The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1906-03-08
Letter from Washington.
Burleigh's influence in Legis-
lation. Distribution of Fower and Gar
den Seeds

den Seede.
Correspondence of The JOurnal.]
WASHINGTON, d. c., Mar 5. Few members
of the National House have grown more rap
idly and substantially in the esteem of their
colleagues and in influence in the shaping
of important legislation than the member
from the Third Maine district. 1t has been
particularly noted at this session. He knows
practically every member of the House. He
has occupied the same seat for several years;
in fact, for the major part of the time he has
been in the House. The sight of him at his
desk, in the third row from the rear. just off
the center aisle, has become as much fix
ture in the minds of members as the Speak
er at his rostrum, gavel in hand. 1t is
favorite location with Governor Bur
leigh. He is strong on keeping acquainted
with the membership of the House. AS
nearly everybody passes there during the
day he has an opportunity daily to speak
with nearly every Republican and Democrat
of the 1856, and he also has opportunity to
keep in touch with what they are thinking
about and what they are doing. They also
get to know him as well as he gets to know
them, and when he starts out to accomplish
anything it is like starting out to ask ones
friends to help. At the present session
there have Teen many new members, be-
cause of the great Republican landslide.
But Gov. Burleigh has already become ac
quainted with the new members, numbering
something over 100 men, and works along
~ az
much as though they were all, like himself,
old timers. His wide acquaintance and his
faculty for making friends with everybody
accounts largely for his unusual influence in
the House. Constant in his attendance on
the sessions, he keeps in touch with meas
ures quite as much as with men. In these
characteristics he is quite like Senator
Crane of Massachusetts,, who, although
new Senator, has attained to influence in
that branch because he made it point to
become acquainted at once with every Sena-
tor. Many of the influential men at that
end of the Capitol have never pretended to
make the acquaintance of all the ninety
Senators. Mr.. Crane thought it was good
thing to do, although the effort was by no
means as difficult as to get acquainted with
more than four times as many. 1t simply
demonstrates that no man with a vote in
Congress likes to be overlooked.
Whenever New England members of the
House get into tight place and want to
marshal votes for or against a measure that
affects their section of the country, they al
most invariably look up EX-Gov. Burleigh
of the third Maine district and ask him to
ascertain what can be done. AS rule the
New England State delegations do not pull
together very well, and accordingly it is
only when some special New England bill
comes up that they are found touching
elbows. Massachusetts. for instance hav-
ing the largest delegation from that part of
the country, wants to go it alone. But the
bill now pending to consolidate custom
low up many of the smaller collectors,
strikes especially at New England. Maine
is much affected by the proposed legislation |
So is Massachusetts.
1t began to look pretty dark for those |
small collectors, Chairman Payne of the |
"
bill, which had been virtually drawn by |
Secretary Shaw. With such prestige,
when Speaker Cannon and |
Chairman Tawney, of the appropriations
favored it, the bill stood good |
chance of passing. Senator Hale might |
have stopped it over in the Senate, but there
are many legislative loads on the back of |
The senior Maine senator and naturally the |
members of the Maine delegation in the
House feel that it is their duty to tighten
hem as much as possible. SO without any
blowing of trumpets, Gov. Burleigh quietly
set about seeing what could be done to pre-
tent the enactment of the customs reorgan-
zation bill in the House.
Nobody has ever found out just how the
Governor went about it. He was busy sew
.ral days moving about the House, on both
tides of the center aisle, invading first the
Republican cloak room and then the Demo
ratio cloak room, getting up combination
# members who would make majority
Is the opponents of the bill knew his
leverness in managing such things they
eft the work to him. After nearly week
# hard work he told those most concerned
hat he guessed it was all right now. 1t
vas not long after that Chairman Payne in
7ited a test and the Governors word prov
ID true. He has been much congratulated
N his success.
With all the great measures now under
in Senate and House-rail-
Dad rate regulation, Philippine tariff bill,
bill, and appropriation measures
hat carry many millions of dollars, there
s one little item that no Senator or member,
Except those of the latter class who live in
titles, is overlooking. Not day passes
tut what one sees clerks passing some
where in the corridors loaded down with
title franked slips, about two by four
inches. Many of these little slips are piled
n desks and tables in the committee rooms
lien and women clerks are kept busy con-
ulting broad pages of addresses and writ
ng names on the slips in legible letters.
There are literally millions of the Slips and
literally millions of the addresses.
Some of the slips will soon be reaching
he farmers down in the third Maine dis
riot, and for that matter the farmers all
yer Maine. They will be pasted on small
packages, which contain flower and garden