Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-01-30
FROM WASHINGTON.
Senator Hale and the Navy Lobbyists
Gov. Burlei9h Busy.

1 w ASnlNdIONs y. SsS JAN % tokSShoAY
Senator Hale, within few days, has been
stirring up the officers of the navy. A
| considerable contingent of those officers
from the rank OF ensign up to the rank OF
admiral find ways of getting themselves
stationed in Washington. The duties
| here are light, but the officers get busy in
| short order, urging Congress to do this
| thing and that thing, to increase salaries
and to tighten the duties of the naval ser
| vice. As every naval officer was appointed
to the navy academy by some senator or
| member, he usually has little pull, and
| he goes to the capitol to importune for
| the favors the navy wants.
Recently it has been the personnel bill.
The navy officers want Congress to create
reserve, to which officers can be retired,
so that younger men will command ships.
There are probably some good features in
the proposition. 1t is generally conceded
that officers attain to command too late in
life to be of the greatest service to the
government. OF course all the officers are
for it, especially all the younger officers,
for it would mean that every mothers son
of them would become an admiral If he
lived long enough.
committee, thinks, and justly so, that he
knows as well what ought to be done for
the navy as lot Of officers who are seek
ing promotion for their own selfish ends.
He does not like to have them haunting
the corridors of the capitol and button
holing members of Congress. 1t is
automatic around the big white dome that
no young naval officer is brave enough to
penetrate to Senator Hale's inside COM
| mittee room and discuss naval legislation
| with him. The youngster would get some
wholesome advice. and would not be
| anxious to repeat the venture.
But officers, in numb ers, have been try
| ing to circumvent Senator Hale by win
| ming votes in the Senate for their person.
mel bill, although it is taken for granted
\ that Senator Hale's committee will think
| the subject too large a one to be consid-
/ cred at this brief session OF Congress.
They have become so bold in their opera
| tions, and have effected such close or
| ganization that the senior Maine senator
| thought it high time to give them a scarce.
Accordingly he introduced resolution,
citing an executive order by President
Roosevelt Jan. 81, 1902, against solicita-
ton for legislation by officers and en-
! ployees of the government, and also citing
the navy regulations on the subject, and
| asked for an investigation by the secre-
tary of the navy to ascertain whether the
order is being violated by any of the Of
| ficers of his department.
The press dispatches indicated that MIR.
Hale's resolution ,as not received as cor
daily in the Senate as he might like. On
the contrary, he accomplished with it the
| very purpose he had intended. That was
an agitation of the subject before the Sem
ate, and a discussion by senators pro and
con, all of which would call attention
| anew to the regulations and impress upon
naval officers the offenses they have been
committing.
| On Mr.. Hale's own motion the resolu-
tion of inquiry was referred back to his
own committee, and probably nothing
| more will be heard of it. Senators did not
like to commit themselves to the idea that
a navy officer should not, under any cir
cumstances, consult with his congressional
| friend about legislation that would fur
| Their his own professional prospects. But
! the agitation OF the subject of navy lob
| bying has cleared the capitol corridors OF
| these officers, and some of them are a
| little more attentive to their duties in the
| department.
When President Roosevelt issued his
| order in 1902 it was intended to apply to
letter carriers and postal clerks, who had
been maintaining lobby here in Wash
ington, and even threatening to defeat for
reelection members who would not vote
them an increase in pay. They did get
revenge upon Representative Loud, OF
committee, whom they defeated for re-
election.
The effect of the order was to clear the
corridors of the capitol of letter-carriers
Mr.. Hale thinks ii the letter carrier:
should have been forbidden to lobby fol
legislation naval officers should be denied
the privilege of lobbying. He had OPP
portunity during the debate to show very
effectually what the navy officers haC
been doing.
Representative Burleigh has recently
completed an important task as member
of commission to investigate and repor
regarding proposed additions to the park
of Washington. This has become press
ing local issue, SO that Congress last yea
authorized commission of senators ant
members, Gov. Burleigh being the secont
of the House commissioners.
The report, which was drawn in con
siderable part by Gov. Burleigh, has beef
presented to the House. 1t favors buying
three or four tracts of land on Meridal
; hill, Pennsylvania avenue heights ant
Georgetown heights for the enlargement
of Rock Creek park. Many Civil war vet
, Grams in Maine, who, camped on the hill
north and northwest of the White Hous
during their sojourns in Washington
, will remember the locations. In thos
days all that country was open, but sine
then the city has been built up to Rocl
| creek, where there Is now one OF the larg
est and one of the most beautiful park
of the country.
, Gov. Burleigh took leading part il
examining into the prices asked for tn
land and in assuring himself that tn
purchases could be made for figures tina
are not excessive. In the course of tn
commission investigation, Gov. Burleigl
!. also made thorough inspection of tn
park system of Washington, and advanced
numerous ideas regarding the future
needs of the city for park privileges
which were of advantage TO the commits
sion.
Gov. Burleigh has been taking up will
the postofiice department several rura
free delivery cases for the third district
He has few petitions for new routes
and likewise for changes in the present
routes, that patrons may have their mai
\ delivered more conveniently. The de-
partmental authorities are considering
| these requests, and before he returns tC
| Maine at the close Of the session Gov
| Burleigh expects to be able to announce
several postal matters OF interest to his
constituents along the Mains coast.