Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-12-20
MAINE VISITORS.
Some Whom the Holidays
Take to Washington.
Most Of the Maine Members Will Pass
Christmas at Home.
Pleasing Announcement That Loud Bill Will
Not Come Up, This Session.

The influx of holiday visitors from
Maine has not been very large. This
is the season when school teachers and
others who are at liberty for a few
days. speed toward the Capitol to see
Congress in session and to view inter-
esting places about the seat of gov
eminent. The excursions will come
later. but in the meantime the usual
company of people with business be-
fore Congress or before the depart
ments have been notably small.
There is reason for this in that Con-
gress has thus far not been organized
for work. The House discussed and
passed the financial bill without the APP
pointment of committees, save on rules
At short session of Congress the
House. before the holiday recess, is
engaged in making campaign speeches
on appropriation bills. All the COM
mittees are ready for business and one
who is seeking the enactment of legis-
lation. can obtain information regard
ing his interests.
All members, or nearly all. hesitate to
| discuss any matters pertaining to COM
| mittccs for fear that it may prejudice
their chances for rcappointment with
the Speaker. Nearly everybody in the
| last House who was reelected, is rea-
| Sonably certain of retaining equally
good committee places. but. trained in
| political methods and by nature used
to regarding nothing sure III politics
till it is secured. members very natur-
| ally hesitate to undertake any work
before the committees are announced.
Mr.. James A. Place of South Ber-
wick. Me, who is to superintend the
| taking Of the census in a portion of
| Maine next year, has been in town
| the past week. He was accompanied
by Mr.. Daniel F. Nealy Of Manchester,
| y. II. They We're guests at the Hamil-
ton and We're especially looked after by
| Senator Frye. Gen. w. s. Choatc of
| Augusta. Worshipful Master Of the
| Grand Lodge of Maine. was also here the
| past week a guest at Wizards hotel.
| His errand was to take part in the
| ceremonies at Mount Vernon in COM
memoration Of the centennial Of Wash
| inctOn's death.
Senator George e. Perkins Of Califor-
MIA. who is a native Of Kennchunkport
| Me. and was reared on a farm in that
| vicinity. is a very active figure in Ma
| tional Capital politics. He is already
| 4 member of the influential Senate
| committees on naval affairs and on
| appropriations but has lately been
| made the third member VI the commit
| tee on the Pacific islands. which Will
| have to do in tn" Senate With matters
pertaining to the Hawaiian islands.
| This is a topic that will be especially
Interesting to Augusta people. because
| 81 many Augusta people have been
identified with the government of these
possessions. Senator Perkins is n very
affable man and is able to tell scores
of stories of his experiences as a sailor
in different parts Of the world.
Late last week. Senator Perkins en-
tertained the members Of the CaIifOr-
MIA delegation in Congress and repre-
sentativcS of the San Francisco neWs-
papers in Washington at a big din
ner at the Metropolitan Club. Speaker
Henderson was also an invited guest.
There was a great deal of fun about
the board. Representative Julius Kahn
of San Francisco, who was for many
years an actor. entertained the COM
pany with some interesting recitatiOns.
Mr.. Edward n. Dingley of Kalama- |
zoo. Mich, who is clerk of the COM
mttee on ways and means, has gone
to Michigan to attend a special session |
of the Michigan Legislature. he being |
member of the lower house. Mr.. |
Dingley was appointed clerk of the (
committee by his father, the late Rep |
resentative Dingley of Maine. In his |
absence the acting clerk is Mr.. Everett |
b. Norton of Pennington. The ways |
and means committee room is still a
great TRUSTING place for Maine people |
at the House end of the Capitol. When |
Mr.. Payne is reappointed as chairman |
it may be that he will install clerks |
from New York, but this is not vet GER |
tain. Mr.. Dingley has already placed |
his resignation in the hands Of Mr.. |
Payne to be accepted whenever he sees |
fit
Mr.. Pitman Pulsifer of Lewiston, who
is Senator Hales private secretary and
clerk to the Senate committee on naval
affairs, has been very i'll and is not yet
able to attend to his duties. He comes
to the Capitol daily, but remains only
a little while. Mr.. Pulsifer is a very
dilliGent worker and one of the best
trained men in the clerical work Of the
national Congress that has ever been
in Washington. His brother. DR.. Wood
bury PulSifcr. is here again as clerk
to the committee on commerce., Of
which Senator Frye is chairman.
Senator Hale was paid a splendid
compliment, the other day. in an cleo
ton to serve on the new Senate COM
mittce on the Philippines. Tho senior
senator from Maine has a powerful in
fiuence in the upper branch of Con-
grcss. and save only Senator Allison Of
Iowa, the Republican leader of the
Scnnto haS he best committee assign
mcnts of any man in the body. His
business methods and conservative
Judgment have won him the confidence
Of senators Of all parties. He is chair
man Of the committee on naval affairs,
one Of the most important chairman
ships in the Senate. and holds tn"
ranking Republican place. next to
Continued on page A.