Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-23
CAPITAL CHAT.
The Disposal Of Government
Papers a Vexing Problem.
Senate and House Transact Large
Amount Of Business.
Interesting Incident Relative to An.
nounesmont Of Merger Decision.

congress abcut TWO TONS or useless pa
pers in the various departments of the
government. This is done with view
to securing authority for the destruc-
ton OF these papers. They arc e"cilt-
ually sold - waste paper. are taken
away to mills engaged in the manuf:lr-
ture of paper and the Treasury is 4 few
hundred dollars richer. One of these
annual reports was recently made to
Speaker Cannon.
One away from Washington has lit
tie idea OF the rapidity with which use
less papers accumulate. There is u
constant cry here for more room for
various departments. 1t is claimed
that clerks are crowded into rooms too
small for their comfort and for the
most speedy transaction of the govern
ment business. But in such an I'M
mensc establishment as the Govern
ncnt OF the United States is, the great
tSt care is also exercised against the
destruction of official papers. In fact
the destruction of government papers,
under certain conditions. without due
authority is an offensc punishable I'M
the federal laws. Eut these papers &C
cunfulate in such volumes that they
dog the files and occupy room that
heads of Departments would be glad
TO have for other purposes.
Tho recent report to Speaker Cannon
cites thousands of volumes, which the
Treasury authorities want to condcm.
There are PSI volumes of miscellan-
eous printed books. stored in the base
rnont Of one of the buildings here.
which are no longer Of use anybody.
except rs waste paper. Then there are
big volumes of printed estimates. men,
orlndunl books, books of general or
dcrs. over two hundred volumes of
registers. reports OF absentecs, daily
transcript of work done on steam
presses. half u dozen boxes Of depart
ment kilograms. certificates OF paper
counted for use as currency, when
properly printed; volumes Of reports
ard returns If revenue cutters: alb
straCts of cigars and cigarettes import
ed, inspected. and stamped. And 50
the list might be prolonged through;
thousands and thousands OF different
items.
AS the spring approaches the officials
want a house cleaning and SO the pa
Per refuse is carefully listed. Tho
greatest caution is exercised that moth
ing which can be of Importance in the
future shall be included. There nre
many cxigencies, in which. worthless
paper might become of consequence.
There arc law suits calls for proof for
trials. for bearings. and for many 9TH
or purposes but the effort is to preserve
all such evidence. But when every
thing Of possible utility is saved. there
remain whole train loads Of papers and
books. which the government will be
glad to be rid of.
There is very little new about the
work Of the Maine delegation in Con-
gross, this week. Most of them are
continuing their labOrs on measures
already noted, and keeping up with the
daily grist of correspondence from their
districts. Representative Little.ield is
giving very careful attention to the
case of District Judge Swaync of Flor
id. whose impea chment By the Senate
has been proposed. the matter having
boon under consideration before the
House committee on judiciary. of which
Mr.. Lttleicld is Il member. The sub
committee named to investigate has
made n majority report in favor of i'm
rcachment. but not all the members of
the committee are in favor of following
that recommendation. If the commit
tee finally adopts it and the House also
acts favorably. it would mean an inter-
esting procedure before the Senate as
Il court, such as has not been witnessed
for many, many years.
Since The holiday recess the Senate
and House have been working six days
i,,C "a L n
ord in that regard. Last Saturday was
an exception, but the heavy work of the
session is well completed and both
branches could well afford to take a
day off. But Senator Frye, the presid-
Ing officer at the end of the Capitol,
was restless because OF Saturdays adj
journment. Il don't like these holt
days" he said, as he was going to his
committee room on commerce to con-
tinuc hearings on the admission of for
eign built ships. that had been wrecked
and repaired. to American registry. Il
prefer to keep on working. as long as
we have anything to do
Senator Hale has had n little touch
of the grip and has suspended aggres-
sivc work on the appropriation bills for
a few DAYS. but he could well do so, to
allow the House to get a fresh start. At
the end of this week the sundry civil
appropriation bill will probably be near
~ completed at the south end of the
Capitol. Mr.. Allison and Mr.. Hale are
the two leading senators who will take
hold of the big budget as soon as it
reaches the Senate. They expect to
make quick work OF 1t.
Gov. Burleigh expressed qualification,
today. at the thoroughness with which
the Republicans are organizing for
their congressional campaign I'VE
shall make an aggressive fight from the
start" said he, land give the Democrats
no opportunity, if we can help it, to re-
duce our majority in the House. Re-
publicans now have over 80 majority,
which is a good working majority. We
ought to increase that during Presi-
dental wear. when We expect to elect
Mr.. Roosevelt by very large margin
Of the votes in the electoral college.
We can't do any better in Maine than
CONTINUED on page 81 f.