Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-02-11
WASHINGTON NEWS
Effective Lobbying by a Well
known Maine Woman.
Preparations for Inauguration to Be
Seen on All Sides.
Some Of the Work Maine Men Arc Do;oc
in Congress.

Washington, ID. c., Feb. l0-(Spec-
ial.)-It is difficult to find - f.,l of
honorable activity here in WASHINGTON
where there is not Maine man or
woman at the front And n Maine
woman. Mrs A. X. Eaton. formerly of
Portland. Me. is by no means an ex-
ccption. During the last week If 81 she
has been frequently in the corridors Of
the House, a terror to q few man who
want to sell the United States govern
ment - $1,000 worth Of real estate Tor
the Federal Insane Asylum known
here as ST EliZabeths. across the East
ern branch of the Potomac river Mrs
Ia ton is renewing fight of the last
three or four years. in which she has
:t!Ways ousted powerful lobby ut ,ile
Capital. the moving spirit of vh' n
is Mr.. Wilson, the New York million
aire, whose daughter married the cid
est Sua nl the late Cornelius Wander
Dilt Last year the sundry civil appro-
priati0r bill carried an item for the
purchase Of this land but Mrs. Eaton
Immediately started Il war with the rn-
suit that the item was voted down.
She admits freely her own interest III
the matter-that she has a large tract
of land ~ Eer own some distance this
side ~ the asylum. which she would
like 70 SELL but which she fears vii! be
injured if the insane asylum buildings
aie erected on the other land. owned
b. NJ. Wilson. She is Very digniied
2nI ladylke. but withal persistent II
iicr crusade, and enjoys the respect of
cTcTybndy with whom she comes IN
contact. The members of the Old Name
delegation We're nearly all her staurch
friends and she summoned other pow
erful allies To her aid on the floor. This
year she is somewhat doubtful of win
niIe. as last year her victory in the
House Was by margin of only ESQ
votes, but that does not discourage ha~
Mrs. Eaton is most loyal Maine wom-
ar. ana is well known among the
prominent people Of the Capital
ne post office department announces
that Frank a. Smith has been appoint
Fl. substitute clerk in the post Office
at augusta, Me.
Representative BurIeigh, who has been
ont. after his severe illness. for several
days and has attended two or three re-
cent meetings of the committee on public
buildings and grounds. states that moth
ing definite can be said about the pros
poets of public buildings for Maine at
this session of Congress. The committee
has been preparing considerable legisla-
ton recently, but Speaker Henderson is
10th To let the bars down. In view of the
large totals of appropriations for this
Congress. Senator Hale sounded the key
note at the other end OF the Capitol a
few days ago, when he warned the Sen
ate how severely the administration
currcd. Gov. RUcleish has four bills for
Maine that he would like to see enacted
into law. one for Calais. one Tor Ear Har-
Dor, one for Augusta ana one for Port
land. but il must be admitted that there.
is grave doubt whether the House will be
able to act upon them at this session Of
Congress.
Senator Hale has been engaged in the
Senate during the last few days in pass
ing the most difficult of all the apprOpria-
tlun bills, that for the naval establish
ment. He has had charge OF that bill, as
chairman of the committee ON naval 3f-
fairs. II carries the largest total of any
of the appropriation bills. save that for
the permanent military establishment.
ana involves u vast amount of work in
the committee room. The senator from
Ellsworth never does his Legislative work
perfunctoriiy or in a half-hearted way.
and measures that come out of his com
ality ana that Of his associates Such is
not always true of House ana Senate
measures. for the views of the heads of
departments are often allowed 10 prevail
without modification. But Senator Hale
allows nobody to 40 his thinking Tor him.
he does his work methOdicaily. ana be
cause of this method ana his long faniil-
urity whit every branch OF the naval SER
vice and weil-knOwn tact in managing
public business lie accOmpliSheS Il maxi
mum of results.
Notice is posted here that tire PROPOSE
ton OF Mr. Paul Hunt to lease quarters
for posi- office at Bar HaIbor. Me. has
been accepted by the government. y
post office inspector has been directed to
ascertain whether the quarters can he
ready for occupancy hy May next
Gov. BurlciGn has received numerous
petitions for rural free delivery route
ont of Madison. Somerset county. Me.
towards Starks. These petitions have
been referred to the post office depart
ment which has complete authority i'll
such matters.
The visible signs of approaching inau-
gura tion are present all along Prnnsy Viva
MIA avenue. In spots the south side OF
the avenue already looks like miniature
lumber yards. Heavy p!anks of southern
pine are piled high, awaiting the carpen-
ters who Will transform them into long
rows OF stands with seats for spectators
From htc treasury to the Peace monu-
ment, 4 distance of over Cne mile. one
side of the avenue Will be almost ono
continuous reviewing stand for specta-
tors. PlacardS are displayed in most Of
the business houses along the avenue
that choice seats are for sale, as the
fronts of these stores from the ground
floor to the roof are always rented out to
spectators during the period that the in
auguration procession is passing.
The former evidences of the grasping
characteristics of all Neutrality-suspicious.
when the city is filled with visitors are
already appearing. Prices for everything
necessary to the comfort OF mankind will
be doubled and trehled during Inaugural
ton week. These characteristics to be
sure, are not confined to Washingtonians :
they belong to Americans generally, and
according to the stories from London dur
ing the funeral of the Queen, prevail
likewise among Englishmen. The Maine
members Of the House, who want to stay
here and see the inaugural, Will ESCAPE
the exactions Of the period to large eX-
tent. although that is not true of an
members of Congress. Many hotels re-
quire that their guests give up portion
of their apartments during inauguration
week. But the Maine men living in ho-
tells are all permanent guests from ses-
sion to session and the landlords have to
make an exception in such cases.
1t is understood that an amendment,
allowing the secretary of war in his dis
sawduSt into Maine streams, flowing into
navigable rivers, has been prepared by
the Senate committee on commerce and
will likely be adopted. There has been "A
vigorous fight here between representa-
tives of different interests in Maine over
such an amendment. Some of the big
mill owners on the streams tributary to
the Narraguagus, have appealed for the
amendment, and the citizens of Millbridge
and others have worked against it. But