The Somerset reporter., 1903-11-26
AT Washington

At Washington
The House Thursday, by rising vote
of 335 to q, passed the bill to make eff
fectiVe the Cuban reciprocity treaty.
The dissenting votes were about equally
divided between Republicans aud Demo-
Gratis but there was no record vote, the
minority having too few votes to order
the yeas and nays The Democrats under
the leadership of Mr.. Williams, sought
to the last to secure amendments to the
bill in accordance with the action of the
Democratic caucus but were defeated
steadily. Mr. Williams made the final
effort when he tried to have the bill re-
committed to the ways and means com
mittee with instructions to amend, but
a point of order under the special rule
providing for a vote ON the bill without
! intervening motion was sustained.
The State Depart ment has received
advices that the departments of Cauca
and Antiqnoia of Colombia are seeking
to separate from that government and
are soliciting admission into the Panama
republic.
Mrs Carrie Nation appeared ia the
principal role of a sensational scene at
the White House, last week. Her re-
quest to see the president being refused
she became violent and had to be taken
from the executive officers by two police
officers. AS she was being escorted
from the building, she shouted at the
top of her voice, gesticulaung violently.
The Maine delegation at Washington
will apparently be somewhat lean during
the Thanksgiving period. Mr.. Little
| field as already told, is going back to
Rockland. Ex.Gov. Powers has gone to
Brookline, Mass to join his family.
Probably neither of these Maine mem
bers will return to Washington before
the regular session begins. Both the
Maine senators are exl ected to remain
here most of the time Unless the SEN
ate passes the reciprocity bill before
Thanksgiving, which was hoped at one
time, but NJ W seems remote, the Senate
will be In session for several days after
that date.
| Representatives Burleigh and Allen
will also remain in Washington much of
the time, if not all of the time, till the
regular session begins. Gov. Burleigh
has lot of business to attend to. Then
the mail from his constituents, which
is heavy during the winter time, is now
coming here regularly. He makes it a
rule to keep right up to date with the
correspondence from his district, when
ever it is possible. Generally this takes
up more or less time every day and can
now be attended to better from Wash
ington than from Augusta. He voted
! Thursday for the Cuban reciprocity bill,
which he has steadily supported from
! the first, it being an administration
measure calculated to bring extensive
benefits to this country Gov. Burleigh
was for similar legislation in the House
two years ago, when big detection in
! Republican ranks defeated it for a while
and made recourse to a treaty necessary.
! Had the fight, which proved effective
only for while not been made, the sub.
sequent agitation and the calling of an
extra session would have been avoided.
Representative Ernest W. Roberts of
Mass, who WAS born in the upper Ken
nebec valley, has introduced a bill to
repeal, permanently. the duty on coal
coming in from New Brunswick. This
is intended for the benefit of all the
northern New England states, which
have profted by the repeal of the duty
last winter for one year, owing to the
stringency caused by the coal strike in
the anthracite regions.
Senator Hale has just completed his
work as chairman of the committee on
committees. The big table in his com.
mittee room had for days been covered
with papers, bearing the requests of
senators for committe places. The sen.
ator has performed the work with his
usual tact and discretion and is said to
have given splendid satisfaction to all
concerned.
Republican members of Senate com
mittees have been agreed upon by the
parry caucas Maine senators have
place upon committees AS follows: Hale,
appropriations, Canada relations. census,
naval affairs, (chairman) Philippines,
private land claims Frye, commerce,
(chairman,) fisheries, foreign relations,
Pacific railroad, University of the u. )
select committees