Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-01
CAPITAL CHAT.
The TantaIus Club and its
Unique Initiation.
Work Of Maine Representatives for
Their Constituents.
Success of a Mt. Vernon Man With a
Claim Against Japan.


organization of new Republican menu
bers Of the House of Representatives
had very unique banquet here Satur-
day evening last. 1t was the Tantalus
Club, which was organized about two
years ago and became quite famous
locally for the Wit and good fellowship
which prevailed at Its gatherings.
Representative Sam" Powers. Of
Massachusetts, who was mentioned in
unfounded gossip a few weeks ago as
forming law firm in Boston wherein
Secretary of the Navy Moody and
Representative Littlefield. of Maine.
would be members, has all along been
its president and one of its leading
spirits. This year the surviving
Republican members of the Fifty
seventh. or last Congress, have con-
Guided to t;.he in the new Republican
members of the present Congress and
Saturday nights banquet was in
celebration of the event.
Few of the recruits come from the
New England and North Atlantic
states. because most of those Eepubli-
can members are veterans. Maine has
none, because eX-Gov. Powers the only
new member of the last Congress from
that state had served in Congress
several years before. Massachusetts
mustered two or three new men and
Vermont had two. it having renewed
it's entire delegation in that Congress.
New York also had three or four new
Republicans but the bulk of them came
from states farther South and farther
West.
One OF the features of Saturdays
dinner was the initiation of the new
men. AS fast as they were proposed
some member arose to object and the
fun was fast and furious. An incident
that will be appreciated along the
northern border, where French
Guardians abound, was an objection
raised to Representative George A.
Loud, of Michigan, who was a naval
officer at the battle Of Manila Bay. He
has the French Canadian dialect to a
charm and delivers lecture, illustrating
it. He was objected to because it was
claimed he vas 4 Canadian and could
not properly consider legislation for
Canadian reciprocity. Mr. Loud was
heard in his own behalf, rafting off in
broken French and English his defense,
concluding with the recitation of a we'll
known poem: Its one dark night on
Lake st. Pierre whereupon it was
voted to admit him to membership
forthwith. a Democratic candidate for
the presidency was also selected, which
made Il lot of fun. Invited guests came
from many sections and states and the
dinner was pronounced one of the
joliiest events of the season.
Representative Burleigh secured IA
vorable consideration by the Commit
tee on Invalid Pensions upon the bill
in favor Of John Dow of Augusta, who
IS totally blind. 1t was placed on the
House calendar on Washington's birth
day and was finally passed on Satur-
day. 1t carries pension of forty dol
lars per month.
Dir. c. w. Gallagher. formerly Presi-
dent of Maine Wesleyan seminary, but
now head of 4 school for deaconnesses
in connection with the Sibley hospital
Of this city. has his guest for a few
days Prof. J. Q. Newton, who is head
OF the department of Science at Eent's
Hill.
Tr. Thomas S. Hopkins. of this city
ard Of Mount Vernon, Me-, has recent
u won an important triumph as an at
torncy in a claim which his clients had
against the Japanese government
This is 4 claim known as the Whiskey
claim, recently mentioned i'm the press
dispatches, whereby the japanese gov
has agreed to pay s115, 900.
Mr. Hopkins worked largely through
the State Department but pressed his
case With such tact that he was highly
commended by the authorities of the
State Department as well as by the
japarese legation in this city. Ir the
early spring Mr.. Hopkins intends go
ing back to his Mount Vernon farm
again for a season. His health has
been frail and he spends several
months every year on the ancestral
acres and receives much physical ben
eft.
Representative Eurleich is doing
every thing in his power to secure fav-
able action on the plan to raise the
salaries of rural free delivery carriers.
He believes that for the very impOr-
tant duties performed BY them they
should receive adequate compensation
which. in his Judgment, they are far
from receiving at the present time.
Ex-Governor Powers has been hav-
ing hari tussle with pending bills af-
fecting the territory OF Hawaii and
now before the House Committee on
territories of which he is a member.
lie has been trying to recast a bill
granting a franchise to the Hawaiian
Electric company. so as to meet the
approval of the House and at the same
time assure the people of Honolulu
electric light and power. The task
mas been very difficult one for it is
not easy to lcgislate satisfactorily for
people many thousands Of miles away.
Gov Powers put his foot down against
granting any thirty-five year fran
chises and the House followed him in
that view. He has also been instru-
mental in reducing the price of cleo
tricity t., the extent of 5 cents per
tilowatt. He has now nearly COM
pletcd his work on the electric light
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