Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-07-07
CAPITAL CHAT.
Quick Exodus of Our States
men from Washington.
Maine Men Among the First to Leave
for Their Homes.
The Dick Bill-More Money for Maine
Personal Notes.

| eOii' .~' ~, - uly f.-\OptCldlJ
Almost as silently as the Arabs o
| I-ongfellow's poems, who folded thei
| tents, Congress has evacuated tn
| federal Capitol. The evening follow
ing adjournment there was hardly
handful of these statesmen remainin,
IN town. The Maine men were anon,
the early departures. Congress ad
Journed Tuesday at $50 p NJ, but b,
that hour Representatives Littlefiel,
| and Powers were on the train whirl
ing towards Maine. Wednesday morn
ing, Governor and Mrs. Burleigl
and Representative Allen started foI
home. The Senators also got away il
haste. for everybody was glad to turr
their backs upon Washington and its
hot weather for little, after such &
long siege here.
The men who have longer Journeys
to make. tarried a little to get ready
Representative Kahn of California
who is an intimate friend of Repre-
sentative Littlefield and who will en-
terrain him in San Francisco this fall
when Mr.. Littlefield goes out there tc
speak. closed up some work before the
departments and started on his long
journey across the continent Thurs
day. Representative Cooper of Wis
consin. who was one of the guests at
the Everett Hotel, where Governor
and Mrs. Burleigh have been living re-
Gently, tarried here to rest from his ex-
haustive work on the Philippine Civil
Government bill. He will attend to some
departmental errands before he goes to
Wisconsin. The Maine men had their
department work all done before Con-
gress adjourned. although for the last
two or three days they had to stick to
the Capitol very closely. With the
fast railroad travel which is now posi-
BILE there is not a member of Congress
who cannot reach his home from
Washington in about four and a half
days. The delegate to Hawaii has the
longest journey. He must have at
least ten days to travel from Washing
ton to Honolulu and then it is possible
only under the most favorable circum-
stances. But Delegate Wilcox, who
understands the English language only
poorly, left Washington quite a time
ago and is probably already in his
home in the paradise of the Pacific.
Already the great Capitol building.
covering many acres and comprising
hundreds of rooms, looks as though a
hurricane had struck it. The cleaners
have already gone to work. The pic
lures have all been removed from the
walls, the documents have been
pitched out, the furniture moved and
things put in readiness for a thorough
summer cleaning. 1t requires small
army of men, who are commanded by a
tall and stalwart general, Superin
tendent Elliott Woods, of the Capitol
The long rows of mahogany desks in
the hall of the House will be thor
oughly cleaned. Tons of paper, bills,
documents, and waste paper generally
will be carted out of the Capitol after
being gathered from hundreds of hooks
and crannies and apartments. The
consumption of paper in the building
for printing purposes is something
enormous and a large portion OF it is
eventually thrown away without being
used hut little if at all.
During the summer, the work of
renovating the Capitol building, which
has been going on steadily for the last
two or three years will be continued.
This summer the central portion Will
he flreproofed. This central portion is
the old-fashioned part of the Capitol,
which contained the old hall of repre-
sentatives, where John Quincy Adams
died. and the old Senate chamber. now
the chamber of the Supreme court,
where Clay and Webster served as
Senators. The massive appearance OF
the modern Capitol is due to two I'M
mense marble wings which have been
constructed, one adjoining on the south
for the use of the House, and the
other adjoining on the north for the
use of the Senate.
The National Guard of Maine will
undoubtedly find much satisfaction in
the passage of the House of the DICK
bill for the reorganization OF the
militia. The adjutant-general OF the
Pine Tree state made one or two visits
here to Washington to consult with
other National Guard officers regard
ing the provisions of that measure.
What the Senate will do cannot be
specified but the opinion seems to be
that the bill will be passed there at the
next session of Congress. The bill has
heen carefully considered, not only by
also by the National Guard officers of
the different states. There was no lit
tie amusement in the House, after the
passage of the bill. when members had
perused some of the ancient require
ments of a militiaman according to
the old laws now on the statute books,
bur nevertheless obsolete.
The rulings of the auditors office as
to the claims Of different northern
states for money advanced by them.
for the equipment of troops during the
Civil War, seem to assure that Maine
will receive still another sum even be-
yond the large payment that was made
about the beginning of the present
wear. This ruling of the auditor was
that full interest must be paid, which
would assure to Maine quite large
sum. The case has not been fully
made up yet but is under advise
ment here.
Senator Hale made ten strike In
the closing hours of the session
towards the prevention of dynamite
fishing on the border line between