Evening star., 1924-01-13
Capital Sidelights
ny WILL r. KENNEDY.


ing on an incline like an easel. 1t
Is inscribed: ITO President Calvin
Coolidge from r. J. Atkins" Rep
resentative Addison r. Smith Of
Idaho. who made the presentation in
behalf Of Mr.. Atkins, explains that
the latter Is "the village blacksmith"
AZ Boise. Idaho, and an unusually
clever craftsman. He was born in
England during the reign of Queen
Victoria, came to America in his
boyhood, and has lived in Idaho for
more than d quarter OF a century.
The nails in the horseshoe form the
penrack. A similar inkstand was
presented by Mr.. Atkins personally
20 President Harding on his western
tour, which afforded Mr.. Harding an
opportunity to make a beautiful
apostrophe to Labor"
Veterans in Congress and officials
generally in Washington appreciated
a tribute in the House this week to
the late Represe tive Edward La
rue Hamilton Of Niles, Mich, who
was considered one OF the most gift
ed orators Congress had had in many
twenty-four years until he volun-
tartly retired in 1921. Representa-
tive ketcham. his successor, remind
ed members of the House that there
are only two there now who were
seated when Mr.. Hamilton first came
to Congress-Speaker Gillett and
Representative William Allen Coop
er OF "isconsin-and a third member
Thomas S. Butler of Pennsylvania
father OF Gen. Smediey Butler. the
Devil Dog commander who is help
ing to clean up vice in Philadelphia
came in at the same time.
Mr.. Hamilton's brilliant and we'll
trained mind and remarkable power
Of application, together with his gen.
ial manner and modest bearing" ac-
traordfnary following throughout the
nation.
During eight years as chairman of
the committee on territories, he took
a, leading part in putting three new
stars in the United States flag
through the admission to the Union
of Oklahoma, New. Mexico and Ari-
zona. The Philippines. Hawaii and
Alaska will forever bear the marks
of his constructive legislation.
In his day he was one of the most
popular campaign orators, and his
silver speeches were distributed by
millions Of copies. His style was
sententious and epigTammatic, his dc
efon perfect and turns of expression
dazzling and unique.
X II
The housing problem is of deep con-
Germ even among the aborigines.
During consideration of the Interior
Department appropriations bill it
was brought out that Congress has
been making small. appropriations an
nually for a number of years for the
purchase of land in California for re-
lief of homeless Indians There are
still some isolated bands of Indians
scattered throughout the state who
are practically without any means of
establishing a home. The number
has been estimated at 1900. Some
prosperous colonies have been estab-
lished, with an expenditure of slS3,000
for 800 acres of land, with 5000 In
dians benefited thereby.
Charles L. Burke. commissioner of
Indian affairs. reveals another angle
on the Indian housing problem. The
Apache Indians, numbering about
$500. living on the Fort Apache resr
ervation in Arizona, are going to
abandon their tepees and hogans for
modern homes. ..
Commissioner Burke has completed
arrangements for erection of frame
proved the most backward of all the
tribes in making progress toward
civilizatfo
A sawmill is already in operation
on the reservation cutting out the
for these homes. a boarding
school is maintained on the agency,
as we'll as several missionary schools.
X + #ss
There is a book store in the Capt.
tol building that has few counter
customers, but does tremendous
mail order business-all free.
The presiding genius is j. NJ: ~ Nc
Gle Sam in the Capitol for forty years:
He came here first as page in 1883.
This free book store has more than
m9n faI3H nonmes 1n s5oen osT TReTe re
wrapping the books. and II was mere
that Representative Earl C. Michener
of Adrian, Mich. earned living
while studying law.
This is the House folding room,
which sends out each year an innum-
err BILE number of copies of some 20
600 speeches. The average number of
books sent cut is between 100000
and 100000. All documents are sent
there from the government printing
office unWrapped, and these are put
in envelopes and sealed i'll the sub
Capitol caticombs The folding room
is getting out these documents at the
rate Of about a million a month, and
up tho work will be many times null
tiplied.
There are two mime hosts" in the
House Representative Allen T.
of Massachusetts and Rep
Edgar Keiss of Pennsyl-
vania. They have both been hotel
proprietors for many years.
nf q l.
ly born into the business. For three
generations his forefathers had been
hotel men before him. and he has
been training his son-who won fame
as a Harvard athlete-to succeed him
in the business.
Representative Treadway was born
in the old Red Lion Inn. tockbridge.
Mass. which he still operates. This
was a famous tavern. in the days
of the stagecoach and was on the
old stage route from Boston to AL
bany. He is also proprietor of the
new hotel. Heaton Hall, also in |
Stock bridge. He is, past president OF
the New England Hotel Mems Asso-
citation.
Representative Kiess started the
Forest Inn Hotel some twenty-five
years ago at Eaglesmere, at the top
of the mountains. About ten years
ago he bought the Raymond Hotel.
He has also developed a cottage col
ony around his hotels. He is proud
OF the fact that his hostelry has
always been a temperance house
X X X r
George Washington, who was for
merly one of the leading citizens in
this part of the country, as well as
in crossing the Delaware" and at
Valley Forge, and, after serving as
a delegate from Virginia" was
eventually known as the Father of |
His Country" wasn't the only George
Washington" who won a place in the
Congressional Biographical Directory.
There was a George O. Washington,