The Republican journal., 1907-01-03
Letter from Washington.

1
The Work Of Senator Hale and Representa-
tive Burleigh. Names Future Represen-
). tation in Congress.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 1, 1907. The
new year has started off briskly in official
Washington. 1t was ushered in with the
New Years reception at the White House.
That is always distinctive function. 1t
marks the inception of the winters activi-
ties. Not until the new year as a rule does
Congress settle down to business.
Now the senators and members are prac-
tically all back here Some from the West
did not come before the holidays. They
argued that little would be done and thew
might as well remain at home month
longer and attend to their private affairs.
The workers are also all back in the depart
ments. Things are humming there. The
big officials are at their desks and keeping
good office hours. The pressure for getting
things done is heavy. Then the weather is
as near ideal as it is at any time during the
year in Washington and the thousands upon
thousands of government employees feel more
like working seven or eight hours daily.
The New Years reception was beauti-
full picture. 1t usually is, for there is al
ways plenty of gold lace and plumes in the
long line of officials who call to pay their
respects. The diplomats array themselves
in magnificent uniforms. No officer of a
gubernatorial staff ever had coats that
would surpass those of the European dip
lomats. Then the officers of the army and
navy are not far behind when they array
themselves in full dress uniform for such a
state occasion as that of New Years re-
ception.
The Maine men were all back in Wash
ington early this week, ready for the recon-
vening of Congress. Some of them remain
ed here during the holiday recess. Senator
Hale went home to Ellsworth for a few
days, but returned here before New Years.
| He has been to the Capitol and at his COM
mttee room almost daily since his return.
He has also been talking things over with
heads of departments with reference to APP
preparation bills that will come under his
charge within a brief time. The senior
Maine Senator has big job ahead of him
this winter in the appropriations room. He
is in fine condition for the tasks however,
and spends no time worrying about what
he has to do.
| Representative and Mrs. Burleigh have
been in Washington during the holidays
| Their daughter, Mrs. Martin, and grandson
Burleigh Martin, a bright young fellow,
who is Freshman at Bowdon College,
have been visiting them at the Richmond
Hotel AS the session of Congress this
winter will be brief, and there is none too
much time for the work that Gov. Burleigh
has before him here, they decided it was
preferable to remain in Wash ngt during
the two weeks and more of the holiday re-
| close of the session.
The River and Harbor Committee has
been holding sessions here during the re-
cess. Gov. Burleigh has been urging two
or three Maine projects before that commit
tee, one being for the further improvement
of the Kennebec river. These matters have
to be followed first of all through the War
Department, for the endorsement Of the
Chief of Engineers, Gen. Mckenzie.
Representative Burleigh has set tongues
wagging in the Census Bureau by asking
the Director, DR.. S. N. d. North, for an es-
innate of the population of the country in
1910 He is a leading member of the House
Census Committee, as the House of Repre-
sentatives has good reason to remember for
the way he put the present apportionment
law through some four years ago. There
has been much speculation as to what Gov
, Burlegh might want of the estimates, but
he himself has explained it by stating that
he wants to look the figures over to form
some idea about what the next airport on
ment of>Representatives will be.
( Maine has had four members of the
| House since 1888 and is assured of four
members, already elected, in the next or
Sixtieth Congress, in the SiXty-frst Con-
gress, and possibly in the Sixty-third Con-
gress. But after that it is a serious queS-
ton whether the States representation will
not be reduced to three members, the small
est it has ever beer since Maine was adj
mtted to the union in 1920 The first Maine
delegation to the National House consisted
of seven men. Every twenty or thirty
years 1iQce then the delegation has been re-
duced by one, because of the slow increase
of population as compared with other
/ States of the union, especially the western
| States.
| AS member of the Census Committee
| Gov. Burleigh will have hand in framing
| the special legislation for taking the next
decennial census. He is in doubt whether
| it will be possible for him to do anything to
assure four members for Maine during the
ten years period following that census, but
he proposes to leave nothing undone to pre-
+, vent further reduction. That is why he
is gathering all the material possible SO far
| ahead. Whatever fight is made in behalf of
| Names representation must be made in the
House and, as Gov. Burleigh is the Maine
member of the Census Committee, the brunt
of the work will fall upon his his shoulders,
although all the Maine delegation will CO.
operate with him to the fullest degree
"Did hear him ask you if | could not be
persuaded to sing?" asked Mrs. Kreech
'You did, dear; and while you were sing
ing he moved the 'not.'' "Moved the
'not?' " Eyes; he moved it in between
persuaded and to. '''-Philadelphia Press.