The Republican journal., 1902-01-23
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
+ Correspond of The Journal. |

or less intensity the year round, is now
crowding every channel Of activity.
The numerous departments and bu-
reaus; that pursue the routine work
allotted to them months in and months
out, are now joined in industry with
the legislative branch, and with the
missions of over 400 Senators and mem
bers. These are the individual represen-
tatives of the people in securing many
things that correspondence and written
appeals will not accomplish. According
ly every bureau and every department
throbs with more than the usual
energy, executing the bidding of many
men of power, who come and go.
Already Congress is in full swing, but
thus far it has been mainly prelimi-
naries and the Senate and House are
barely on the threshold of the winter
achievements. Names delegation at
both ends of the Capitol have a busy
program for the coming months, and
there is not man of the six but what
has some important work to do before
many weeks roll by. That is always a
compliment to ones ability; for weak
men are rarely chosen for important
tasks in Congress. The Committee on
Public Buildings and Grounds, in which
Belfast long had personal interest, as
its chairman was the late Repres enta
tive Milliken, has just organized for
the session and it is expected that a
goodly number of public building bills
will be passed upon. Gov. Burleigh
was assigned to that committee when
he entered Congress. and was placed,
following the custom for new members,
at the foot of the Republican list Now
there are only two Republicans be
tween him and the chairman. He has
been such an industrious worker and
shown such excellent judgment is dis
patching public business that no doubt,
before many years he will come to the
craftsmanship. He is already at the
head OF one of the most important sub
committees, the one that has charge of
bills from the New England States
These bills are legion, and at best only
few Of them can be selected for con
slderatlon, and those must be in locali-
ties where the needs are most pressing
Probably that section OF Maine i'll
which Belfast is located has most di-
rect interest in Washington Just now
regarding rural free delivery service.
In the last three or four months hnll-
dreds upon hundreds of these routes
have been established all over the coun-
try. Originally, through the influence
OF Speaker Reed the First Maine dis
trIct secured the lions share Of these
rural free delivery fayorS. That has
been changed since Gov Burleigh took
his seat, and he has laboIed in season
and out OF season to have as many
routes as possible established in the
third Congressional district. He has
acquainted the chief of the division OF
iiSN Voii'Ciy WIN llit llttuS VI I'LL
ferent localities and has kept special
inspectors journeying down into Waldo.
Hancock. kennebec and Somerset coun-
ties as fast as he could get them. Many
routes have already been established
but there ale more pending i'll the big
Postotlice Department building Oh
pennsylvania AYenue-One of the most
conspicuous buildings in Washlngton
by the way, and in a sense a monu
ment to the late Seth l.. Milliken-
which Will be announced as the money
for doing the work is provided by Con-
gress. During the last week Gov.
Burleigh has made two or three visits
to the Department to urge the es
Enlistment of route out of Monroe.
Me, and he has hopes that it may be
authorized to begin by Feb. LIST, or by
March LIST. A great many members OF
Congress are clamoring for similar
privileges for their constituents, and in
such a multitude one has to proceed
with tact and discretion to secure the
most for his own. However, it seems
to be up to Monroe and other towns
near the coast for early advantages in
this regard. The Department.: has just
the establishment of three
routes out of Skowhegan, and it was
only few days ago that route was
authorized out of Burnham.
There has been an unusual rush for
pensions here this winter The vet
Grams are rapidly growing older and, as
the infirmities of age press upon them,
they feel more keenly the effects of
military service. The Senate and |
House are showing disposition to deal
more firmly with questions of private
pensions and only the most deserving
md urgent cases receive attention.
)ne or two bills from a district is about
5he usual allowance for each session of
congress. Realizing how little, COM
can be done in the House
or the soldiers of the District as
whole, Gov. Burleigh has rather deyot
I'd his energies to hurrying along the
applications pending before the Pen
non Bureau The veterans of Waldo