The Republican journal., 1902-12-25
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
Special to The Republican Journal. ]

special appropriation by Congress.
early this season, of $500, 1000 for rural
free delivery. He has expressed to
'Uncle joe Cannon, the chairman of
the committee on appropriations, his
belief that the appropriation would be
wise, in view of the vast good it would
accomplish in enabling the work of es-
tablishing rural free delivery routes
over the country to proceed, instead of
having that work interrupted for over
six months, as would have to be done if
no extra appropriation is made. The
item of $500, 900 has been urged for in
corporation in an urgent deficiency bill
and Mr.. Cannon has told Gov. Burleigh
that he regards it very favorably.
While Maine has been well cared for
in the establishment of rural routes
there is still good deal of territory to
be covered, and in the Third District
Gov. Burleigh is anxious that there
shall be no halt in the work. He has
several plans for new routes pending
before the post Office department and
has requested Mr.. Machen, the superin-
tendent, to authorize some of them
during the early winter months, if pos
sible.
With the beginning Of Congress there
has been great rush at the post office
department for more new rural routes.
Every member, on arriving in town,
unless he be a representative from a
city district, has besieged the post office
officials to speed his applications.
However, not single new route is now
being authorized because there is no
money to pay for the carriers, and ali
the money now left that is available
must be used for the maintenance of
the existing routes
For most OF the Senators the sessions
before the holidays are not altogether
busy ones but that does not hold true
This year for Senator Hale. He has
been leading the opposition to State
west and has also had considerable
work III the appropriations committee,
which will increase after the holidays
when the big appropriation bills begin
TO come over from the House. The
Statehood fight is likely to be prolonged
and the senior Maine senator will have
to bear the brunt of the battle there
while his other work is increasing in
volume.
The chief adversary on the state
hood question, pitted against Mr. Hale,
is Mr.. Quay of Pennsylvania. The lat
ter has made a combination of the
Democrats of the Senate and ten or
twelve Republicans, through which he
hopes to win the day. Just now he has
votes enough, but Mr. Hale is hopeful
of such forcible and convincing dis
cussion of the question as will win back
a good share of the Republicans and
enable the majority party in the Senate
to control their affairs. Mr. Quay has
personally and politically some close
friends in the territories Of New Mexi-
co and Arizona, who would profit ex-
tensively by statehood for these terri
tories. MI. Hale, and those With him,
are willing to give Oklahoma statehood,
as that is a populous territory and fitted
for place among the States.
q L.
had with Mr.. Quay he defeated him, but
the test will come later as the first
clashes were chiefly on parliamentary
questions.
The coal famine which prevails in
Washington, as well as in other parts of
the country, is felt right in the Capitol
where the laws are made. Generally
no smoke can be seen coming from the
chimneys of the big buildings on the
Hill, but these days tall columns of
smoke, readily observable as made by
wood fires, can be seen rising high
above the buildings. On the House
side for some days they had to burn
wood exclusively for heating the man.
moth structure, as the coal supply was
exhausted and none could be bought.
\ great deal of soft coal has been
used here in the last few weeks, be-
cause of the scarcity of anthracite.
One effect of that-which is boon
to the laundries but is anything but
a boon to the wearers of linen-is
the rapidity with which collars and
cuffs soil. In some parts of the city
two or three hours are enough to make
linen look quite black and unfit for
wear.
There is disappointment in some
quarters at the little work Congress
has accomplished before the holidays.
When the Republican leaders came
here late in. November, they had
mapped out considerable work. But
1t takes several days for large legisla-
tive bodies to get settled down to their
tasks and when the holidays are over
they will buckle down in earnest.
Nowadays the hall of the House of
Representative is far and away the
most hpa1tif,1l OH m har of tho Capifo1