Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-11-13
WASHINGTON NEWS.
Echoes Of the Recent National
Election.
Probable Basis Of the Next Con.
gressional Apportionment.
PROSPECTIVE MATTERS OF LEG
ISLATION AT COMING SESSION.

| the national capital has once more set
| tied into the even tenor of its way.
Just AT present special interest appea rs
| 10 center in the coming meeting of the
| National Grange in this city, which
| from present indications, will be one
| OF the most important and largely at
tended in the history OF the order.
| The congressman who are seen here
now are mostly birds Of passage"
Naturally, those Of the Republican
| faith are delighted with the outcome
| of the national election, while those of
! opposing views are correspondingly de
] pressed. There is u disposition, nota-
| bly, among the Democratic leaders of
the South, To hold Mr. Bryan persoa-
ally responsible for much of the disas-
ter that has overtaken his party II is
we'll known that Southern delegates
| generally were opposed 10 the free
| silver plank in the national platform
| They felt that the issue was dead. and
| that any effort 10 revive il could only
react upon their party. They Were
| oVerborne by Mr.. Bryan. and now that
The votes have been counted and they
find themselves in a hopeless minority
the burden Of their song is Il told you
| so"
Again the idea Of territorial expan-
sion is and has always been a popular
| one with the Southern people. II any
one has Il doubt Of this a little CONVEX
sation with the Southern leaders who
may BE- met most any day in Washing
ton viii speedily dispcl it,
THE NEW APPORTIONMENT.
Naturally the question Of the new
| apportionment comes in for cOnsidera-
| bic discussion among members Of Con
! grcss who meet at the capital. Right
here let me say that those papers who
have been so quick to assume that
! Maine would lose a representative have
| evidently given the subject very super
| fetal consideration. Certainly no such
| idea prevails in Washington. Many
| papers have taken il for granted that
! there would be no increase in the MEM
| bership OF the House, and that the
| whole Of our increase in population for
the decade would be apportioncd on
| the present one If such were to be the
| case Maine would, il is true. lose a
| representative. The chance that this
will be done. however. is exceedingly
| remote. There is no precedent for it.
and the chances for the adoption OF
such policy at this time are special
| ~ small. Each census has seen an in
| crease in the membership OF the House
| and there is not the slightest reason
any exception to the rule. The census
| OF 1890 resulted in an increase OF % in
the membership OF the House. and the
= No..
| present census would call FOR an even
larger one. Indeed. prior 10 the ad-
| journment OF the last Congress the
idea was freely expressed that ii might
even properly call for an increase of
| 80 members.
There are two factors that enter
powerfully into this question and
which will exercise q potent influence
in its final determination. One is the
reluctance Of Congress to deprive any
state OF existing representation. and
the other is the very general conviction
that members of Congress today have
about all the work they can handle, if
they properly care for the interests OF
their constituents. II is a weli-known
fact that members of Congress are cx-
ceedingly busy men. and that even I'M
der existing conditions the burden OF
their duties has constantly increased.
This is a large country with vast and
varied interests, and its legislative
body. as compared with those OF for
eign countries. is an exceedingly small
one. As our country has grown the
work Of its representatives in Wash
ingtOn has largely increased and there
is 4 very general feeling that il would
be n mistake TO add in any material
degree to their present labors.
This will. undoubtedly. mean some
addition 10 the present membership Of
the House-and the question will be,
how much. The present basis of repre-
sentation Is, in round numbers. $4,000
10 a district. with an additional con-
gresham for fractions in excess of one
half. II seems to be the very general
idea that this basis will be increased
about o0000 To the district. This would
involve an increase Of 30 in the mem
bership NJ the House.
This would make the total member
ship Of the House 3s1. n number which
is not excessive and which can be
taken care Of in the present hall 1t
viii also protect states in their present
representation, and will avoid an ex-
cassive enlargement Of existing dis
tricts-which could only be done at the
expense Of the public service. For
these reasons ii looks now as if this
were the most probable basis for the
next app1rtionm@nt. and as If those
people who have been so ready to give
up existing representation We're just a
trif. premature. although this has.
doubtless. been due in a large degree
10 failure to fully appreciate all the
facts bearing upon the matter.
GENERAL MacARTHUR'S REPORT. |
The report which Major General
Macarthur has submitted to the war |
department has been the occasion of |
considerable discussion. 1t is evident |
that the Filipinos are now practically !
devoting their efforts 70 guerilla war |
fare. and that is this is 70 be effectual- |
Nv stamped out more stringent methods |
viii have 10 be employed. A consider |
a HE force Of United States troops viii |
tContinued on page %