Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-03-16
High in the Council Of the
National Government.
They May Not Waste Very Much Time
in Talking War,
But You Can See Evidences OF the Good Work
They Are Doing.

N''' VIVA titc historic atnltNtHltDI tt
laSt Week. when both houses of Con-
SreSS voted promptly and unanimously
%""'""""oV Tor the national defense The
memoirs OF The Maine delegation With
thelr !"n2 service in Congress. Spcaker
ltcru having been here now over 20
years, have never seen anything thai
surpa Ssed il. Men of all parties still
comment upon the occasion and th d.
mlIluttSt details are topics of intercSt
10 thrn. Bot above everything th4
unanimous vote on the appropriation
is significant of the " hole some American
sentiment That now prevails and of the
ohilt"fa tlnn of sections. SO much is
written OF the feeling of the North
against the South ana of the feeling the
West has against the East. that tht.
average observer does not apprcciat g"
the salient influence of Il great national
topic on which there is absolutely no
difference of opinion among the repre-
sentatives Of 15.00o000 OF people. As
the years have gone by less and less
has been heard of sectional hate il
Congress. As Gen. Grosvenor of OHIO,
ON" of the most eloquent men in the
House, said during the debate. the
Sl''ttdttt ltStll was worth Inc lull
amount of the appropriation.
While nearly everybody in the Houst
talked patriotiSm-!n fact everybody
who cared to talk and could secure a
small portion of the four hours allotted
tor debate, only one Maine man was
heard. Representative Boutellc made
a brief speech of three minutes. III"
substance of which has already been
printed in Maine. Captain Boutelle is
not frequent speaker in the House
but he has an excellent voice. thai
renetrates to every part of the chamber
and he never mas any difficulty in max
ing himself heard He spoke from his
seat in the rear row and near the center
aisle on the Republican side and Wa:
listened to with careful attention,
hut While only one Maine man pa; -
;icipated in the debate. it should not
be forgotten that Maine men Were
paramount in the councils of the all
milistration that led up To the decision
to ask FOR the appropriation. Hepr"-
sentative Dingley sat quietly in his
seat during the debate. watching every
phase of the question that the impas-
stoned orators chose to discuss hu;
there was no occasion fer him to delay
the passage of the bill with a speech.
He had been in consultation With the
President and knew exactly what the
Presidents wishes we've. Speaker Rec
occupied the chair all of the afternoon.
something that is quite unprecedented
for him It is his custom. unless i'm
portant matters are under cnusiderl-
tiou. to yield the @aVvl Ion a while go
some member Of the House. in whom IA .
has confidence. He, too, had talked With
President Mckinley about the situ&-
liou and knew fully the occasion for
calling on Congress- to appropriate 50
lar@" sum of money.
In the rush of members for an OPP
pprtunity 10 speak it is noticeable that
not one of the several Maine men in lhe
House, elected To Congress from other
states sought L" speak. Representa-
tive Hilhurn of california. Il native of
Minot. Me, Representative Stevens Of
ST. Paul. long a resident of Rockiand,
Me. representative Alexander of BUT
falo. native of Richmond. Me. Repre-
sentative Fletcher of Minnesota. native
of Mount Vernon. Me. Representative"
knowles uf South Dakota. native of
Harmony Me. and Representative
shannon of New York. " no is gradu-
ate of Colby University, and has spent
much of his life in Maine were all
silent during the debate. These gentle
mon shared tn" sentiment Of many q.
the House leaders that ii would have
been preferable to pass the appropria-
ton bill without any debate at all. N
fact at one moment Their" seemed to ne