The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1913-05-16
MARIETTA, GA. MAY 16, 1913.
WASHINGTON LETTER
Washington City,
MAY 70, 1911

The House has finished the Tariff
bill and it is now before the Sen
ate Finance Committee. The Com
Rtttee has been at work on the mea-
sure ever since it was reported to
the House and has already made
Considerable progress in its consider
alton 1t will probably be report
ed to the Senate by the Committee
III about three weeks and then the
l6ng, hard fight on the floor will be
started. There is no limit to debate
III the Senate and the bill may not be
GnalIy passed until August or Sep
te1nbpr. Meantime the House will
consider reforms in the banking and
cdrreucy laws.
Washington is very beautiful
these May days The grass in the
parks is kept bright and green and
trees are given the most skilled at
tention Down home we hardly
know the Elm, but there are a great
many such trees in Washington. The
WarK in front of the Capitol con-
tains numbers of them and near the
entrance to the Senate Office build
ing is an especially fine one. The
trunk is large and the wide stretch
ing branches are low and the shade
Is dense. 1t is grand old tree.
stately and dignifed, an 'Immem-
Oriaf Elm" worthy of a poets affec-
tiQn ana tribute.
This park has on its West side
the great Capitol and on the East the
Congressional Library Bldg. On the
North is the Senate Office Building
aud on the South the House Office
Building. These Office buildings are
exactly alike, snowy white, with
great marble columns that show
most beautiful through the green of
the trees in the park
OF all the trees in the Park |
think [ shall pick out for myself
az the one | shall love, the big old
Elm that | have mentioned. Some
how it seems to invite me to rest
under its shade could lie there
Oh the grass and see the Capitol
bathed in the brightness of the sun
hght. and admire the mighty dome,
surmoUnted by the figure on whose
face falls first every morning the
light Of the rising sun. And beyond
the Capitol the Washington MOnu-
meut and still beyond Arlington
Heights and the home of Lee. !
should like to lie under the old
Elm and rest and think about our
Government and how much the hap
plness Of hundred million people is
involved in the course of few men
~ r'e 9ig building over there.
4
2ut no body in this Office has any
time to lie down on the grass and
rest under big Elms and ruminate.
This IS game of hustle If | were
to tell you what a day with a United
States Senator means you would not
believe it
Senator Hoke Smiths mail aver
ages hundred and fifty letters a
day When he reaches his Office
urnp q, Ftar hro,lyf,pt no Grdc ~, b;s
desk a pile of letters about eight
inches in thickness, many of them
several pages in length. Now, tC
read an average letter consider the
reply and dictate the answer, read
The answer before signing and then
sign the letter. takes four or five
minutes. That would mean ten
hours steady work
Senator Smith sees no callers be
fore ten O'Clock. but devotes him.
self TO his mail BY ten there are
usually from six to a dozen persons
waiting to see him and that is about
da size of the crowd all day. Al
hat past ten there is frequently q
Committee meeting or hearing Of
some kind. The Senate meets some
CInes at twelve and sometimes at two
Il usually adiournes about six. The
C3sult is that Senator Smith carrie!
Gome with him at night a big bas
tat of letters and his two steLogra
piers meet him there to receive the
dIctation and frequently work unit
Midnight. In addition he has t
make many visits to the Departments
eJii the White House He has never
IN hour of recreation, is never a
the theateT. never at a ball game
never out for a pleasure ride in hi!
aAtomobile, but in every waking