Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-11
CAPITAL CHAT.
The Activity Is Now All in
Southern End of Capitol.
Ex-Speaker Reed Looking Up Old
Acquaintance in Congress.
Senator Hale and Gov BurIeigh Looking After
Constituents Interests.

Washington. ID. a.. Jan. ln.-tSp2c-
iaD.-All the activity in this weeks
legislative arena has been al the south
end Of the Capitol. The canal bill for
the last three or four Congresses has
been the subject of two or three field
days. but this yeah the discussion mas
been more animated then usual. al
though, ds Mr.. Loud Of California, who
has made one or two trips up 20 Au-
gusta. sagely remarked in the corridor
yesterday: They are making lots o.
noise but please notice that they are
All talking for the canal"
Howeve., the long and arduous first
session of the 9Th Congress has been
brilliantly inaugurated. The city is
full of people, hundreds Of them and
thousands of them, brought here on a
multitude of errands of which Congress
is the ruling cause. Some come to pre-
mote legislation: soma come for social
reasons and some come FOR no reason
at all except to look on at the spectacle,
which is indeed, unusual ana grand.
The social functions ~ ;he Waite
House, which have been frequent since
the New Years reception, have been
remarkably brilliant and furnish fruit
full topics fer the afternoon teas and
dinner parties. which are now all the
rage in the federal capitol.
There were some Maine people at the
diplomatic reception on Tuesday ever
ing. although it is not now officially
designated as such. Senator Frye and
his srandsOns, William Frye White and
Wallace II. White, We're present rs
Were Gov and Mrs. Burleigh. They
We're fortunate enough to start n lit
lie carly ana We're well within the
White House portals, before the doors,
were shut on account of the crush, af-
ter which guests We're kept waiting on
the stone tagging outside for nearly an
hour. President Roosevelt demonstrate
cd his fine memory for details. when
GOV. Eurleigh passed him in the re-
N ception line. Governor said the
President, Il shall hear from Buffum
ir a few days / shall have his mat
\ ter attended to- This was in reference
|, 10 4 visit OF Mr.. Frank BUffum Of
Il Florida, here some dnys ago, when h,
I was introduced to the President by
Senator Hale and Gov. Burleigh. Mr..
Buffum is former Maine man and was
here on an GRAND connected with the
. Apralachcola post office.
The presence Of ex-Speaker Reed
about the Capitol this week. has given
him an opportunity to renew some old
acquaintances. But Mr.. Reed does not
seem to enjoy very keenly trampinS
around the halls and corridors where
he was once supreme. He never has
appeared on the floor Of the House
since ne resigned from Congress, al
though on several occasions he has
visited the ways and means committee
room ana even the Speakers room.
This week he paid a very brief visit to
Speaker Henderson. He still goes to
the Shoreham hotel, when in WASH
I ington, this being the hotel where he
lived for many ears.
The eX-Speaker has a decided fond
I ness for a considerable contingent Of
the New York Republican delegation
that lourished during the later period
Of his service in Congress and ii was .
Coterie of those same gentlemen that he
/ entertained at little dinner at Har-
Ney's. Z local restaurant of fame. one
evening early in the week. Mr.. Sher-
man of Utica, Y. Y. is the favorite of
| them all, but eX-Repre sentative Ben
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