The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1903-02-05
Our Washington Letter.

More Rural f. ID. routes for Somerset
The Marconi system-The Agricultural
Department Building-Proposed U. S.
| Court Building at PortIand-The Con-
gested Period In Congress.
Special to the RRpoRrRR.)
Washington, d. c., FEB. 3-An az
nouncement is expected almost daily OF
additional rural free delivery routes to
be established 10 Somerset County this
coming spring. Several days ago Con.
gresham Burleigh WAS assured by the
Superintendent of rural free delivery
Mr.. Machen, that the Department would
install all the rural routes that had been
recommended in Somerset by the special
agents. The work, however, cannot be-
gin till about May l, when the roads
have settled. La the meantime and be-
fore Congress adjourns he will make an
effort to add TO that quota for Somerset
rs much as possible. Because of the
Isparsely settled areas in Somerset, the
governor is unable to have installed in
Somerset county system, such as is
being put in Kennebec. III Ia my 10
|
ago, ITO give every part of Somersrt
county, where iU is feasible to establish
routes, rural free delivery service. We
can not get it all done in n day or a year,
because the service as matter of course
has TO be extended gradually. | have
fought for large appropriations for rural
free delivery year in and year out ever
since | came to Congress. We are as
sured of liberal appropriations for the
work this session. intend to see to it
that every thing possible shall be done
TO extend the service in Somerset. With
in the next twelve months the people in
that county will notice, | believe, wide
extension of the service"
1t looks after all as though Marcon
would have difficulty in laying claim to
anything like all the glory for the wire
less system of telegrapky. Senator
Stewart, the psrtriarchial looking Re
publican with long white beard from
Nevada, recalled the other day that he
had voted for a bill to authorize a man
named LOOMS to prosecute experiment s
in wireless telegraphy some Venty years
ago. Further investigation showed that
a bill had actually passed Congress ami
| been signed by President Grant. 1t was
rdiculed in the Senate as II wild dream
but largely through the personal Influence
of Senator Anthony of Rhode Island, it
was adopted.
The Agricultural Department is verv
anxious of securing new Department
building and, will have the active aid of
Names member from the Third District
to that end. 1t is proposed to erect the
building near the site of the present de-
partment and to have it model struc-
ture in every particular. There has been
an effort in some quarters to keep the
price Of the building at low figure but
Mr.. Burleigh believes that two millions
and a half is none too much to allow for
the new department, which should be
especially the building representative Of
the farmers interests.
In the next Congress Gov. Burleigh
will sit very near the head of the com
mittee table on public buildings and
grounds. He will be easily the most
active and capable Republican member
of the committee, which will 10 the next
Congress, have to determine upon pro-
gramme of large expenditures for public
buildings throughout the country, This
year there will be no general public
building bill. Some odds and ends of
business will be incorporated into an ON
nibus bill hut no new projects will be
undertaken. Next year Mr.. Burleigh
plans to see TO it that Portland gets a
a hill bat ahalI
something near $500, 900. The citizens
there have been pressing upon Represen-
tative Allen to urge their needs but the
decision of the committee not to start on
any new projects, except some of the
most pressing character here in Washing
ton, has prevented any appropriation for
Portland. With the large inereas of
public business over the country, parli-
cularly of the postt flee business, the
House committee on Public Buildings
and grounds h become one OF the five
or six most important committees Mt that
end of the Capitol. Il is almost certain
that within the course of three or four
years Gov. Burleigh will reach the chair
manship.
Both Houses Of Congress are now
rapidly approaching the congested period
when the rush and scramble begins to
get bills passed SO that they shall not
die on the fourth of March. Senators
and members in the aggregate are much
like boys that shirk work that must be
done till the very last moment. Th y
never hurry to get business out of the
way till they are compelled to, under
penalty of having to come back to Wash
ington for an extra session. Then it is
realized that If matters are allowed TO
drift along till the congestion becomes
very great a good many measures that
never ought to become law but which
could he worked through in come fashion
were there time, will be crushed in the
I'M and never reach the president for
his signature. Notwithstanding the
peculiar ways that n large number of
Congressman have of transaeting bust
ness 10 Congress there is generally more
or less OF wisdom and philosophy in the
policies these men follow. notwithstand-
| ing the occasional criticisms from the
country.
| New Books.