Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-04-09
Their !Mhe!rsScheme Foi|ed :by Capt
Bradford of Maine.n
Interesting Incidents Of the Day in
Washington.
Chairman Dingley and War Revenue Bill
Pension Tor Maine People.

end is the horde of contra ct ors who are
already swooping down upon the Can
itol. They are here for contracts. nat
contracts out Of which a man might
make an honest and an honorable liy-
ing but fat contracts. contracts of the
order that issued during the war and
which became the foundation of MANY
family fortunes. The great RepubU
can leaders ike Representative Ding
ley. chairman of iHhe ways and means
committee, and Re preventative Cannon.
chairman of the House committee on
appropriations. u 'e both ali the time
on guard in the House to prevent the
appropriation ri money in a manne,
that will let these ghouls of war in
They are the men who must manage
the war finances, both are thoroughly
honest men. and they propose to save
the treasury from being looted if it be
possible.
Captain Royal B. Bradford, head OF
the bureau of equipment at the navy
department and a native of Turner
Me, recently had an experience in this
line which Illustrates the methods en-
ployed by people high in authority to
make money. The other day a senator
very far from Washington city ac-
cOmpanied ex-senator Davis of West
Virginia, Democrat to Capt. Brad
fords office. Both the senator and Mr..
Davis OWN large coal fields in West
Virginia. and they called for the pur-
pose of securing from him a contract
for coal mined in Certain West Vir-
Ginia towns.
a a i.y.} iy,a6 Ha,,
something about the character of coal
needed. adding that only the best %
coal was available for the warships
He had CrdeTeG only that kind and
should order only that kind in the flu
tura when more coal was needed.
The coal we have is just as good
said the great senator.
Does it aralyze just as well?" asked
Capt. Bradford
1t may not analyze as Well" replied
Mr.. DAVIS. but it brings just as good
results
You know very we'll it doesn't said
Capt. Bradford warmly. You know
very Well the British government sent
over here to get the kind of coal I am
talking about"
Mr.. Davis and the great senator
limited at the value of proper influence,
if eXerted in behalf of naval officer.
Captain Bradford, slightly indignant,
declared that he had no use for in
iuence; that he was at the service OF
the depart ment for anything it might
require of him and just at present he
was any inus to get good ccal for the
navy without reference to his personal
interests. at which the peace patriots
intimased that Capt Rradford's re
moval from III" bureau of equipment
might not be an impossibility.
You cannot get me removed too
quickly" rctortcd Capt. Bradford. who
is q thorough old sea dog and prefers
to follow the raging main to being
cooped up in a departmental bureau
Go to the secretary if you wish and
have me relieved. ] have no desire tC
remain in this bureau. Any detail will
satisfy me should like sea duty al
this time
This ended the negotiations for the
two coal owners beat hasty retreat.
Captain bradford comes from one oi
the finest families in Maine tracing his
lineage back to the landing of the
MayfloWer. He secured his place in the
department through the friendship OF
Secretary Long, who was born at Buck
field. Me. and knowing Capt. Brad
ford intimately. recognized in him fit
ness for the position that he now holds
on the nominat ion of the President anC
confirmation hY the Senate. Capt
bradford Still. holds his voting resi-
dence in Auburn. Me. also owning {
residence there.
Senator Hale had a conference will
Tho President, Sunday. in which ths
possibility of further delay in decisiv'
action was discussed. 1t is understood
that Senator Hale Informed the Pres
dent it would be impossible to restrain
the Senate after reasonable periot
had passed for the transmission of hi
message.
Should war be declared this week, o
the equivalent of it, Representative
Dngey will have upon his hands tn
task of preparing a revenue bill. Th
task will not be as hard as was that o
preparing the present law which bear
his name Then Mr., Dingley Worke'
for weeks with the closest applicatlO.
perfecting measure which was in al
Commendable regards the most salts
factory tariff bill in the history of tn
government. He has already gone owe
the field of articles on which more duf
could he levied and with his large fun
of ready knowledge on tariff matter
could frame 4 bill With dispatch, MI
Dingley enjoys the advantage of pre-
siding over a committee where tn
greatest harmony prevails and, eve
though the members may not all thin
alike, they settle down to work readil
when there is work to do. and result
are Immediately Forthcoming. This
not always the case With COMMITTEES
Some Chairmen do net have the knac
of bringing men together to agree o
matters and valuable time is frittere
away. The House committee on banf
ing and currency is an Instance. 1t is
proVerb on both sides of the House ths
Chairman Walker could not get the
to agree on the golden rule or II
deCdlogue. And he IS not at all basi
ful in admitting it himself. In an II
1erNeW that he gave out the other da
he uttered the words 1T is net con
mittee. it is mob
The House was extremely LIBERAL la