The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1902-05-22
NEWS OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
Especial to The Republican journal.

has been considerable activity here in
the last two weeks over the bill to COM
pei sailors to carry out their agree
ments to sail from port with vessels.
1t is pretty generally known that
Representative Allen introduced the
bill. drawn by the owners of sailing
vessels several months ago, there being
large interests along the coast of Maine
interested in having the present law
perfected AS it is now sailors have
the owners at their mercy, for there is
no law to compel a sailor to ship, even
after he has been brought from Boston
the expense of his would-be employer.
This condition has resulted in system
of blackmail in many instances. The
bill has been slumbering in the COM
mittee on Merchant Marine and
fisheries for some three months, but an
effort is being made to bring 1t out. A
subcommittee of that committee, of
which Representative Iittletield is one
of the members, is going to take up the
bill and give hearings. The Demo
cratic member of the committee, Mr..
Small of North Carolina, is somewhat
disinclined towards the bill, but Will
probably make no vigorous objection
thereto. The only hitch is in getting
he bill through the House, as Senator
rye has promised. as soon as it is dis
posed of there, to have il promptly
| brought out of his committee on com
lnerce and passed in the Senate. AS
| soon as some of the more pressing bust
hess of the House is out of the way it
is not improbable that something Will
be done with the pending measure.
The appointment of Gov Burleigh
as one OF the members of the Re
publican Congressional Executive Com
lnittee for the coming campaign is be
lieyed to foreshadow his selection be
fore many years as the chairman of the
Congressional Committee. The Repuh-
| lican leaders of the House and Presi-
dent Roosevelt were much pleased at
his acceptance of the place which en-
tails no little amount of work during
the autumn months of the campaign.
Some Of the wiser politicians of the
House want Gov Burleigh to become
familiar with the national work, as
they have it III mind to press him up to
I l
Babcock has already served eight years
as manager of the campaign and was
very reluctant to accept again this year,
but there appeared to be no suitable
seasoned timber at hand for tHe place
and i'll view of the eXigency Mr.. Bah
cock consented to put on the harness
again. While giving no pecuniary re
ward, the place is one that members of
the House look upon as very desirable,
for it is a recognition of high ability to
serve the party. III his service here
Gov. Burleigh has gone into several
fights for interests affecting his district
and his State, has managed them with
great tact, and has generally carried
his point, but without offending the
other side. This has attracted very
favorable attention from the leaders Of
the House
| The season of Washington visitors
continues at its height and almost daily
great throngs climb Capitol hill to see
Congress in session. In the old days.
! before electric power was common, the
street cars that run along Pennsylvania
Avenue to the Capitol, we're drawn by
horses. The steep hill was difficult to
climb with loaded car and passengers
were generally encouraged to get off at
the Peace Monument, at the back of
the Capitol. 1t should be remembered
that the back of the Capitol is towards
the most populous and most prosperous
section of the federal city. High steps
| lead up there to the main floor. Nova
days the swift running cars, propelled
by electricity, make it advisable to ride
| around the Capitol and up the hill.
Visitors are not aware of this and the
conductors generally allow them to
alight at the Peace Monument, where
they first come i'll full view of the great
structure. 1t constantly amuSeS Wash
| ingtonians to watch the tide OF strangers
pouring up the broad walks and up the
long stairs, when they could 50 much
better ride the entire height and save
the effort. Car conductors have often
been instructed to tell strangers of
this, but they fail to catch the atten-
ton of large portion of the multi
tude who visit the Capitol for the first
time.
The three recent deaths of Democrat
ic members of the House. sad and grue-
some as it is, nevertheless does not pre-
vent many remarks about The Capitol
about the depletion of Democratic
ranks. over the desks of the deceased
members, according to custom, trap
pings of woe are placed in the shape of
black drapery, covered with the choic-
est blossoms of the season. New desks
were placed in the hall about six
months ago and there was no suitable