Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-04-15
STATESMEN RELAX
IN LObB|ES Of
THE HOTELS
Human Side of Legislators
5 Comes Out in the Evening
When They Foregather to
Swap Jokes,


Especial Dispatch to the Morning journal
Santa Fe, April l4.-It there Were
nothing more to life in the capital
city during Il legislative session than
what takes place in the halls of the
senate and house during the formal
deliberations of those bodies, exist
ence would present very drab as
pect to the legislative correspondent.
Not that the proceedings of the legis-
nature are ut all tim : monotonous or
lacking IN spice; but the matter oG
Keeping up with that part of it is
work how hard worl; only the man
who has ever tackled the Job can ade-
qu4telN appreCiate-and if there ware
not a lighter ana more human side to
things the lid would blow off and
somebody would get hurt
TO the student of human nature
ana the man who is fond of relaXa-
ticn after the days work is over, no
more interesting place can he found
on the map than the lobby of a hotel
in a state capital during the session
of state legislature The men who
foreeather there are in themselves
Interesting types. Men of ability who
have risen to prominence in their
home countles-men with - well-de-
NclOped sense of humor and who have
been in politics long enough to know
the value of u sense of humor in its
application to the more serious af-
fairs of life. assemble in the lobbies.
Of the hotels in the evening to swap
political and other gossip, to crack
jokes with each other and generally
to have good time and promote good
fellowship. OF course there are ex-
ceptions to all rules, but in Santa Fc
the rule is so general as to make it
not worth while to note the excep-
tions.
Al of which is merely preliminary
to saying that the lobby of the Palace
hotel any old night after o'clock
is the place of all places for one to
20 who wants to laugh and grow fat.
1t Is the place where statesmen cease
to be statesm n and become human.
j is the place where 90 per cent
of the fun in Santa Fe is pulled off.
County Treasurer J. NJ. Baird. of
otero county. came up from Alamo
gordo last Wednesday and is spending
IA few days in the capital. Mr. Baird
declares that his visit has no tefer- !
tnce Whatever TO any pending legfs- !
Iation, hut is more in the nature of
j vacation.
b. that as it may, those who are
SO fortunate as to enjoy MIR. Baird's I
acquaintance viii attest that half I
hour in his presence while he Is in 4
me of his rare storytelling moods is .
'ettcr than a vacation to those who /
n h ,,fI let 1,
'ew men in New Mexico who have
rad richer or more varied experiences
han Mr. Baird, ana il is certain that
here ara none who possess "A hap
Iier faculty of relating them than he
Ns IA raconteur he is simply IN a class
m by himself.
Judge .. 4. Toomhs, representative
rom Union cou1tN and one Of the
ally strong men OF the House. Is an b
'ld-time friend of Mr.. Baird. the two
'aVing come to New Mexico about the
anne time and having crossed each
'ther's trail often i'm the old days
ud gc ToOmbs is some racontaur
iimself, and when he and Mr. Baird
dge up to each other in the Palace
obby ana start to tearing off leaves {
rom their personal "reminiscences, it
S the sign for everybody else within I
arshot to drop whatever they may i
e doing or saying and join the group.
( YOU happen to be coming down /
tairs and hear,a bis. shout OF laugh F,
r from many Yoices just around the
orner. II is safe to hay u bet Al any \,
dds you feel Like that one nt the two
aS Just relieved himself of new one.
At present Mr. Baird has tn, high
core. as he is stopping At the hotel
nd is in the lobby the greater part Of
he time in the evening. while Judge
combs has rented n house In Santa
y FOR the session ana has to 20 home :
ometimes But Judge Toomhs is {
iarathon runner. and will he here for I
considerable time after Mr.. Baird {
as gone. and those who know him I
redict that he will not be long in a
vertaking his competitor
.