far as to de-
cline to visit the White house even
when the president has requested him
to do so for consultation. Last year
the senator declined to ask for any
thing in the public buildings bin.
Senator Stephenson was not so modest,
and he secured appropriations for
three public buildings. Just now there
is an interesting contest on for the
postmastership at Madison. This be-
ing Senator LaFollette's home city,
the postmastership, according to rec
Dgnized custom, should be disposed of
in accordance with the wishes of the
senator. There are three candidates in
the field for the Office named, if not
more.
Congressman John M. Nelson, who
halls from Madison, is LaFollette
man. Whatever he does will un-
be with the approval if
not the advice, of Senator LaFollette.
These conditions unite to invest the
postmastership at Madison with con-
siderable interest. Senator LaFollette
finally indicated his choice to the
president at the latter's request and
probably his man will be named. II