Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1914-03-20
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
Events OF Interest from the Seat
of Government.
BY j. T.. JONES.

't.''s'''''''''.'''
From the Gallery of the House.
Conditions were somewhat normal
upon that Saturday afternoon when
this brief story was gathered from
the gallery. One hears considerable
about the large membership of the
house of representatives and l count
ed the occupants of the benches and
found that all but 3SS of the 435
members were present, earning the
salary the government pays. On the
minority side sat 23 statesmen and in
the Democratic rows were exactly the
same number, but the hoodoo was
saved the majority by counting the
illustrious occupant of the chair. In
vain l looked for the celebrities of
congress and only Mann, the Repub-
lican leader, with his bristly beard
was there. AS matter of fact most
of our best exhibits have stayed at
home as the result of the last cleo
ton.
After a while Champ Clark strobe
down the aisle, thus gratifying the
hungry eyes of tourists. 1t was his
sixty-fourth birthday and few hours
before he had paved the air with
terrible denunciation of some college
professor who had made very fool
ish charge that the speaker had false
ly counted vote in order to further
the interests Of his party. So far as
Washington is concerned, a formal
denial by the speaker was absolutely
unnecessary, but we are told that the
country does not always think the
same as Washington.
Across the room beside the chisel-
ed white marble desk of the speaker
reposed the grinning mace of legen-
dairy authority. Behind the presiding
officer hung the Star Spangled Ban
ner; on either side of the desk were
the pictures of Washington and La
fayette, and frieze by Brumidi
showed Washington and CORVALLIS
in conference at Yorktown.
Representative Lever of South
Carolina was making a speech in
which he suggested the colloquial
"doncher know" in describing the
needs of the farmers. He roundly
criticised those who found fault with
the agricultural appropriation bill,
which was then under consideration;
and in an exchange Of bouquets he
and Representative Mclaughlin of
Michigan paid splendid compliments
to one another causing Representa-
tive Anderson of Minnesota to inter-
ject inquiring remarks as to whether
others should not be included in the
Alphonse-Gaston performance. In the
rough and tumble debate one Of the
congressman had a good deal to say
about "Io-were," evidently having
failed to note the observation of this
correspondence regarding the habits
of some senators who say "1o-way."
A man with an ear trumpet finally
showed up, and he was pointed out as
General Sherwood, who secured a
dollar a day" for all pensioners.
Then came Murdoch, famous for fiery
hair and speech, and in the public
eye because of his leadership of the
Progressives.
While two or three congressman
tried to speak at the same time. the
presiding officer theoretically sup
ported the stop watch and brought
down his mallet with tremendous
"whacks." thereby numbering much
congressional eloquence.
Meanwhile the agricultural appro-
priation bill bowled merrily on its
way and when the absentees grew to
400, our little party decided that it
was time for US, too, to depart.
Fixing the Trust Bills.
Before the antitrust bills are to
become really and truly" admins
tration measures, they are to be ma
terially doctored under the direct
supervision of that able physician of
egislation--Doctor Woodrow Will
son, president of the United States.
The judiciary committee of the house
has been having it's hearings and this
has resulted in the president taking
Chairman Clayton and his colleagues
of the committee into White House
conference for the purpose of point
ing out to them that there are big
and dangerous holes in the legisla-
ton they have contemplated. There
fore changes will follow in accord
ance with the presidents plan before