Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-01-25
FROM WASHINGTON.
Maine Representative Much Sought
After - The Swayne Case - Civil
Service Examinations

After - The Swayne Case - Civil
Service Examinations.
WASHINGTON, ID G, Jan. q (-pscisil-
One man very much sought after ia the
House OF Representatives this week hss
been the man from the third Maine dis
trict. "wbere is Burle'ghf" asks . mem
Der from Massachusetts,. ~ must see hin
to-day about that public bulldog In my
district" SLOW long ago did Burleigh
leave heref" inquiries another Of the door.
keepers. al shall stay right here TIL be
| returns. Thst committee OF his 10 work.
ing out It's public building bill, and I
want to show him how important Il Il to
US to have that proisc, OF mine go In"
Those are only examples OF what Gov.
Bnrleigh has been going through Tor sew
ersl days, and not only the governor but
a se or six other mem bers who have an In
fiuential position on the public buildings
committee. The late Representative MIL
liken. who was chairman OF the committee
many years, had to go through the same
experience about every two years, or
whenever the committee was going to get
out a bill. In MillIken's time the House
had not undertaken to "omnious" Its
public building bills, and only such bills
or as many bills as the speaker thought
the funds 10 the treasury would stand.
were allowed to pass. Once under the
great pressure brought to besr upon him,
Mr.. Miliiken let q few more bills slip
through than Speaker Rsed had said. The
result was sulphuric. The old members
tell about 1t to this day.
Now all the bills are put into one bill In
the committee, and consequently the but
tonholing of members is something I'M
examplsd, except on the rivers and har-
bors committee, where the leading mem.
bers are pulled and hauled every which
way to consent to various projects. 1t 10
by no means certain yet that there will be
any omnibus public buildings bill, but
the members think there will be. Speak.
er Cannon has said that, II the bill Is
allowed to pass, the total must be very
small. That increases the contention
among the members for the favor OF those
on the committee
Gov. Burieigh is the chairman of one OF
tHS "bfSh hhs VI
bills from one section Of the country, In
Guiding New England. For these reasons
the pressure upon him is very great, al
most as great as upon the chairman. He
welcomes the day when the bill will be
completed and the occasion for importu-
mites from the members past.
"a L.
Representatives Burle.gh and Powers,
have been CO operating to aid several
visitors here from the coast OF the Pine
Tree State, seeking the adoption OF q
patent boat. State Representative
Newcomb, Of Eastport, came at the head
OF the delegation, which included Mr..
Pike and Mr.. Myers, OF Lubec, and Mr..
Capen, of Esstport. They sought hear
ing before the proper authorities about
their appliance end secured 1t promptly.
When two such men as Gov. Burieigh
and Gov. Powers touch elbows and join in
pushing any particular cause here in
Washington things la front OF them are
apt to give way. They know how to go
about task, and vii b them every stroke
counts. Both are excsllent business men,
and both have ths confidence OF the
House.
The two were sitting at the entrance OF
the House to-day, going over q batch Of
pspsr- together, these papers aft scting
pu bile business. The mem bers passing 10
and out OF the hall stopped to exchange
greetings, aud some remarked upon the
fact that two governors from one state
are rarely in Congress together. In fact
there are but few ex-governors IN the
mem bership Of the House, alt housh there
are many ex-governors In the Senate.
That particular day everybody was dis
cussiny the features of the SSayne i'm.
peschment case and the mastery argu-
ment that Representative LittlefsId has
delivered.
81 think the House has made muss OF
this case. Swsyne never ought to have
been impeached on such slight evidence
observed Gov. Powers. ~ am going to
vote against the whole business"
"That's just what / am going to do
said Gov. Burleigh. 81 am going to cast
of that proce sding in just as emphatic q
way as possibly eau"
They separated and Gov. Burleigh
walked along the corridor TO a window
recess 10 discuss matters with anot her
gentleman. He encountered Representa-
tive Stevens, of s.. Paul, who has spent
good part Of his life along the Maine
coast.
II think the House has handled that
Swayne case 10 shameful manner, gov
ernor," said Mr.. Stevens. AZ am going to
vote against be articles of impeac hment,"
all OF which goes to show how Maine men
who get to Congress are generally pretty
much OF the same way Of thinking about
important public quest ions.
This Is tie season OF the year when the
government is preparing examinations
for thousands OF young people through