Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-16
Busy Days For Them
In Washington,
Senator Ha|e's Task In Making
Up the Committees.
Representative BurIsIgh's Work on
Committees and at Departments.

Senator Hale is in the shoes of Speaker
Cannon. 1t has been a part OF the
Eusworth's senator's duties in the last
ten days to make up again the commit
tees for the so-called upper branch of
Congress. He has been digging away
at his committee-room by day. and at
his residence by night. on just the same
kind of work that Speaker Cannon has
been doing at the very same time in
making UP the committees of the
House.
"Chairman of the committee on COM
niittees" is not quite as high-soundlng
a title to the average citizen as Speaker
Of the House of Representatives. None
the less the Senate Republicans con-
ferrcd a very high honor upon Mr.. Hale
when it designated him for the third
consecutive time to say what new COM
mittee places should be bestowed. He
did not want the place nor the extra
work. and protested against accepting,
but the Senate intended he should ac-
cept from the very start, and he had 10
Weld to the wishes of his Republican
colleagues. They want him because he
knows how to do that delicate kind OF
work better than any other senator.
There Is always a committee of SEN
ators to help, but the Maine man, as
chairman, bears the brunt Of the work,
and if any senator has any kick to
make he makes it not to the commit
tee but to it's chairman. However, there
are few senators indeed who would
care TO make rumpuS over anything
Senator Hale had done. His reputation
for fairness Is well established. one
who questioned his decision as to where
he should serve at committee could
not get much sympathy from the Sen
ate.
Probably that is leading reason
why the Republicans wanted Mr.. Hale
10 accept. There are not many men IN
the Senate whose judgment in such
matters would be acquiesced in so
readily. 1t used to be the practice that
one senator should serve only once as
chairman of the committee on commit
tees. Tic practice has been broken IN
Senator Hale's case. and. whether ne
wants 1t or not, there is every propa-
b;lity that he will have to accept at
the beginning of every Congress as
long as he remains in the Senate.
Representative Burleigh came to
Washington this year along with quite
a delegation of New Englanders who
ate their Thanksgiving dinners at
home. AS Thanksgiving was the last
Thursday before Congress opened the
following Monday, this brought them to
town lust a day or two before the ses-
sion opened. The Governor and Mrs.
R1-leigh will live on Vermont avenue
this winter. few doors above the res
idence Of Speaker Cannon
Congressman generally busy them
selves the early part of the session
with setting their official houses in or
der. That means drawing their seats
in the big Hall of Representatives, pay
ing duty calls upon the President, the
Speaker and other high officials. espe-
cially cabinet officers in the depart
ments where the congressman have
more or less business to transact dur
ing the session.
Among the calls that Gov. Burleigh
paid was one at the Office of Secretary
Strauss. of the department of COM
merce and labor. and at the office OF
Secretary of the Treasury Cortelyou.
The census bureau, with which Gov.
Rurleigh has been in close touch almost
ever since he came to Congress, Is I'M
der the Jurisdiction of the department
OF commerce and labor. All of the leg
station, under which the census bureau
operates, has been considered and ap-
proved by the census committee of
which Gov. Burleigh Is the second Re-
publican member. 1t will have more or
less legisla ton to consider at the COM
ing session, If President Roosevelts
recommends ton, as embodied in his
annual message, for provision fer TAX
Ing the next census, is carried out, as
is probable.
The committee on public buildings and
grounds has much to do with the
treasury department, which supervises
the construction Of public buildings af-
ter these are authorized by Congress
The bills for these buildings originate in
Gov. Burleigh'S committee. and in re-
cent years he has had immediate charge
of all public building legislative pro-
jects in New England.
During the first days session of the
House. Senator Crane, of Massachu-
sets. came over from the north end OF
the Capitol and spent quite while Wis
iting with the representative from the
Third Maine district. They are persona
as we'll as political friends. and CO.
operate frequently in matters at thu
Capitol.
The passage of the service pension bill
has not materially lessened the volume
of business which members of Congress
have at the pension bureau. The Thirt
Maine district, like many other con
gressional districts with a large popu.
lation of ex-soldiers, comprises con-
siderable constituency that is interest
ed in pensions. Gov. Burleigh has al
ways given very close attention to pen
sion matters. in the way of looking III
pending claims. and ascertaining wha
could be done to further their adjudica
ton.
Just now many of the Third Distric
veterans are anxious to have their ser
vice pensions awarded. The money viii
be paid from the date the application
are filed, but this does not lessen tn
earnestness of the beneficiaries to Sc
the government warrants on which the,
can secure the long green" Gov
Burleigh visited Commissioner Warne
last week, and called up two or thre
scores of pension claims which Main