Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-20
CAPITAL CHAT.
Progress Of Maine Mem :
bers Of National House.
A PerusaI of the Makeup OF
Past Committees.
Names important Part In the Coun.
try's Legislation.

Washington. D. c.. March 90
Especially The progress of their men,
bers in the National House is always 4
subject of keen interest in Maine. a
State that keeps electing men in the
expectation that they will amount to
something because of their prolonged
| tenure. Naturally enough the old
four. who attained such distinction.
constitute the basis for all compare
sons. But when the growth of the
members of that delegation, including
Reed, Dingley, Milliken and Boutelle,
| is compared with the growth in influ-
ence of the newer and present delega-
| ton, there are many reasons for
qualification to those who have pride
in the old Pine Tree State.
| To that end Il comparison of what
the famous four members from Maine
We're doing during the Fiftieth Con-
gress, Democratic Congress that it
Vas. with what the present four MEM
bers were doing in the Congress just
closed, is not without interest. AT
the adjournment of the Fiftieth Con-
gress. March 5. 1859, Mr.. Reed had
rounded out twelve years of service
as amember OF the National House
from the first Maine district. Mr..
Dingley. as member from the Sec
| Ond district, had concluded eight
years of service in the same body. Mr..
Milliken and Boutelle from the third
and fourth districts respectively, had
concluded, each six years of service
March 3 last Mr.. Allen completed six
years of service; Mr. Littleiield. six
| GDvarpnr Enrlpiph almost
eight years; and Governor Powers.
four years. not counting the two years
he served back in the Forty-ffth Con-
gress. These figures are in round
numbers for all four were first chosen
at special elections. because of the
death or designations of their prede-
cesosrs but as far as service at legis-
lative sessions are concerned the fig
ures are accurate.
The committee positions that Maine
held in the Fiftieth Congress were. on
the whole. not so good as those held
by the present delegation i'm the Con-
gress just passed. The only excep-
| ton was in the case of Mr.. Reed. who
| then, after twelve years in the House
almost as long as any two of the
present Maine MEMBERSHIPS forging
rapidly to the front as a leader He
| had been recognized as the worthiest
man to assume the mantle of Pig
Iron" Kelley of Pennsylvania. then
becoming an old man, too feeble to
stand the brupt of the minority work
on the floor. All of Names places OIL
committees in that Congress were
| minority places, as it was Il Demo-
cratic Congress. Mr.. Reed was third
on the ways and means minority, be-
| ing ahead of Mckinley, who became
| President and of Burrows, who is now
a Senator from Michigan. Mr.. Reed
was also first on the minority of the
rules committee, but the rules COM
mittee then was Il committee OF COM
| paratively little importance to what it
| has grown to be under the new rules.
| which Mr.. Reed. when he became
sneaker, inaugurated.
During that Fiftieth Congress, Mr.
Dingley had but two committee as
signments. He was first of the minor
ity on both the banking and currency
and the merchant marine and fisheries
| committee. Mr. Milliken, from the
third district was the first minority
member both on the public buildings
| committee ana Oil tHc NoiIiHitICC VII
exncndi,ur on public buildings. Mr..
Routelle was fourth on the naval at
fairs committee and had but one COM
mittee assignment.
| of course when the Fifty-first Con-
gross was elected during the Presi
Dental wear of 1888 and proved to be
Renublican by a small majority. the
| chances of the Maine members doomed
up immensely with the election of Mr..
Reed to the Speakership. That made
decided change in all the committee
| nlaces and the minority representation
| An a,cb became the nucleus of ma jor-
;,v renresontation. There can appar-
| ant,y no no such rapid advancement
| for the Maine members in the next
| uousa because it is to be Republican.
| lust like it's predecessor ana the Speak
| ershin will remain with Illinois. But
none the less the Maine members are
assured of being moved up materially.
although their aggregate continuous
serv;ce tn date is but "a years as COM
n,red with an aggregate service of 81
years for their predecessors at the end
Of the Ffftieth Congress.
And vet a glance at the committe
nositions of the Maine members in the
EYfty-eightth Congress. just closed,
COMPARES most favorably with the po-
sitions of the Maine members in the
Eiftietb Congress. Representative AL
ian was the third member on two COM |
,,ittaas-tbat on alcoholic liquor traf- |
g. ,rd tho District of Columbia. He |
3. III, .oyanth member of the commit |
tee on reform in the civii service. OF
these the district committee is desir-
able one, being an important House
committee. The other two are of minor
importance. From the second district,
NJ I.;tt,af,e,d was fifth on the judici-
airy committee, sixth on the committe
en- revision of the laws and seventh
on the merchant marine and fisheries
<.ad On Page Three.l