Omaha daily bee., 1911-01-27

/ The hotel lobby was packed fun Of hu-
manity-s maelstrom OF moving groups,
/ some badge plastered, and the usual per
! CentaEe OF home made colonies, judges,
senators and minor fixtures Of wayback
/ politics The retired senator, from force
Of habit, was there, closely observing the
shifting panorama and shedding reflective
/ "reminiscences. My boy" he remarked to
the correspondent Of the st. Louis Repub
lio after a lifetime Of this it becomes
| rather tiresome. Meander around that
! crowd and you will gather the impression
/ that the whole United states are here.
How many are there i'm this lobby, actu-
ally, would you say? Maybe 200; say 800
the vote Of one small precinct or town
| ship. And how many ballots are cast in
this country? Something like l2OOO,OOO, II
/ 1 remember Alright.
This is an aXe-to-grind crowd, here to
tell congress what to do and how to do
IT. Remember there are no passes now
adays. Consequently, who comes down
to Washington to these conventions:
Mostly folk who can afford to waste the
money and the time.
IF such is my opinion why am 1 here?
The Washington habit, my boy, that's all
political fortunes possessor OF a fine farm
back in the old state which should be
sufficient to supply any mans wants. But
when l am on the farm | somehow long to
be back in old Washington; yet, being
here a while, 1 am soon convinced of the
superior attractions Of the farm
This city has peculiarites, vanities &c
centricities all It's own. The man who
stays long enough acquires a Washington
lingo Washington habits of thought, a
Washington character. The atmosphere Is
apart from anything else to be found in
the United States. Once a Washingtonan
and you are lonely anywhere else in the
country just as the real Americans Rbid-
ing elsewhere than within this ten square
miles are lonely in Washington. The new
conner here, whether representative. sena-
tor, official, or what not-excepting, of
course, sightseeing visitors, for whom the
buildings and a near view Of celebrities
is enough-leads a miserable existence for
the first year or two. But gradually he
begins to TT in, gets the cynicaly wise
view point sees the sham and begins to
sham himself-which is playing the game.
Loathing he learns to like and stays on
year after year"
Representative Macon Of Arkansas has
opposed at every stage the plan to make
Commander Peary a rearadmiraI as
a discoverer for the discovery of
the North pole. At times during the
examination Of Peary by the house
committee on naval affairs Mr. Ma
con showed amazing knowledge of Arc
tic affairs in the questions that he put
to the explorer. 1t remained for Repre-
, sentative Dawson of Iowa to floor the
Arkansan. In the final questions of the
committee Macon entered the room with
his arm full of documents.
Describe the artificial horizon you used
in the Arctic ocean, he demanded sud-
denly of Peary.
What is an artificial horizon, Mr.. Ma
CONF" interrupted Dawson.
Don't you know" asked Mr.. Macon.
Il do not" replied Mr.. Dawson. Il wish
the gentleman from Arkansas would en-
tighten me-"
Captain Peary," said Mr. Macon, please
tell the gentleman from Iowa what an ar
tificial horizon 10. While you are doing so
will look through my papers here" And
the committee laughed.
AS Associate Justice Harlan of the
: United States supreme court was riding
downtown from the capitol recently, re-
lates the Washington Times, a woman en-
tered the car carrying a bundle, which she
placed next to the distinguished jurist.
In a moment or two Justice Harlan's at
tention was transferred from his news
: paper to the bundle beside him.
e "Oh, that heavenly odor' sighed the
jurist as he shifted the air.
3 rs It possible, madam" asked Justice
4 Harlan, that smell mint?"
/. quite possible, Judge" replied the
woman.
II thought so; we are fond of mint in
my country" remarked the judge.
80 understand" was the answer land
. just to show you that / appreciate that
. fact I will present you with bundle OF
this mint"
Thank you, madam, thank YOU" said
the Judge, as he buried his nose in the
mint. This is truly delicious, It makes
me wish for-well you know a native-boru
: Kentuckian can't help-ah, the fact of the
matter is that when one has the mint and
the mint only there is something missing
You will pardon me, won't you"
ThereupOn the justice DOTTED his silk hat
dropped the bundle of mint into the crown
restored the hat to his head bolted from
3 the street car and fastened to the nearest
: place where skilled hand could do justice
to the mint.