Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-14
CAPITAL CHAT.
Machinery Of Legislation Be-
ing Oiled for Work.
The Important Task Assigned Sena-
tor Hale Of Maine.
The Increased House-seats Of the
Maine Members.

Washington, Nov. 12.-(SpeciaD. =
| The wheels Of Congress are again in
motion but it is not yet the stage of
much legislation. Neither will it prob
ably be for some weeks to come The
Cuban reciprocity bill is the only thing
for which Senate and House came to-
gelher one month ahead of the regular
ly appointed time. 1t will be the only
measure of Importance to be discussed
in Senate and House but in the interim
there will be vast amount of work
accomplished, for which, under circum-
stances usually attending the begin
ming of q Congress, almost 500 Senators
and members must wait.
In other words it takes two or three
weeks time for the formal organiZa-
ton and completion OF committees in
Senate and House, once every two years.
This will all be done this year during
the extra session. Men will be picked
and posted along the different channels
by which bills come into either branch
for enactment, the wheels of the great
machinery will be oiled and running
without q creak or a. jar by the time
the regular session begins. Every
Senator will know then what commit
tee place is assigned him and Uncle
Joe" Cannon will know what place he
is going to assign to every one of the
other 1856 members of the House.
1t is a tremendous task to assign all
the vacant committee places. In the
House theoretically there are no COM
mittees till the Speaker names them.
but the old men are almost without
exception reappointed or promoted.
In the Senate. which is a continuous
body, the committees are also continu-
Gus, but the vacancies are filled prac-
ticalfy to the same effect as in the
House. The Republican caucus elects
the committee members but the work
for the caucus is to be done this year
by Senator Hale, named as chairman of
the important committee on commit
tees. There are many Senators who
would give their eyes almost TO be as
signed to the committee on committees,
for the Republican caucus will ratify
their work without change. 1t affords
chance 10 further the ambitions OF
ones senatorial friends, if men are
disposed to use it that way. That IS
the reason why Senator Allison, chair
man of the Republican caucus, names
men for the committee on committees,
who are above such considerations ana
who will consider the claims Of differ
ent Senators impartially and adjust the
different interests of Senators with
as little friction as possible ana
with the view to Gispatching the
public business in the best man.
ner and in the safest manner pos
sible. AS Senator Hale meets those
requirements in an eminent way
he is placed as chairman of the i'm
portant committee and for two or three
weeks will have his hands full arrang-
ing the committee lists. The Senior
Maine Senator could not improve his
own committee assignments, IL ne
wanted to. He has the best the Sen
ate has to offer, all things considered.
due to his long and efficient service
and to his commanding influence on
LEGISLATION at that end of the Capitol.
Two years ago Senator Platt, OF Conn.
another man of sterling integrity and
good common sense, was chairman of
the committee on committees. Inc
custom is to change the chairman IN
every Congress. That is why MIR.
Platt now gives way to Senator Hale.
The House of Representatives is now
the largest in numbers during all its
history. For the first time Monday it
came together under the apportion-
ment which originated with ex-Gov.
Burleieh in the long session two years
ago and which became law after
fierce fight which Gov. Burleigh con-
Quoted to save Maine her four represen-
tafives A smaller apportionment
would have meant only three represen-
tatives for Maine. but that contingency
was warded off for 10 years by the
Burleigh law now in force. The House
leaders at the time contended it would
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