Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-22
NATIONS CAPITAL.
Some Good Presiding Officers
that HAIL from Maine.
M. Dinghy 10 House and Nj. Hale
Ii Senate 0ftsn Preside.
ooao 0alas psnslons Holiday Metes Maine
Visitors Ia Washington,

W0Snln&IOI1, -. C.p DcC. SA.--\HoPC--
iaD.-Although Speaker Reed presides
over the House and Senator Frye, rs
president pro tenn, frequently presides
over the Senate, this by no means en-
hausts the supply of good presiding
officers in the Maine delegation. Am
pie proof of, this was had, last week,
when one day Senator Hale. was the
presiding officer or the Senate. and
Representative Dingley the presiding
officer of the House. The Speaker Of
ten calls Mr.. Dingley to the chair,
especially when he wants a good. safe
man.. And Representative Dingley IS
as much Of success in the Speakers
chair as he is as leader of the House
He is conservative and, as many people
would put it, not easily ratified by the
confusion that frequently arises in the
House proceedings. 1t is humiliating
for the Speaker to find presiding Off
Ger of his own selection in tangle
over the rules, making it necessary for
him to assume the reins instanter and
curb the unruly elements. The fact
that Mr.. Dingley is called repeatedly
to the chair is sufficient to show thai
his management as a presiding officer
Is emlnently. SdliSlaclOTy.
s, Senator Hale has the same tact ds
a presiding officer that he has in en-
gineering matters through the Senate.
However, the Senate is not turbulent
body, like the House, and the duties
of presiding officer are less difficult.
1t was rather significant that when
Senator Hale held the gavel, last week.
the Senate passed a large number OF
pension bills and the first bills on the
long list that was passed, affected peo-
pie in Maine. But Senator Hale is con-
stantly doing those things, so that they
have long since ceased to be matters
Of comment. 1t is no exaggeration.
whatever. to state that there is no
other man in House or Senate, today.
who Is able TO accomplish more in the
way Of national legislation.
The pension bills passed in the Sen
ate were bill to pension Emily e.
Atherton, widow of Capt. Benjamin I.
AthertOn, late captain in the LIST Maine
Heavy Artillery at the rate of $50
month; a bill to pension Sophia J.
Chilcott. widow of James c. Chilcott.
late Of Company /. Thirteenth Maine
Infantry, at the rate of $12 month;
ouO u UIll W PCuSlOA <1IhoClAA "
Washburil, widow Of the late Israel
Henry Washburn. Of the Marine Corps.
HE was brother OF Governor Wash
burn Of Maine. His widow lives at
present At Portsmouth, N. H. Other
Maine bills that passed the Senate the
same day. was one to pension Edward
Stanley at the rate of $24 month In
lieu Of the pension he Is now receiving.
He served in Company G, Of the
Twelfth Maine Infantry Volunteers.
xtiother bill that passed was to restore
the pension Of Harriet M. Knowlton,
widow of Major Knowlton. late Of the
twenty ninth Maine Volunteer In
fhntry, at the rate Of $25 month
Mrs. Knowlton was married in Lewis
ton, Me-. and drew q pension soon
Sfter the war but she later married
man, with whom she lived over 20
years. Subsequently she procured a
divorce from him and applied to Con-
Erebs for q pension. The bill passed
both houses but wes vetoed by Presi-
dent Cleveland, last March. just be-
fore Maj. Mckinley was inaugurated
While a large number of congressman
will leave Washington for the holidays,
most of the Maine delegation will remain
here Representatives Boutelle and Bur-
leigh are in Maine, but both the senators,
according to their present plans. will be
in town a good portion of the time until
Congress meets in January. Speaker
Reed will 90 over to New York and Phil
adelphia for a few days.
Several important appointments have
been made for Maine during the past
week. The first of these to be mentioned
Is that OF Minister w. w. Thomas of
Portland. who will go to Sweden at a
salary of $500 year.
Then the district attorneyshp at Port.
land was bestowed, last week, another
plum worth $1,000 year. 1t Also devef-
oIed during the week that Speaker Reed
was about to appoint an official steno-
grapher for the House of Representatives
from the State of Maine, if he could iind
a man thoroughly competent for the
work, This was first announced iii the
Kennebec Journal. That place is worth
5000 a year and is practically for life.
There have been IL few Maine visitors
the past week in Washington. Among
them have been Mr.. Edward p. Kicker
Of Poland Springs. who always makes q
winter pilgrimage here. Mr. Kicker is IN
the best of spirits and predicts great
future for Maine in the summer resort
business. He says 600 a year comes
into the State from summer visitors and
that more will come in the future. tx
Representative Sweat of Portland. who
served in Congress many years ago from
the First Maine district. has also been
here and c. W. Jones of Augusta. inter
ssted in insurance matters. There is gen.
orally an influx of Maine visitors during
the holidays, often many school teachers
and this year will probably prove no cx-
ception