Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-11
CAPITAL Chat,
Names Full Delegation
on Hand.
Senator Hale is the Floor Lead
er Of the Senate.
How the Maine Members Are Se!t.
ing Down to Work.

because MANY 1cel tndt they can Well
be spared II this time, when there is
little impCrt@nt legislation pending and
when both houses are engaged in dis
posing of preliminary matters.
All the Maine men, how. yer, came
here for ACTIVE work, fisurativcly took
off their coats. and set about il. None
Of them had his ardor for work at the
short session cooled by defeat at the
November election, as was the case
with numerous representatives ana
Senators from other states. The short
sessions are quite rs important to the
Maine lawgivers as are the long ses-
sions, for they are engaged on a con-
tinuous job TO represent their con-
..tituents, contingent only upon
efficient work and good behavior. The
result, of course, is that the Maine
constituencies are represented here all
The time, whereas many constituencies
tnat change their Congressman often,
are likely to get about only one years
work for two years pay, because the
moment a Congressman is dropped he
is anxious to be looking around for
something else to do and neglectS the
duties of his remaining months of
cIIice.
Il sounds almost like reiteration to
saw that Senator Hale is turning off
bushels Of work. He has been doing it
50 long that it has come to be expected
of him and causes but little comment.
The Senator returned to Washington
this year in his usual robust health.
He is the strongest and the healthlest
9 ,f CAnn a n
which stands him in good stead for
the duties that are put upon him. with
Senator Allison absent because Of in
firmities. the duties of the appropria-
ton craftsmanship fall upon Mr.. Hale.
that Craftsmanship being the most ar
duclie in the Senate. Mr.. Hale also
has the duties Of the acting chairman
ship OF the Republican steering com
mittee, which means that he is rrc"g-
niZeG as the floor leader Of the Senate.
Senator Frye's friends were gratiiied
that he returned to Washington i'll inn
proved health. I'll" big River and
Harbor .,iA. which the House is plan
ming to pass, will be entrusted to Sena-
tor Frye's charge. when it reaches the
Senate That will probably be along
' ;
there is a lot Of preliminary work
about il and Senator Frye already has
that preliminary work by the collar.
The Name members are all stopping
at their old places of residence in
Washington. Gov. and Mrs. Burleigh
are at the Richmond. Among her
many friends in Washington there was
much satisfa elton at seeing Mrs. Bur
leigh return. fully recovered from hcr
serious illness of last season. Gov.
I'urlcigl. interchangeable in looking after
his constituents, has been plodding
around the departments every fore
| noon during the past week looking af-
ter matters affecting the old Third
district. Many Of his visits have
been to the big red brick building on
Judiciary squa,'e ana up the long stairs
| that lead to the commissioners office.
| That is whcra the pension cases are
considered and where Gov. Burlcigh
goes to see if the applications of his
soldier constit uents can not be has
tened to an adjudication. He calls for
| the papers diSccrns with an expert
cnced eye what is necessary to hurry
the case along and then goes tor it..
Perhaps the soldier has not filed all
| the necessary proof Then Gov Bur
| leigh writes back to Maine informing
| the applicant of that fact Perhaps
the case is only waiting for the de-
| CSiOa of the examiners. Then Gov
Eurlcigh asks the Pension Commissions
| CT or one of his deputies to give the
| case n boost and that is done unless
there are very good reasons Ia the con-
! trary.
Early i'm the week Gov. Eurleigh had
| 4 conference with Speaker Cannon. at
which they went over several matters
| affecting the work of the present SEES
! sion.
Representative LittlnGcid. too. has
been very busy man. He jumped
| into the breach. at Speaker Cannon's
| request. with the Pilotage Bill. The
| Speaker thought it should be taken MP
| carly i'll the session. if at all The,
| time was not altogether opportune hut
| Mr.. Littlefcli made the hest possible
| fight for the measure He is not dig
Outraged because the bill was defeat
co. 1t will be taken up again next
year with hopes of better success. Mr..
|
| meetings Of the Merchant Marine Com
mittec trying 10 save all he can of TIN,
| shin Subsidy Fill. The difficulty with
this as with the Pil0tage Bill is thai
the middle western members have no
| interest in marine matters. They are
willing to slaughter shipping meas
IRE that benefits the New England
| coast. certain that they have votes
enough without those of New England
to carry through the particular leSis-
| latiVe measures their section wants.
Representatives Powers and Allen
are both Industrious department work.
ers and they have been at it all the
| week. Gov. Powers committees have
not been sitting the past week, but
there are Z number of matters for him
to handle in the Territories Committee.
which Will be at work soon. Mr.. Allen
probably has more committee work
than any other member Of the dclega-
ton in the House. because he belongs
to the District Of Columbia Committee
which is always deluged with local