Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-09

much more luxuriOusly fitted. but on
its walls are a few rare old pictures Of
former speakers of the House. The
! meetings of the committee on rules are
not frequent, occurring generally
| where Il chairman OF a committee tx
unable a secure u day for the consid-
l Grafton Of business because some dys-
4 peptic member will not allow the day
by unanimous consent Then there is
only one resort for the chairman, IL he
wants whole day or morc-tO appeal
TO the committee on rules to let him
nave resolution. Ii the committee on
rules votes favorably on the resolution
II is reported to the House and adopted
Dy majority vote.
captain Boutelle will also be a CEN
trail figure for portion of the present
week In the House because he will have
cnarse OF the naval appropriation bill
Ihat is one of the most difficult of ALI
the appropriation bills to prepare and
the committee on naval affairs have
| been working over it almost since the
beginning of the session. The bill this
year. carries a larger appropriation
than ever and it is expected that there
Will b9 more or less heated debate In
the House regarding it. The House is
very generally in favor of building a
much larger navy than we have. hui
the bill will be used as a vehicle for
general debate and there is likely tn no
some criticism OF the expansion policy.
Representative S. G. Hilborn of
California. a native of Androscoggin
county, Maine, always takes an active
part in consideration Of the naval an
preparation bill. He is now quite an
old man but he is the next Republican
member of the naval committee after
Captain Boutelle and besides is an cx-
pert on many naval matters.
The election of Calvin Farnsworth of
this city, to be commander of the De-
partment of the Potomac, brings an
other Maine man here into prominence.
He is a native of Washington county.
Maine. Mr.. Thomas S. Hopkins. who
was commander of the department two
years ago. came from Mount Vernon in
kennebec county. The position of de-
partment commander is of more i'm.
portance here than is the case gener-
ally with commanders of Grand Army
organizations for state, because
Washington is filled with old soldiers.
and 1t generally falls to the lot of the
their interests in the various bureaus
OF the government where they are en-
ployed. When an administration
changes this duty of the department
commander is especially arduous.
When Democratic administration
comes in. the department commander
has to exercise all his ingenuity to
Keep the veterans from being dis
by greedy Democrats, and
when the Republican administration
comes in he has to use his efforts and
ms influence to secure the reinstate-
ment of fitting Grand Army men and
not those who are less deserving. 1t
fell 10 Commander Hopkins to look
after the interests of the veterans dur
ing the first year of President McKin-
ieyS administration. Right we'll did
he perform his duties and recently the
department presented him with
splendid silver tea service in recogni-
ton of his efficiency.
The Association of 1.-THE Sons and
Daughters of Maine at their monthly
meeting here. Saturday evening, de-
voted considerable of their time to
eulogies of the late Representative
Dngley. A tribute of especial merit
was paid by General John b. Cotton.
formerly of Lewiston. Representative
Dingley was a guest of the society
some two years ago and made not
table address.