Evening Star Newspaper, May 19, 1894, Page 17

THE EVENING STAR. Prscrngsrne atte PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT Sunpay. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue, Cor. 11th Stresty by Tbe Ivening Star Newspaper Oompany, 8.H. KAUFFMAN: Pres’t. New York Office, 49 Potter Building, vs brrewvmme er week. or 41c. per monts. Copies at the counter 2 cents each. By mail—anywhere in the United Bates oF postage prepaid—SO cents per feonth. Saturday Quintuple Sheet Star, $1.00 per year: With foreign postage added. $3.00. (Entered at the Post Office at Washington, D. C., €s second-class mail —natter.) [7 All mall subscriptions must be paid in advance. Rates of advertisinz made known on application eto, Che Zpening Sbarro NGTON, D.C, SATURDAY, MAY 19, 1894-TWENTY PAGES. TO ADVERTISERS. AGvertisers are urgently re quested to hand in advertisements the day prior to publication, in ©rder that insertion may be as Sured. Want advertisements will be received up to noon of the day ©f publication, precedence being Given to those first received. —_—]. Written for The Evening Star. There has always been a mystery about that elusive body commonly called the lob- by, or “the third house.” The term as gen- erally accepted has comé to embrace all the persons who make a business of at- tempting to promote or influence legisla- tion. Of course, there are a good many Ways of influencing, or attempting to influ- ence, legislation. A good deal of this kind of work is done openly by attorneys, who appear before committees and make argu- ments for or against measures. This, of course, is considered as perfectly legiti- mate practice and not regarded as lobby- ing so far as that term 1s applied offen- sively. Then theré is a popular notion that there is a class of men who work upon in- dividual members of Congress in various Ways to secure their interest In measures. ‘These men are supposed to use many wiles to accomplish their purposes. Lunches and dinners ani entertainments of various kind’ are resorted to, it is said, to induce an amiable and complacent mood in Congress- men. Then there is talk now and then of the use, or attempted use, of money directly im securing votes, rumors about great loB- bies organized to represent vast interests and having hundreds of thousands of dol- Jars to spend in buying votes. Disclosures made in the Senate during the past week might indicate that there are some persons ready to undertake to corrupt Congress. “Pauline Pry” recently made a practical experiment for The Star to ascertain the Methods followed by those who take charge of matters before Congress. None of the men with whom she came in contact would admit, of course, that he consideted him- self as a lobbyist. Some of them were prac- ticing attorneys who were willing for a fee to do what- they could to secure an amend- ment to the tariff bill. They undertook to do what attorneys as a rule would regard as perfectly legitimate business. There were others who proposed to make use of persdnal influence. “Pauline Pry’! story 1s full of graphic interest, as portraying a phase of life much talked of, but of which little ts really known. To the credit of Con- gress, as well as of the men who undertook the work of “promotion,” there was scarce- ly any suggestion of bribery, or, indeed, uf anything worse than the use of money in lunches and theater tickets; fh fact, when the use of money was proposed these men, supposed to know all the ways on Congress, declared it impossibie. But let “Pauline Pry” herself tell how she attempted to get an amendment on the tariff bill and got a glimpse into “the third house.” To arrive at the actual facts of lobbying | well to let your business be known beyond your attorney and confidential friends. If you will see me promptly I will give you good advice, whether you employ me or immediately replied to this letter, say- ‘I am much impressed by your response to my advertisement. Kindly send me your business address that I may call on you.” In the meantime I would call on those whose addresses were already in my pos- session. First, however, I had to get ready my “important matter to bring before Con- gtess. After going through the volume of hear- ings before the ways and means committee of the House which were submitted during the formation of the Wilson bill, I hit upon the idea of changing the tari? on button- | forms from 10 per cent ad valorem to 25 per cent ad valorem. Button forms are the materials used in button making. These materials are lastings, mohair, woolen and cotton cloth and silk. I found that in the McKinley act, the Wilson bill and the bill now pending before the Senate a singular discrimination exists in favor of the button maker, who, though protected by a tax of 40 per cent, pays a tax on his importa- tions of but 10 per cent, while anybody else importing the same materials pays a tax of from 35 per cent to 50 per cent. This difference recounts to the interests of the button maker about $30,000 a year, and operates with particular disadvantage to the American braid makers, the bulk of cloth buttons used being made of mohair, braid. This was all the data I could obtain r tive to my proposed legislation. However, my plan was to depend not on data, but dollars, to do my business. ‘The first attorney I visited was the man who had referred me to Chief Justice Waite for a character. I stated my case to Mr. X briefly. I had to be brief, for I didn’t know erough about the matter to be lergthy. I merely said that I wanted the tariff on button forms changed from ten per cent to twenty-five per cent. I indicat- ed the discrimination existing in favor of the button makers. I then said that I dida’t propose to havt anything more to do in the case than pay the bills, and like the Chica- go lady I represented myself to be, I set forth the fact that I had money enough be- hind me to change the Declaration of Inde- pendence if I liked, or buy the tariff out- right. Mr. X quickly corrected me, when i referred to him as a lobbyist. He as- sured me that he Is an attorney, though he confessed at the start that he — a lobbyist, and represented this acquaintahce as the capital he would work in the case. “This man,” said he, “is one of the keenest, hrewdest lobbyists in Washington, and he is under obligations to me for favors I have been ble to secure for him. He, however, of the channels through which rate. You see, my social posi- h that I meet public men ly in a familiar way. It is in “the natural order of inter- course among gentlemen for me to ask any Senator or member to drink a bot- Ue of wine, or take dinner with mb, a therein lies a large measure of my strerf&th. These grave and reverend seignors are hu- man after all, and, I assure you,more legis- lation emanates from the stomachs than the heads of our respected and respectable lawmakers. I couldn't hope to accomplish anything to call a Senator out into the marble room and put to him a cold-blooded proposition to increase the tariff on button- forms or on anything else. But under the influence of a cold bottle, com- I inserted in the “personal” column of Star the following advertisement: A CHICAGO LaDY, HAVING AN IMPORTANT matter to bring before Congress, would like to engage the services of some one famillar with the processes of legislation. For further particu- lars address CHICAGO LADY, Star office. A large number of replies heaped up in answer to this advertisement—letters rang- ing in form from serawling assurances of iilite>ate shysters to the elegant tender of mellowitg ‘the penetrating generosity that in stew Inspires, you have a sf spirit In condition to properly receive a passing allusion to the fact that there’s a little tariff matter you are inter- ested in, which you would like to chat with rim about. Then later, through the en- chanting haze of fragrant tobacco smoke, you present the details of the case and the point you want made. “It may require an additional bottle, more terrapin and another cigar, but fought on their services from prominent attorneys, who inclosed handsomely engraved “refer- ences by permission” to just about every rotable man fn the United States. In substance, these letters covered every- thing in human nature, including woman's My First Visit. spite and man’s vanity. One woman wrote that she felt certain I would hear from a ran that “lives with an old maid, who is in love with him, and has spent all her mother’s money on him. Look out for him,” she said, “he watches around for Jvet stich persons as yourself, and if you once get into his cfutches, you are done for as long as you have a dollar in the world.” A recent repuolican candidate for Con- gress sent me his picture and a two-column Bewspaper clipping descriptive of his abil- ities. The manager of a private detective agency said that if I needed anything in his iine im connection w:th Congress he would be glad to have me call on him. A man whom I happen to know to be black was yet white @mough to proffer his assistance on condi- tion that my business “is strictly legitimate and honorable.” A former treasury official posted me his card with a circular con- taining among twenty-three gilttedged references Hon. John Sherman, Hon. Calvin S. Brice, Hom Wm. McKinley, Hon. Thomas Bb. Reed. A card from an- Other attorn:y was accompanicd by the in- viting intelligence that he had been a mem- ber of Congress fourteen years, and was Prepared to serve me. An ex-official of the Department of the Interior referred me among other high sources to Chief Jus- tce Wdite, though he conveyed no Intima- ticn of how I was to communicate with the estimable dead man. A small Mbrary of epistolary literature, typographically bean- tiful, announced the association in partuer- ship of a glittering array of influence and ability, including an ex-official of the De- partment of Justice, all of which was Placed at my disposal. A letter from a wholly unidentified source engaged my fancy by the modesty of its tone. Its only word of recommend was: “I have diad considerable experience in matters before Congress, in which I have been moderate Successful.” Later I verified my suspicion at this was the reserve of a man who holds four aces in his sleeve. Then there was the letter which, since it was the day star of my success to lobbying, I give in full. It was written on United States Sen- Chicago Lady: If ean rview, and explain your business before Congress, and an ar- Faigement can at is mutually satisfactory, 1 bably give you the best help you e: n. I was the private secretary of a from the west for seven years a to the ats term last 4th of Marc! u to Sepators, members D' nd to parties by whom I have been e! ved. Ido mot think there is anything I do not know abeut = Please send a n tot below, saying when and where interview be had. a choice, and do not this line your ultimate victory is certain. How much will it cost? I could not inform you definitely as to that until I had talked with lend, the lobbyist of whom I d, I weuld say I might un- ease for a retainer fee of $10, $25 % up the amendment—the change ‘would have to be accomplished by m of an amendment—and a per diem charge of $ to $10, with a contingent fee of $100, you to bear all the expenses of whatever arguments it might be necessary dvance in the form of wining and din- When I returned to Mr. X next day he had seen his “friend, who is a lobbyist,” and said that after discussing the matter with his ftiend, he had determined that he would have to have $100 at the start and $300 or $600 contingent fee. I did not engage Mr. X, for during the interval between my calls upon him I had seen a man, who, while not a lobbyist, as he told me, had nevertheless put seven special bills through Congress this session, all of have been signed by the Presi- Was the man who wrote to me been “moderately successful.” jh he, drawing an innocent-ap- pearing Sip of paper from his pocket, “here is something that looks as if it does not amount to much. But !n reality it is a bill involving the title to 300 acres of land valued at $500 an acre which I passed with- out the slightest trouble. The thing went through at a single touch. It didn’t cost me @ cent to do the work, and I pocketed a fee of $3,000. I make a specialty of land mat- ters. I amenot famiilar with tariff prac- tice. But I will tell you of some one who is just the man to do this for you—Mr. Y. He has done a great deal in tariff lines, and is specially equipped for that service from the fact that he spent the entire winter in New York in work which brought him in such relations with the Treasury Department that he has the influence of Secretary Carlisle to back any change he may suggest in the tariff. I will tell you {nm confidence that Mr. Y practi- cally has in his hands the formation of the conference committee which finally shapes the tariff bill in Congress. I lost no time in seeing Mr. Y. I laid my case before him, and he immediately perceived in the provisions of the offensive tariff on buttdn-forms difficulties of ad- ministration which would engage the in- fluence of the Treasury Department on my behalf. He told me how he had effected a similar change in the tariff by the aid of this influence. It was in the matter of hat trimmings. “I was unable to present the case to the committee so as to incline them to my views. But I readily showed the Treasury Department the impossibility of administering the tariff as it now stands, and the weight of the cpinion of the treas- ury finally carried the day for me in Con- gress. If I take your case, you have every promise of success. I would expect a re- tainer fee of $500, and, contingent upon suc- cess, not less than $1,500 or $2,000. ut I have money,” I urged. m and succes: only shut him up and get rid of hi ad, for the reason that he celpt for “professional services.” In the sumptuous offices of a lawyer who answer too many propositions. It is not was formerly a prominent official I fell into | find me near the telegraph box, with a paper the hands of the junior partners, one of whom also acts as a newspaper correspon- dent, and was recently private secretary to a member of Congress. Such is the infinite capacity for drawing divers galaries some men acquire through the vicissitudes of life We discussed further par- UcGlars, and it was finally agreed that I should write a Ictter containing my propo- sition to be placed before the entire firm This I did, and received the following reply: WASHINGTON, D.C., March 28, 1804. Washington, D. C. Your letter of the jStant, special delivery, postmarked “March in Washington. | very nervou: , 2p: I-have examjned into the matter with the | firm, and we have concluded as follows: rease of duty on button covers from 10 per cent ad valorem to per cent ad valorem would be very hard to at the present late day, Wilson bill having passed the House, and the bill, with certain amendments, having been reported to the Senate by the appro- priate committee. Our Mr. connected with Congress, and Senate, for some years as clerk to com- mittees, etc., and he is very well equipped the work. See herewith ment, which is dated before I became connected with the firm. Mr. Z will have charge of the matter if we agree as to terms, but he will be aid- led by the other members of the firm. We will undertake the matter and use our best endeavors to bring about the desired change upon the following terms and condi- tions: One hundred and fifty dollars retain- Z has been both the House for undertaking A Bill for Five Dollars. er; $380 dollars per day for the time which we will find necessary to expend in pushing the matter before Congress, of which five days’ pay Shall be in advance. We to be reimbursed for any outlay we think advis- able to incur in the cost of printing, post- age, lunches, theater tickets, etc., for the furtherance of your proposition. ceive the contingent fee of $1,500 in case of We are prepared to commence work im- mediately upon the acceptance of the terms and the payment of retainer, ete. Time, however, is precious, and if anything is done in the matter it must be done at once. We would be pl to ¢onfer with you if our terms are accepted. Respeetfully, I was accumulating such promising proposals tha’ mind began to entertain the notion of thus rendering a sure My former treasury my bewildered cepting them all, doubly sure. official told me this is often done. sugar people, whiSky sufficient money— fluence within reac! After informing himsel! the tariff bill, Hon. ——- professed his will- ingness to take my case for a retainer fee of $100 and contingent fee of $600. “I am not a lobbyist,” said Hon. —, becomes identified as a lob- byist he can do nothing in Congress, for all his sources of influence grow wary. Having been a member of Congress myself, I enjoy the advantage of going on the floor, and thus can be right on the spot to watch any measure I am pushing. Would I need money in encouraging that matter developments would determine. Small sums, probably, and I might need more. The Senate can hardly be reached in any direct way by money. I do know two sources in the House to which money can be and is directly applied, and my plan of procedure would be to reach Senators through members in the House. If you conclude to place this matter in my hands no time should be lost. There are parties uow negotiating with me, who have put off and put off acting on my advice until they are likely to ruin a case that involves the title to a vast tract of, land in the south- west. The department concerned has grown and I shall have a great —perhaps fail to accomplish ve been done in a trice, if these people had listened to me. All these matters need to be done quietly and with dispatch, Yours would go in the form of an amendment,softly spoken and swiftly ad- vanced by—yes, ‘Senatorial courtesy.’ ” Another ex-Congressman missed the suggestion of putting my amend- ment through by means of money. know,” said he, “how money could be used, and I cértainly wouldn't use it if I did know. I think I can get Senator Allison or Senator Aldrich to introduce your amend: mént, at all events, I will look the ground over and report to you.” His report was opie <a Lpaaplewe tt string of fn- Of the status of soon as a mi alert in the matter, deal of difficulty: what might ha instantly dis- “T have talked with C. R. Breckinridge, who says this matter was touched upon in the House and left stand- ing, because it interfered with nothing in particular and was a source of revenue. Gov. Gear, however, tells me it is all wrong, but that he thinks nothing can be don Senator Aldrich I failed to locate. I Fell Into the Hands of the Junior Senator Allison told me the case is hopeless, ‘nasmuch as the matter being the same in the MecKinly act and House and Senate bills for either a republican or democrat to change it is in the nature of attacking the sacred text of his party.” discussing terms, and at the outset the ex- Congressman told me I was already in- debted to him for two days’ services. you were a man,” I next called upon an attorney who was formerly chief of a division fm one of the departments. He told me I had come too late to hope to do anything with the tariff n Here we fell to I should charge but being a woman, you can let me have $20 and we'll call it square. I let him have $10 and he wasn't satisfied with that, though I felt it was a pretty good price to pay for the autograph of an -Congressman attached to a receipt “for tigating tariff.”” While I had been busy interviewing one lobby attorney after another I had received the following communication from the man who had been a Senator’s private secretary STATES SENATE. ‘Tuesday morning. Just received your je in Georgetown, and f business except the Capi- I was Senator ———’s private secretary matter of time. He/ about seven years, and until his term ex- will talk your views till he makes everybody | pired, and have experience tired and they'll vote as he wants just to| that ‘appertaf | you reference | where to see you. is not easy to use money in the Sen- he said, “and there is more fancy than fact in the talk of the way money can be used in the House. I had a great deal to do with the manufacture of the McKinley act and the Wilson bill, and I can tell you that success in lobbying depends more on your ability to interest a man than {t does on the amount of money you have to spend. Of course, I have had occasionally to say to a member, “If this or that measure goes through you needn't bother about your campaign expenses in such and such a|W quarter next election,” but forty times out | of forty-one all that’s necessary is to in- terest your victim. Just get one Congress- thoroughly alive to your arguments! tol |letter (10 a.m in everything S to legislation. to any extent. | delicacy and di: The thing is I was in hopes your note had had | would suggest my calling at your stopping If it would be agreeable to have me do so please give me your address in an- was unable to come to terms with this . This, however, did not | s him in demanding $5 for the ad- vice had given me. He wrote me a re- | in my hand. After the first interview we can arrange for the future, Let me caution you against confiding your business to oth- ers. I hope to see you very soon. Yours truly, I made an arpointment with the private secretary at the post office as he suggested. I arrived at the rendezvous ahead of time, and was apparently absorbed in the city directory, when a small, old man, with stay hair, antiquated silk hat, carrying a paper in his hand, appeared on the scene. it took me a minute to get the better of my risibles—he was so very small and so forther and farther from. the inquisitive public until at last I was flatiened against | the wall with my lobbyist, who exhibited |desfness, standing at such close range that if T had been a goat I would certain! have eaten the old hat. his diminuth statue raised just to the level of my mouth. | Ufder these circumstanees conyersation was so difficult that after I had finally made him understand what legislation I desired effected we separated with the urderstanding that he would write to me | What he could do, fortifying his assertion | with a recital of something he has done. He wrote instead: “There are some de! cate topics connected with promoting legis- laticn, and there is great need of caution, so much that I prefer to talk to you m- | Stead of writing.” He then made an ap- ;bointment with me at a friend's office, where he told me the following story: “I have been in Washington twenty-five years; first as a newspaper man, and later as Senator "s personal secretary. Sena- tor » you know, had no education. He could barely write, he couldn't spell at all and his knowledge of the English language would not have made it possible for him to correctly report a dog fight. I wrote all his letters; I wrote all his speeche: wrote all his committee reports. I also acted as the clerk of his committee. Senator passed more bills than any other Senator ever in Congress. In all this work I served him as education scrves a mai logic; his vocabulary and his pen. I lived I was his form of with him; I slept under his roof; I was as familiar with his moods as with his mind. He trusted me in everything. People knew thi: Well, during Mr. Wanamaker's term as Postmaster General he was everlastingly having bills introduced to bother somebody, and these bills came to our committ Among them there was the bfll to place the telegraph companies under government control. “The Western Union Telegraph Company fovght this bill tooth and nail, and Wana- maker fought back just as hard. He had Gardiner Hubbard and Bob Ingersoll to present his argument to the committee, The Western Union had just as noted a torneys, and, on the quiet, they had me. Norvin Green himself was here, and it wa: arranged that I never was to let Senator report that bill to the Senate. ‘Then I told the Serator he must have statistics to make ar. intelligent report, and I set to work preparing these statistics from data obtained In every country under the sun relative to government telegraphs. When different members would urge the Senator to report the bill, he would honestly put them off, saying he couldn't do it, till he had certain matter I was preparing for him. Finally, this work was done, Wana- maker, meanwhile, had been courting the Senator day and night. He was at the Sen- ator’s house. He entertained the Senator. The Senator is as good-hearted man as ever lived, and at last, despite everything I could do, he promised Wanamaker to let the bill go to the Senate without a report. No- bedy knew this until it was flashed on the calendar. Then Rome did howl.. The West- ern Union was crazy. Their attorney imme- diately sent for me to know if anything could be done. ‘Yes,’ said 1; ‘have your stenog- rapher take this letter."’ Then I dictated a letter to be sent to Norvin Green, for him to address to Senator —-, Accompanying it were instructions from me just when to reach the Senator. You see, I knew ‘the Senator so well I could direct this as nobody else could. I knew what he wouid have for dinner, and the minute he would be in a proper mood to act as we wanted him to. The and so altogether like some- j thing Dickens wanted and missed. When |1 had disclosed my identity we rétreated of Schloss so that I straightway received {tute for if I catch him. With nie, as with Bi there is no such word as fall. isktaling as he watched the amendment, and $500! contingent upon success. I gave him $10 as @ guarantee of good faith, and he wrote a receipt for “ten dollars retainer for service in procuring amendment to pending tariff bill.” . How my lobbyist proceeded with my case is best told in the daily letters he sent me. Monday, 11 a.m. Dear Mrs. ——: Senator Cullom has prom- ised to introduce our proposed amendment today. He may, of course, disappoint. They sometimes do, but in any case this matter will require close following, and it must have it. Let me see you tomorrow morning at office by 9:30. We will go from there to the Capitol. Yours to serve, Wednesday, 1 p.m. My great and good friend: I am writing too early to know if there have been any results from this morning’s struggle. If it appears that there are not I must see you tomorrow for a close consultation, and if, happily, there should be we must confer. Please be at Mr. —~'s office Thursday morning by 8:30 and oblige your earnest, anxious and sincere friend, I met my lobbyist the following morning, and he told me that Senator Cullom, on second thought, had decided that he could not consistently propose to amend a Dill Poi he meant to fight from Alcohol to Zine. Mr. Blank had taken the case with the understanding I had everywhere insisted vpon—I was to furnish nothing but the necessary funds, absolutely not a shred of frformation as to my identity, my purpose, or the interests I served. Though Mr. Plank, as every other lobbyist I had nego- tated with, offered no objection to this reticence of mine, he said it crippled his resources. I thereupon suggested, “try Sen- ator Hill. The change I propose is to the advantage of ene of his constituents, Mr. Schloss, president of the Braidmakers’ As- scelation of New York.” “A word to the wise is sufficient.” My lobbyist semehow juggled with the name the following encouraging report: ‘Thursday, 2 p.m. Dear Mrs. S.—I feel more better than I have done hitherto. Senator Hill promises to introduce the amendment just as soon as he makes his speech, which may be today or tomorrow, but very soon. He says he dces not like to propose an amendment vntil he has made his speech, and he is right. But he will do it, for he has said. When he does we will have made the best start possible, and I am not sorry for the delay, for our purpose is to win, and we could have no better man than Hill to get the amendment on in the Senate and to keep it on in the House committee. Schloss vas an inspiration, and I am glad you brought him out. I have the book of House hearings and Schloss's speech and Kur- sheedt's letter make the matter plain and give the merits so clearly and forcibly that I do not see how the ways and means com- mittee could refuse to make the correction. As soon as Mr. Hill has made his speech I will write you, or sooner if need be. All good be with you. ———— If you want to see me summon me by rote. Tuesday, 1 p. m. Dear Mrs. : The day so far has been bad in more respects than the beastly weather, Senator Hill, after his great speech, is giving himself a holiday. At all events he has kept out of the Senate cha ber to the present time. Sam. Tilden’s nephew Is here—came to hear Hill's speech. He ts a New York politician of prominence and belongs to the Hill and Murphy clan, and the three are together. If Hill gets into the Senate in time, I will see him today. If he does not, I will go to his house to- night, and take Schloss’ argument at the hearing and other data for his information. I have no reason to fear that he will re- fuse, but rather to believe that he will be more likely to favor it since his speech, be- cause he is the champion to defeat the tn- come tax and to reform the rest of it. He wants more revenue, and our scheme will give him $28,000. He is the man of all othera that we want to introduce ft. The Sean oa fie harin. ‘As he said himself, “there is" urry, nor {s there, only to end the suspense, and that the procession. I know you will see this and wf have patience, We must have Hill. There are always hindrances in matters of this kind, nd annoying delays—disappointments that re unavoidable, but we shall “arrive.” I hope you will not come ott in the rain, though I expect you will, for you said you would. If you can, without inconvenience, come to Mr. '8 office tomorrow at 2 I would be glad, and I hope then to make you glad. I must stand with my eye at the keyhole to watch for Hill, though the morn- ing hour is past. and I fear it will be too folie fatthtully. : f Vednesday, 2 p. m. Mrs. I called on Senator Hill last night at his house, but the roomcwas full of his friends, and the time unfavorable for REAL ESTATE GOSSIP Summer Aspect of the Question of! Trees in Business Streets. ALLEGED COXEY INFLUENCE ON VALUES The Proposed Issue of Bonds for Public Improvements. A WOMAN’S CLUB HOUSE ee pncmiee, About this time of the year people who are rather stalwart in opposition to a line of shade trees on business streets are not apt to be quite so rampant as when the sunny side of the street is the iavorite promenade. When the rays of the sun be- come powerful, shade trees, as an institu- tion, are regarded, to put it mildly, with lenient eyes. There is more talk about trees, there is more consideration-given to this subject by the average citizen during the hot weather than any other period of the year, and it would seem that it would be the part of wisdom for the advocates of a system of trees along the business streets to agitate the matter during the summer. Not long ago some one suggésted that shade trees b pianted along Pennsylvania avenue, and some of the trees on the lower part of the avenue that had become, in the opinion of the authorities, undesirable, were re- Placed by others. It was claimed that this new species of tree was especially adapted for business streets and the proposition was made that the tree planting should b® con- tinued along the entire length of the eve- nue. A very decided chorus of objections arose and it was asserted that, in the first place, trees were not suited for business streets, that they were not needed there and tliat they interfered with business, darkened the store windows and prevented the public from reading the signs of the merchants and gazing upon the attractions of the show windows. Nothing further has been done in the premises, and Pennsylvania avenue is not adorned by any arborial additions. The grateful shade which trees now in their full leafage afford and the protection from the“glare and heat of the sun is so thor- oughly appreciated that if now the move- ment should be renewed it is quite likely that those who raised their voices against trees would speak more tenderly, and per- haps their opposition would not be quite so pronounced. Coxey and Real Estate. It has been asserted in some quarters that the presence in this city of the Coxey army was a decided injury to the interests of the city, especially the real estate inter- ests. The statement has been made, with Some show of confidence, that capitalists living elsewhere have recently refused to loan money on Washi ty, al- leging as a reason aeooeetaa eee of Mr. a ond oc eonygint arent It is not nown, er these extremely cautious figancfers heir that are likely to injure either persons or property travel a great deal faster than those which are beneficial. It is probable that if such a timid money lender exists in fact and not in imagination he would still object to the loan, on the ground that Mr. Coxey was ofly four or five miles from the city, and if this should prove to be the case it will be necessary to estab- lish new rules for making loan Instead of inspecting the particular prop- erty upon which it is desired to borrow money and mote its surroundings, as is the custom, it would be necessary to take a sort of census of the city, to inquire into the morals of the community and compile the figures of the arrests made by the po- lice. It is more than probable, however, that no one who has the money to loan © who wanted to lend money made any such The Private Secretary. Western Union attorney did exact® as I directed. He sent my letter to Dr. Green by y a special messenger. He was so afraid of Wanamaker he wouldn't trust it to the mails. I had caused Dr. Green to ask of the Senator that the bill be recommitted to the committee, because Wanamaker bad made certain arguments which the Western U jon had been given no opportunity to an- swer. It worked like magic. The bill came back to the committee, and I never let it see the light of the Senate again. “Another bill of Wanamaker’s stirred up a great rumpus—his bill to consolidate third and fourth-class mail matter. This went through the committee, nobody pay- ing any attention to it, and like the flash of an electric current it was before the Senate. This bill meant big money out of pocket to the express companies. An official of the Adams Express Com- Dany sent for me and was in an awful stew. Could I help them out? I dictated a letter for him to send to the president of the company, asking for the recommittal of the bill to the committee, giving as a reason that simple justice demanded that the express companies should be given a hearing before action was taken on a measure so largely affecting their interests. I told him to have President Lovejoy copy this letter and send it to Senator Two or three days after Senator came stamping into the committee room and stormed: —- —~- ——! he'd like to know how that third and fourth-class mail mat- ter consolidation bill ever got reported to the Senate without his knowing anything about it. Everybody apologized and said that nobody had objected and they had sup- posed he knew all about it, and he objected if he liked that high- handed way of doing business. Everybody apolegized again, seid it was a matter of no importance, and fairly tumbled over one another in assuring the Senator that they would be tickled to death to have the bill re- committed. So it was, and that died in a and he’d be —— pigeonhole also. merits of it don’t amount to a hill of bean: Tact and strategy must do it. If need be >with a puff of laughter and a flash of blue light in his face—‘we'll resort to ‘bribery and corruption.’ But I think we'll not have to. When Senator —. was about to leave Washington he personally solicited for me the good services of s influential men. More than that, the time that I was clerk of a Senate com- mittee I was in a position to serve a num- ber of Senators and they are not ungrate- ful. I will have no difficulty in getting the amendment introduced, but the key to its passage is this, we must secure the backing of some democratic member of the finaace committee. I think I can do this through certain relations I have. Faiiing this means, I know one member of this committee who is hand and foot urmder control of a Senate employe, and this employe has his price. How much is it? How much are you will- ing to give? This employe ranks high in office, and is a lawyer of ability and refined say, ‘How much will you sell out for? I must use retion, and I cannot offer tastes. I can’t go to him and him less than $500 or $1,000. This figure seemed reasonable enough to pay for a senatorial vote, so it was agreed between Mr. Blank and myself that he w to take the case, and use his own judgment’ If not, meet me at the post office at any timé between 10 and 3. In note tell me how to identify you. in the matter of determining whether $500, your | $1,000 or more should cover the expense of legislation. Mr. Blank's charges for his own services were to be $10 per month as iong ow, as to your case, I tell you, the jutting our amendment matter before him. ‘his morning he came out into the Senate marble room, and the interview was entirely satisfactory. I gave him the amendment in proper form, and also the statement of Mr. Schloss, president of the Braid Manufactur- ers’ Association of New York, before the ways and means committee (page 769), and Mr. Kurshecdt's letter, with paragraph marked, He. read all, and said he under- stood the matter perfectly and would not only introduce the amendment, but see that it was incorporated in the bill. “But,” he said, “you must let me do this in my own way. I am receiving telegrams congratu- lating me on my speech, and to hasten to offer this amendment would not look well. I understand it, see the justice of it, and will introduce it and follow it to a passage, but I must not appear too eager at this particular time.” He sail more that was fully committal, and this in the presence of my friend, who was with me and who ts very close to the Senator. I would not, for any money, disturb his plan or purpose. He will do as he has said, and I regard the adoption of the amendment as certain, and if the bill passes the parties concerned will reap all the benefits that can ensue. This promise of Senator Hill will be kept. It ts better than to have the amendment intro- duced by another on any terms. We could not do better than this understanding prom- ises. I would not take a thousand dollars for Mr. Fiill’s pledge. There is no man in the Senate we want so much, or who can do more. This ts the status, and I would not change it if I could. Mr, Hill's pledge ts good, and it was witnessed. I am satisfied, and with good reason. Yours very truly, ‘Wednesday, 3 P. M. “Dear M I hoped to have met you at ‘8 office at 2 today, as I pro- posed in my note yesterday, and I wrote the inclosed letter, which I thought you might send, or the substance of ft, to your principal. I think it ovght to be satis- factory. It is as good as Mr. Hill's written promise wotld be, which could not, under any circumstances, be obtained. I- would not dare to send a messenger to wait for an answer, as you suggest in your note of yesterday. Senators ve to be handled with care, especially when they are as prominent as Senator Hill. He has prom- ised all that could be expected or desired, and the parties in interest ought to appre- ciate our secuting him, afid encourage us to hold him. “Mr. Hill's advice was to be patient. He knows that the really proper time to intro- duce the amendment would be after the speeches, but he does not know what in- spires our tmpatiencs If your principal will only see from what I have said that we are handling this matte- In the best Way to insure success, and realize that we have done what is better than the mere forfi of introducing the amendment, and that pecuniary appreciation is judiciot both for present and future considerations they would help us. and encourage a con- tinuance of what I know has been judicious work. “T would like to see you very soon, and I suggest meeting in the little reception room of the Ebbitt House as soon as you can. The room ts adjoining the elevator. I will look in there tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock, but am doubtful that you will get this in time. “Yours very truly, I failed to meet my lobbyist next ddy, and by the earliest post received an earn- est entreaty to “come immediately’’—he was hard up and would not I advance him ten dollars? This was enough. I felt that taking my experience, all in caused the lobbyist to Congzess to “show down.” I think now I could play his hand myself, and if Mr. Coxey would like to make sure of his good roads scheme he'd best engage the services of - PAULINE PRY. > statement. Or, if it was made, then it was merely one of tht many excuses which are common in the experience of some who try to get a loan. The Wo Clabdom. The increase in the wealth and the popu- lation of the city, @s indicated by the mal- tiplication of social clubs and their pros- perity, has frequently been referred to in this column. As is well known, several of the leading clubs own property in the best section of the city, and they figure largely as taxpayers. It fs not generally known that there is a club formed exclustvely of women, which is known as the Wash- ington Club. They occupy rented rooms, but they have a more ambitious view, and @ committee of the club is now engaged in looking up a suitable building, which it is the intention to purchase. This club, like other similar organizations, does not have its doors wide open for the public, and so it is not in evidence exactly what the sources of revenue are, but !t is clear that the revenue is all right, and so is the — ere of the club, as the Intention to enter the ranks of the propert; holders is sufficient proof. < ri Show Rather Than Use. The increase in the value of land in this city has resulted in the decrease of the size of building lots to a considerable ex- tent. In the more recently built up sec- tions of the city, wherebthe surveyor has had a chance to chop up the squares, into as small sectionszas the law will permit, back yards are somewhat ofa scarcity. The necessity for these appendages to a city house does not seem to exist any longer, or, at any rate, people have learned to get along without them. Wherg the clothes are dried and the other domed tic operations are carried on’ and where the children play, perhaps the neighbors know, but certainly it is not se gi to the casual visitor. It is no doubt considered of vastly more importance that a house should have a one front than that it should have an ample back yard. If this was not the case the stone fronts would not be so numerous in the modern house and the back yards so scarce. By stone fronts is meant all the items of expenditure in the construction of a house which are designed more for show than anything else. A brick front and iron steps and a vestibule plainly papered and a front door made of pine and filled with plain glass are a sufficient and ample pro- tection from the weather, and the difference in the cost of such features as compared with what is generally seen nowadays would allow for a back yard. There is another tliing about the use of ground in the erection of houses, and that is the attempts which people often make to steal light and air from their neighbors. This is done by cr®wding the house down the full depth of the lot, leaving a slight area on one side, into which the windows look. The area, however, if the adjoining house was built up in the same manner, would be entirely too narrow to furnish the needed light and air, but the owner relies on the chance of his next-door neigh- bor not building over his entire lot. Such calculations are very frequently disappoint- ed, and the loss falls on the person who made the venture. The Proposed Bond Issue. The recommendation recently made to Congress by the District Commissioners that an issue of $7,500,000 of 3 per cent District bords be authorized, in order to carry out certain lines of public improve- |mrents, has created considerable talk. The improvements contemplated by the Co: missioners and specifically referred to by them are the extension of the sewer system and the streets and avenues of the city. It Ex-President Harrisoa left New York for Indianapolis Monday afternoon, is recogMized that the expenditure of money on these improvements would be of great benefit to all classes of business at this time, and on this ground alone the proposi- tion is indorsed by many citizens. Others dwell upon the importance and the neces- sity of providing the suburbs with sewer facilities, and also that, in justice to the property holders, the contemplated ex- tension of the streets and avenues should be carried out as rapidly as possible. For these reasons the bond issue is indorsed. There are others, however, who call atten- tion to the fact that the bonded debt of the District is over $18,000,000; that the annual charge on the District appropriations for in- terest and sinking fund is over $1,000,000, and that the District indebtedness ought not to be increased. There are other ob- jections which are urged to this measure, and also other! reasons advanced in ie points, both for and against the loan, The Building Regulations. An important matter at the building was the consideration by missioners of an amendment to the ing regulations, providing for light ventilating space th the rew buildings. Heretofore loW lots have utilized every ing epace, and the result where houses did not abut on was a deficiency of light and The new amendment provides of ten feet shall be left on lots — do not abut on purpose of providing means ventilation. When the subj: up for consideration, ®everal protests filed “by property owners, who objected the new amendment, and it was decided to give a public hearing on the matter. The disposition of this amendfaent will settle the new building regulations, and they be issued forthwith. Another regulation is being considered with reference to the cohi sot private stables, and it is the purpose of the Commissioners to limit the erection of Stables twenty feet or more back of the rear building line of any building. The Week's Building Recéra. During the week permits were issued for the erection of thirty: houses, at an esti- mated total cost of $97,400. This was divided among the several sections as fol- lows: Northwest, thirteen permits, $47,900; southwest, six permits, $12,000; northeast, one permit, $2,000; southwest, four permits, $8,200, and county, six permits, $27,300. No. 3285 N street will be the scene of a handsome improvement in a short time. Foley & Co. are building, fom plans pre- pared by J. B. Mcintire, a dwelling an@ store for P. Dugan. > Louts Brown is building on lots 11 to 15, inclusive, block 16, Center Eckington, four two-story-and-cellar brick dwellings. Ground has been broken for the erection of a handsome three-story brick dwelling at 1448 Stoughton street. James 8. Diller is the builder. Richard U. Goode is building, at the cor- ner of Summit avenue and Lanier Terface, a handsome frame ,surburban residence. B. F. Shaw has commenced the erection of a three-story-and-cellar brick dwelling at 118 34 street southeast. Owen Donnelly is the builder, and J. C. Johnson the archi- tect. 5 The foundation is being laid for the erec- tion of, a four-story-and-cellar apartment house at 1130 Connecticut avenue north- west. The house will have the frontage of fifty-two feet, by a depth of sixty-six feet, with a front of pressed brick, relieved by two circular bay windows. Flemming & Dulaney, trustees, are the owners, H. L. Page the architect, and H. F. Getz the builder. A row of six two-story brick dtwellings will shortly be@erected from 801 to 811 B Street southwest. Clarence C. Waring Is Dhilding a hand- some three-sti ing at 2314 ISth street extended. N. Y¥. Halle: is the architect. James D. Burn is building at 2147 and 2149 P street northwest two brick 41 of two stories and basement ‘each. Wm. Mullet is the architect. hi Fy Fae Hi iH g if it ae if dike é —— EGGS THEIR FAVORITE DIET. Three Small Savages Indulge tn @ Very Appetizing Free Lunch. Three little savages were playing in the rear of a stable off Massachusetts avenue. They were making mud pies, several ddézen of which had been set out on pieces of board to bake in the sun. The eldest of the ragged trio, who might have seen seven winters and a highly eccentric spring, sud- denly remarked: “I wish dem, was real p' Small savage No. 2 expressed approval of the sentiment, but No. 3 said he did not care for pie. “Eges is what I like,” he declared. All three rubbed their stomachs at the mention of eggs, which were evidently « favorite article of diet with them. “I ain't et a egg fer monfs,” said No sorrowfully. Nor me,” echoed No. 1. ‘Nor me, neither,” said No. 8. At that moment a thought seemed to strike small savage No. 2 He jay down fiat on his back, opened and shut his mouth like a fish several times in succession, sat up again, and remarked: “Do youse fellers want some eggs?* “Betcherlife!” exclaimed his “In de yard back ob de house on de core ner. You see,” explained small savage No. 2, “de gate is allers locked, but there's a hole in de fence big enough fer me to wrig- sie troo. Just out ob sight from de kitchen windeys fs de hen house. In de hen house is an ole hen a-settin’. She has twelve ‘eggs under her, an’ we can bag de lot as easy as a mud turtle slides off a log.” ‘But spos'n we git cdtched?” You ain’t got no spo’tin’ blood,” he said. “We ain't a-goin’ to git cotched. Besides, youse fellers kin stay outside de fence while I swipe de eggs.” The proposition in this form was readily approved, and presently the three con- irators might have been seen steal! approaching the hole in the fence refi to in the plan of attack suggested by small savage No. 2. The latter made his way through the opening, while the others wait- ed anxiously outside. They watched him until he entered the hen house, and pres- ently there ensued such an squawking that they were much inclined to take to their heels. But they stood their ground, and a moment-later the leader of the predatory expedition emerged from the chicken house, carrying in his hand his hat filled with eggs. He passed them out through the hole in the fence, and followed them as quickly as possible. Then all three scampered away. When they had reached their accustomed Play ground in the rear of the stable small savage No. 2 assumed the direction of culinary preparations. To begin with, he procured a large tin can, much battered, but yet available for his purpose. No. 1 was ordered to pick up bits of wood, while No. 3 was fortunately able to contribute a match. A neighboring hydrant furnished the necessary water. So presently a bon- fire was set going, with a canful of boiling water on it. The eggs were soon cooked and eaten. That the feast was greatl? enjoyed goes without saying. Very likely it would not have been so thoroughly appreciated by more exacting palates, inasmuch as the eggs had been undergoing the process of incubation for nine days. But it did, not occur to any of the three small savagés to indulge a hypercriticism which, under the circumstances, would have been’ absurd. Fortunately for their appetites, they wert not aware that one of the maids at the hduse on the corner had seen them from a second-story window as they ran aw The coincident fact of the disappearance of : sted their responsibility in A complaint addressed to resulted in the application of discipline with a strap, which, while it could not restore the eggs, was calculated to discourage such depredations in future. This story, be it understood, is true in every particular—even to the age of the ees. see] One of the Five Thousand. From Truth. First Pickpocket—“Who's yer ffiend? Second Pickpocket—“Dat’s “Mike dea Swell.’ He works Fift’ av'noo an’ gets inter serciety right along.”