Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-31
CAPITAL CHAT.
Many Tourists at Washington
from New England States.
Discussion as to Probable Adjourn
ment Of Congress.
What Maine Men Are Doing and Other
Gossip.

Washington. d. c., March 30-(Spec-
iaD-The Easter season here is bring
ing Thousands Of tourists from New
England, many Of them School teach
crs, free for a few days daring the Eas-
ter vacations. a party Of school teach
ers from Lewiston arrived early i'll the
week. The spring weather is just
warming the city. the hazy appearance
is over the Potomac and the Virginia
hills. and then the city Isl lin fun activ-
ity. Congress is just ACCUSING itself
for the final squirt. bcfore adjourn
mCnt. While nearly everybody is
prophcsying May l as the day Of ad-
tournament. some more adventurous
souls are talking about April Il.
Bur it is an ideal time for enjoyment
ut the Capitol city. A more pictures
one time can hardly be found during
u two years period. for only once in
every two years is Congress in session
at this time Of year. Everyone in the
thick of affairs is murrauring because
news is dull and because this is a. do
nothing Congress and yet every few
days there are incidents OF unusual in
tercst and in many ways this session
w Dtls,EtSS w Ill 10 OCNil III IlSioiS
u wonderful session. Final authori2a
ton for the Panama canal has been
given, The fight over the confirmation
of Maj. Gen. Wood has been won. and
n great many events OF a COngreSSiOn-
NJ character have tranSpired which Will
be remembered % years from now
On the other side of the shield, one
might notice that, for the first time in
the history of the government 4 United
states Senator has been convicted of
crime by jury. The session generally
has been Il rather stormy one, even
from the time that the special session
convened last November to put the
Cuban treaty into execution.
On" humorous thing might be men
toned in connection with prophesies
for adjournment. Eight out of every 10
men around the Capitol. including SEN
ators and members, guess May l. But
Congress can not adjourn. May 1. for
that day is Sunday. Possibly there
might be an actual adjournment on
Sunday. but it would be on the legisla-
tive day of Saturday, for Congress
would never Legin Legislative day on
Sunday But the adjournment most
| likely will be along in the middle OF
some week. That is usually the case
with a long session. April Is. the day
that a few fix for adjournment, comes
| on Friday, but Congress has no super
stitions about adiOurnin2 Oil Il day sup
posed to be unlucky.
one Of the visiting editors in town.
| this week, is George W. Norton of the
Portland Evening Express. He came
| to town for a few days recreation and
has been at the Press gallery at the
Capitol two or three times watching the
antics of the statesmen.
Representative Allen has a unique
autograph album here from one of his
constituents in the First Congressional
district, which he has asked Speaker
Cannon to sign. This album has the
signatures of many prominent men in
the history of the country during the
| last 80 years. Its pages are arranged
by states. Such names as those of
" ebster Sumner, Edward Everett, JEFF
ferson Davis, Franklin Pierce, John p.
Hale, William Mckinley, John Sher-
man, Speaker Reed, Hannibal Ham
| liz and Stephen 4. Douglass are writ
ten OH these pages. Mr.. Allen was re-
uunsted to secure the signature of
Speaker Cannon on the Illinois page
ana under that OF Stephen a. Douglass.
Mr.. Cannon complied with Mr.. Aliens
request and the autograph album has
/ been returned to its owner in Maine.
| Autograph albums are numerous
around the Capitol, but non as interest
! ing for historical signatures has APP
pcIrcd here for a long time. The pages
| iii the Senate and House make Il spec
| ialty of collecting autographs and
| they have many interesting books Of
| signatures. but these signatures are all
! Of men of prominence during the pres
| cnt time.
The presence in the city Of eX-Vicc Pres
idcnt Morton of New York. has recalled
| The DAYS of Harrison's administration.
y hitch the average Washingtonian is in
, clinCd to look upon as remote. MI Nor
| tens aged but courtly appearance al but
| encourages such an idea. He wa; much
liked here for his personal characteristics.
Being a very wealthy man he entertained
Ia vshly and thereby made many friends.
As a presiding officer in the Senate he
was always most courteous ana had the
good will of senators on both sides % the
cha amber, although he was not Skillful a
a parliamentarian. 1t is said of him that
lie could not tell the difference between
a bill and a resolution. However. sena-
tors overlooked that because of his kindly
personal qualities and he was given a
verv cordial reception when he entered
the Senate chamber recently.
The former Vice President has property
enough in Washington to make two or
three men wealthy. He owns the Shore
ham hotel, one of the best in the city
which was named after Gov Mortons ma
tive town Of ShOreham. Vermont. He
also has other extensive realty holdings
here
did not anticipate that the assaults Dem
ocra,ic senators are making upon the old
are disability pension order will avail
anything president Roosevelt" said he,
..studied the law and the precedents care
fI,lly before that order was issued by his
SECRETARY Of the interior. The Democrat
ic nrccedent for it in the administrator
~ president Cleveland was known to Mr..
Roosevelt and the recent order was based
upon that. So l can not see how our
Democratic friends are going to make
m,,rh beody-ay in attacking an order such
as their own President issued for vet
Grams of the Mexican war. | am fully
convinced. after more than one talk with
him on the subject, that President Roose-
volt * determined to assist the old sol
diars Of the Civil war just as far as is
nnssihIa far him to secure pensions justly
do tbem He is not a man to be baked
<cortInlled on mage ~