Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-05-30
THE SQUIRE IN WASHINGTON.
Well Known Citizen of York County
Visits the National Capital.

Well Known Citizen of York County
Visits the National Capital.
For the Yorkville Enquirer.
1 am just back from trip to Wash
ington, and the experience has been
so strange and interesting to me that
l want to tell about it, only as / an
so unaccustomed to trying to say
what would like to say in writing,
am sure 1 am not going to be able to
tell half the story.
The idea of the trip had been in my
mind for a long time; but about the
first of May it began to take such
hold that l could no longer resist 1t
There was one thing that troubled me
a good deal and that was where the
money was to come from. had lit
tie but did not think l had enough
Just what might have done, do moi
exactly know, but this trouble was
finally settled by the good off1ces
of the best woman / know, When sne
agreed to an arrangement whereby !
was to have certain nickels, dimes and
quarters that she had collected in ex-
change for milk and butter. When
you get into a scrape that a good
woman can't help you out of, I'll just
tell you what, you are in bad way.
II was the night of May % that ]
started out for the national capital
when daylight came next morning,
was looking out on the pippin orchards
and sheep pastures IN the neighbor-
hood of Monroe, Va. Never since
was born, 81 years ago, have seen so
many apple trees or so many sheep,
had no idea that there were so many
in one place anywhere in the world.
There were about fifty miles OF them.
Up at Culpeper the scene changed
somewhat to nearly level land, and Tor
many miles from there on 1t was
mules and mules, clover and grain.
When we reached Alexandria, Va,
most of the people got out Of the train
and took the trolley cars. l did not
know what it meant at first, but /
learned later. We were only across
the Potomac river from Washington,
and these people wanted to make the
balance of the trip in fresh, open air.
l stuck to the train, and was carried
through a dark, hot, smoky tunnel.
People said it was only mile long;
hut If I had been left to guess after
I got through, / would have said that
there were fifty miles of it. At the
end had to climb two flights or
stone steps, and / was most dead. II
l ever go up that way again l VIII
take the trolley cars at Alexandra, as
do the people who know.
At the Union station in Washing
ton, was met by friend who took
me to a boarding house, where had
the opportunity to wash my face and
cool off bit, after which l went up
to the Capitol in search Of Judge Fin
ley with whom / had little business.
Now let me stop a little bit to say
to the folks of the Fifth district, that
whenever they go to washington they
should call on Judge Finley. Every
body knows what fine man ne Is al
home: but there are some maybe who
think that he would not know them in
Washington. There never was bigger
mistake No man ever treated me
nicer, and no man ever showed more
ability to treat folks nice. But don't
you believe Judge Finley is not busy.
/ was there three days, and seemed to
me he was busy all the time. In ad-
dition to his regular duties there was
somebody after him every half hour or
such a matter. Some were men, some
were women, some wanting this and
some wanting that information, JOB
as stenographer or in the pubic
printing Office, or something else. am
sure that II they had not put me to
fighting they would have driven me
crazy: but Judge Finley handled them
Just as easy as If he really ENJOYED
them, and he helped most OF them too.
Judge Finley is a big man up there,
lust about as big as he is at home,
and people pay attention to him.
Seeing how busy the judge was all
the time, did not feel much good over
the idea of imposing on him too much;
but somehow he made me feel That
was not imposing. He introduced me
to the next president, Speaker Champ
Clark, who was so pleasant and agree
able that he impressed me as being
the cleyerest gentleman ever saw.
Then also Judge Finley took me to
see the White House and introduced
me to President Taft, who received me
smilingly and made me feel so COM
Portable that I felt no embarrassment
even in being in the presence OF this
great man-the great ruler OF the
greatest country on earth.
am not going to try to describe the
Capitol. All who are reading this and
who have not been to Washington nave
seen pictures of the Capitol, and also
1 reckon of the Congressional library
This is said to be the 'nest building
in Washington. 1t cost over seven
million dollars and is fire proof. There
is not enough wood in it hardly to
make a respectable tooth pick.
Washington is a city of parks and
trees. and they are beautiful. l saw
more squirrels in the Capitol park, 1
reckon than there are in all of York
county.
But the visit came to an end at last.
l had to leave all the big men and big
buildings and come back home, reach
ing here Friday morning. had great
trip. l am glad l went and am glad
am back. l have better opinion OF
many of the people saw and am bet
ter satisfied with home.