Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-13
NATIONAL CAPITAL,
Enormous Army New England
Is Able to Muster.
Why a Certain House Committee
Dinner Was Called off.
Other Capital News Of Interest 10 Many
Maine Readers.

Washington, Feb. 12-(SpeciaD Repre-
sentative Amos l.. Allen recently missed
| an opportunity to banquet with the rich
| est man in the National House through
a peculiar chain of circumstances. 1t has
already been told in New England how
Representative Charles +. Sprague of
Brookline Mass, invited the members of
the District Of Columbia committee of the
House 10 dine with him Of an evening.
including also the three commissioners
who govern the District of Columbia But
one of the members Of the District com
mittee is Representative George Henry
White, who is yet quite as black as the
tar produced in his home town of Tar
boro. n. c. There are also some South
ern men ON the District committee and
they would never think of breaking bread
and, in all probability, slipping. champagne
at the same table with a negro. Accord
ngly they refused to attend Mr. Sprague's
banquet and it has been called off. Mr..
Allen is one Of the most active members
of the House District committee and
was the only Maine man who got one of
the invitations that otherwise would have
been much priced. However they do say
that while Nh. Sprague has called off his
the District committee as a whole. he
will later invite the Caucasian members
of il as his personal friends ana so Mr.
Allen will Yet have an opportunity to en-
JOY the banquet.
This little episode which has stirred
the national capital, has still another
Maine bearing, for Mr.. Sprague is the
grandson of that Peleg Sprague of Hal
lowell, who was one of the first United
States senators from the Pine Tree State.
He practiced law for many years, having
large patronage in the kennebec Val
ley.
New England, although but small
portion of the Union, could muster an
enormous army OF lighting men, shouid
the test ever come requiring it. The re-
ports Of the military strength Of various
states, reported TO Congress few days
ago by Adjutant General Corbin. show
the following strength for the New Eng
land states: Maine, 1859; New Haml.-
men: Massachusetts, 1902 fighting men.
Rhode Island, $500 fighting men; Con-
necticut, loS.12l lighting men. OF course
when il came to sorting out men who
would be actually fit for military service
these numbers would be materially re-
duced, but they form an idea OF the mum
Der of staunch men physically between
the ages Of Is and 10 III the six states
mentioned. In comparison the figures Of
the strength of the National Guards i'll
the same states is worth noticing The
aggregate OF officers, commissioned and
non-commisSioned, and enlisted men in
t. SIX states, follows: Maine, 12lS New
Hampshire. lies: Vermont, i13; Massachu-
sets, 5S26: Rhode Island, 1910; and Con-
necticut, 2i30. 1t will be observed that
New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Con
necticut make a good showing when their
population is considered.
The efforts to have the oleomargariue
bill, in which most of the agricultural
states are Interested. tackled on TO an AZ
preparation bill a rider. will probably
fail at this session of Congress- but M.
friends of the measure, who include some
New England senators. have not aban-
doned hope that there will yet be time 10
consider it in the Senate. However. il
must be admitted that that hope is a
faint one, as less than three weeks re-
main OF the session and much of that
must go for appropriation bills. There is
Undoubtedly a strong opposition to the
measure. Notwithstanding the clamor of
Oranges for it, and that opposition would
be strong enough to prolong debate be-
fore ii could be passed.
Mr. and Mrs Frank Milliken u this
CITY, nave had as their guest for several
days Mrs Miliken Of Belfast, widow Of
the late Representative Miiliken. She
was called TO New York by the illness of
her son. Seth NJ. Milliken late a captain
in the volunteer army, who had aupeudi-
citiS and who was compelled to undergo
a surgical operation therefor. He was liz
excellent health of a Thursday. but was
taken i'll on Friday and for some time
was at the point of death. He is now
improving.
1t is now pretty generally conceded in
me inner circles of the Senate that the
river and harbor appropriat ton bill will
not become a law at this session OF Con
gress. This will be a disappointment to
the business men along the kennebec.
who hoped for the Improvement of the
chahnei OF the river. as provided in that
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