The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1906-01-18
Letter from Washington.
The Bill to Abolish Compulsory Pilotage.
Appointments of Maine Postmasters.
Public Buildings. The Presidents Flu
ture S0n-in-LaW.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. To- One of the |
hardest fights Maine shipping interests
have participated in here for years has I,
been that of the past two weeks on the bill
to abolish compulsory pilotage for sailing |
vessels in Southern ports. The bill was
early in the session by Repre-
Littlefeld, who has had the earn
est support of Representative Burleigh and
other members of the Maine delegation.
years, but it was only in the last Congress
that it was favorably reported. The action,
however, came too late to permit of action
in the Senate and House. This time the
Maine men decided to get the bill reported
early, with the idea that they would be
more successful in securing its enactment
into law.
The hearings before the Merchant Marine
Committee. covering two days, were splrlted
in the exit eme President Fields S. Pendle-
ton of the Atlantic Carriers Association,
who lives in New York, but spends much OF
his time on the Maine coast, and E. Z.
Plummer of Bath, secretary of the Carriers
AVA SAAo ~---'
They were met by Capt. j. Edward O'Brlen,
president of the American Pilots Assocla-
ton, who has lived in Washington during
sessions of Congress for several years, re-
sisting all efforts to pass bill aboElshing
compulsory pilotage fees. The southern
pilots, who are able to compel sailing YES
sells to pay extortionate pilot fees because
CT at
hesitated at nothing which would stay the
legislation. They are truthful enough in
talking and associating with vessel owners
and others interested in the bill, when
meeting in the Capital corridors or in the
hotel Hobbies, but no eXaggeration or mis-
representation is too strong for them in the
committee room. They have been determ-
med to defeat the bill by hook or by crook
They have been met in the most determ-
med fashion. Their misrepresentation
before the Merchant Marine Committee
were branded as plain lies. AS the South
ern pilots few years ago shreWdly got
under the protection of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor, they have tried to enlist
the power of that great organization against
the bill. But while the campaign for the
abolition of unjust fees is not yet over, the
prospects were never so bright as now. 1t
is not unlikely that the bill will become
law before the Fifty-ninth Congress adj
journs.
President Roosevelt has decided upon
four reappointments of postmasters for
Maine towns and cities, as endorsed by
;rJ, acta I'm
V. Lane is to have another four years term
at Augusta, which is now the second largest
office in the State 1t pays salary of $1,000
year. William Fennelly of Bar Harbor is
to have another term, the salary there being
$4,000. 1t is Presidential office OF what is
known as the second class. George W.
Gouldng's reappointment as postmaster at
Oakland has also been determined upon. 1t
is Presidential office of the third class and
pays $1,000 a year. Then Oramel Murray
of Pittsfield is to be reappOinted to an office
that pays S1,S00 a year, it being, like Oak
land, Presidential office of the third class
These appointments constitute the largest
batch for Maine that has gone to the Senate
for considerable time.
buildings committee of the House, just eff
fected Gov. Burleigh is given large range
of important assignments. There is sub
committee, composed of Chairman Bar
tholdt. Gov. Burleigh and Representative
Howell of New Jersey, Republicans; and
Representatives Bankhead of Alabama and
Brantley of Georgia, Democrats. who will
bau Df a n
other subcommittee. They will virtually
draw the omnibus public buildings bill.
which will carry a total of about $15,000,O00
Their subcommittee also has immediate
supervision over public building bills in
troduced by members from Missouri, from
which State Chairman Bartholdt comes,
and bills for the District of Columbia, A las
ka, Hawaii and Porto Rico. Then there is
a subcommittee called No. >, of which Gov.
Burleigh is chairman and Representatives
Conner of Iowa and Minor Of Wisconsin,
Republicans and Bankhead and Brantley,
Democrats, the other members, which takes
immediate charge of bills for buildings in
New England, Alabama and Ohio. There
is still another subcommittee, No ), COM
posed of Representatives Martin, Burleigh,
Andrus, Republicans, and johnson and
Bowers, Democrats, which takes charge of
building bills for the Dakotas, Idaho, Ore
gon, Washington, New York and Missis-
sippi AS Gov. Burleigh is the only old
member of the subcommittee from the East
he will say in large part what shall be done
on public buildings not only in New Eng
land but in New York State as well.
The most interesting young man in the
House of Representatives today is Mr..
Nicholas Longworth, of Cincinnati, who is
to marry President RoosevelL's daughter.
He is very well liked among his colleagues.
During the past summer, as is we'll known,
he and Miss Roosevelt were of "a party that
accompanied Secretary Taft to the Philip
pines. 1t has been generally supposed
that Mr.. Longworth was so busy counting
Miss Roosevelt on that trip as to have
learned little about the conditions of that
distant archipelago. However, few days
ago he arose to make a speech i'll the House.
He had never distinguished himself as d
speaker in the House, but he Immediately
had an attentive audience because every
one wanted to hear what kind of d speech
mic" Longworth could make on the
Philippine tariff bill.
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