Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-02-11
CAPITAL CHAT.
Washington Feels Effects Of the
Baltimore Fire.
Many Things Which Keep Names
Delegation Busy.
The Opportunity for Young People in
the Civil Service.

ne great Ilfe over III WHICH
| is only forty miles away and an hours
ride by rail- has been more of an at
traction thi,, week than any legislative
proceedings of Congress. Thousands OF
people have been going from here daily
| to the Monumental City to witness the
progress of the cOnflagration or to OBJ
serve the ruin the great fire has
wrought. BY night the fire has been
visible from the Capitol, looming up
| like 4 great red blotch on the horizon.
| Numerous officials and not few Con-
gressnen have taken the trip to Balti-
| more, for it is :; sight such us one has
| opportunity to behold but seldom in a
| lifetime.
Then the gloom over the heavy loss
| is almost as acute here as it is in the
sister city. The business interests be-
| tween Washington and Baltimore are
very close ana many who own business
| establishments here also have business
| establishments in Baltimore. Ordina-
ri!y The travel back and forth is very
| large, sufficiently SO that practically
| Two trains well laden with passengers
leave here every hour during the day
and two trains arrive in Baltimore at
the same entervals.
| This has been Il busy week for the
| Maine delegation. Mr.. Hale is up to
his ears in work on appropriation bills.
| He has FASTENED the Diplomatic and
| Consular Appropriation bill through
| the appropriations committee and
through the Senate, having had that
measure in charge. Mr.. Hale is
| anxious to have his part of the work
l ut 11.t of r1nitnl MT nf tbs.
| way early, so as to relieve the usual
| congestion ut the close of the session
and also that adjournment may be had
at the earliest feasible date, which the
| administration much desires. He al
ready has disposed Of two appropria-
ton bills, which are committed to his
| guidance in the Senate--the urgent
| deficiency bill and the Diplomatic bill.
| There will be two more for him to
| take in charge-the Naval bill and the
| general deficiency bill.
| Governor BurleiSh has been making
| things hum this week around the
| departments. He had Il large number
| of Departmental matters to look after
ara as he always prefers to look after
| all those matters in person. rather
| than entrust them to employees at the
| Capitol, as some members frequently
do it fills up a considerable part OF his
| forenoon. Gov. Powers has also been
| working around the Departments Il
good deal this week, as have Mr.. Allen
and Mr.. Littlefield. Mr.. Allen is trying
to get all his business up to date, be-
fore leaving to attend the Lincoln ami
| vers2ry dinner at Portland late this
| week.
Gov. Burleigh has been talking with
Chairman Gllett of the House Com
nittee on public buildings and grounds.
about the adVisa 5ility of hearings on
public building projects at this session.
rs there are several cities clamoring
for a hearing. Gov. Burleigh is chair
mar of one of the most important sub
committees of that committee and has
immediate jurisdiction over projects
from a number of states. In view of
the decision not to authorize any new
public buildings at this session, as few
hearings as possible will be granted.
| with the idea that the work can better
be done at the next session of Congress.
The nomination of Gen. Isaac Dyer
20 be Postmaster at Skowhegan, Me,
for another term. was forwarded to the
Senate this week, on the endorsement
of Gov. Blrleigh. The Postofiice De-
partment officials say that Gen. Dyer
has had an excellent record in charge
of the Skowhegan Office and they re-
gard him as q good man to inaugurate
the free delivery system there. Gov.
Bur leigh. too, is highly pleased with
Gen. Dycr's administration and told
| President Roosevelt of his pleasure at
endorsing him for another term.
! The government now virtually ex-
korts young men and women to enter
into its employ, through the classified
| service, and to look upon such en-
ployment as permanent calling. That
is the settled policy of the Civil Service
Commission. Its blanks, giving notice
|of Civil Service examinations for
different places set forth the advan-
| tage; of government employment.
| Only this week formal notice was given
OF a civil service examination to be
held at Belfast next Saturday for
| places as clerks and letter carriers
This notice contained the following
paragraph: This examination offers
an excellent opportunity for entering
| the federal service to bright, energetic
young persons who are not afraid of
hard work, and. as previous eXami-
nations have failed to result in a suffi-
| cient number of eiigibles, the Commits
sion urges all persons who are qualified
/ and VINO may desire to enter the Post
! office Service. to apply for and take
| this examination. 1t may be stated
| that there is a wider field for advance
| nent upon merit in the federal service
than in many private employments.
While the salary in the Post-Office
| service is usually about $500 or $500 per
annum at the start, this amount COM
Fares favorably with the compensation
of a beginner in private employment"
This form of notice is employed for
| all the civil service examinations for
postal places, now held in Maine. The
| reason is that the young people in
| Maine do not seek such places with as
| much avidity as is the case in many
| other localities. But the tendency
Continued on page 81