The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-12-29
Letter From Washington.

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Men and Measures at the National Capitol
Especial Correspondence Of The Journal
WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec. 26. With the
prospective recommendations of the Ma.
rine Commission of Congress for the enlist.
ment of naval militia on board of merchant.
men receiving subsidies from the Govern.
| ment, it is believed there will be better
openings for the young men along the
Maine coast who prefer seafaring life.
1t is not very generally known yet that the
commission proposes to allow seamen who
serve twelve months of year upon an
American vessel engaged in the foreign
trade, $25 annually from the federal treas
ury. The bill, based on the commissions
recommendations, will be introduced some
time in January, as soon as the commits
sion's report is presented. The idea of this
proposed plan, if enacted into legislation,
is to encourage young men to engage them
selves as seamen. They would not only re-
ceive the usual compensation for such SER
vice aboard all ships, including sailing ves-
sells, but the payment from the government
would be a bonus. The government could
afford to pay the sum Of $25 annually, be-
cause it is proposed that these men should
have some training as naval miltiamen
and become qualified for service On war;
ships and cruisers in time Of hOstilities.
This would, undoubtedly, as viewed here
at Washington, be attractive to young men
along the Maine coast; but another prOpo-
sitiOn, to be embodied in the bill which
Congress will be asked to pass, if not at
this session at the next, gives additional
compensation to men who act as masters of
these steam or sailing vessels engaged in
foreign trade. The federal compensation
to masters will, of course, be larger than to
seamen and would accordingly be more at
tractive to large class along the Maine
coast, because they are unusually intelli-
gent in the management o. ships, especial
tent to act as masters. The federal pay to
masters, as proposed, will be graduated ac-
cording to the tonnage of the ship. 1t will
also be graduated in the case of both sea-
men and masters who serve on vessels en-
gagged in the foreign trade for only parts of
each year. Maine being quite as largely in
terested in sailing vessels as any State in
the Union, Congress would look to it for
large enlistments, in which event the naval
militia of Maine would loom up in cOmpari-
son with similar organizations in other
coast States.
In a private letter to his mother-in-law,
Mrs. Frank Milliken, in this city, Capt
Samuel c. Lemly, United States Navy, re-
tired, writes that his wife has been exceed
ingly i'll. Since Capt. Lemly retired from
his post as judge advocate general of the
Navy he and his family have been residing
abroad most of the time. Mrs. Milliken has
been back here only a few weeks since her
visit to her old home in Belfast and to other
points in New England.
Senator Hale and Representative Allen
are the only members of the Maine delega-
tion that are staying here during the holi-
days. The Senator has been going to his
office at the Capitol almost daily to look
after his mail and take up matters of legis-
lation with which he has to deal during the
remainder of the session. Many things
affecting the administration of the navy, and
which require legislation by Congress, come
under the Senator's eye, as he is chairman
of the Committee on Naval Affairs that
considers the annual appropriation bill for
the navy. The Senator has some very de-
cided views about the construction of war
ships, and about other matters affecting our
naval fleets, which he will express before
this session of Congress is over
Senator Hale will visit Augusta about the
time of his reelection, but, unlike the visits
of many other senators who are soon to go
home on the occasion of their reelection,
he will make but brief stay. His position
as one of the leading men in the Senate
makes it imperative that he should be back
here soon after Congress re-assembles on
January 4th. In few States Senators are
having fight for reelection and remain at
home for month or so directing the fight.
Their absence makes the attendance in the
Senate leaner than usual during the month
OF January every two years. This, how
ever, is rarely the case with the Senators
from the far western States, who generally
prefer to leave their campaigns for re-elec-
ton to their friends. Senator Perkins of
California. native of Kenhebunk port, Me-,
went through hard fight for reelection a
couple of years ago as an absentee. He re,
mained here all of the time. His colleague,
Senator Bard, is pursuing the same policy
this winter. But it is very general rule
that Senators who live not more than two
or three days journey from Washington go
home to visit the legislatures on the occa-
sion of their reelection and often make a
brief speech. expressing thanks for the
honor conferred. AS Washington has a
lively interest in the personnel Of the Senate
the action of legislatures in choosing Sena
tors is always closely followed here.
Gov. Burleigh is gaining reputation here
for closely scanning legislation, with the
framing OF which he has to do. The preva-
lence of loosely drawn measures in the
Senate and House is not to his liking and
whenever any committee of which he is a
member has bills to frame the governor
buckles down to work and does his best to
have the language carefully guarded. He
also, as thorough going business man,
realizes the Importance of having close at
hand all the available information about a
given measure, so that the House, or any