Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-05-27
CAPITAL CHAT.
Continued from Page One.)

average Senators or Representatives
do in an entire session.
Senator Frye's work has been con-
fined almost solely to the Committee
on Foreign Affairs and to the Commit
tee on Commerce. His health has
been good this winter and he has been
at the Capitol almost every day. The
Foreign Relations Committee has
handled a lot of business this winter,
but most of it has been comprised in
measures, important, but relatively of
minor character.
Many bills were put through the
Commerce Committee and through the
Senate under the junior Maine Sena-
tors eye. He has a top notch record
for getting Commerce Committee bills
disposed Of Numerous matters ner-
tanning to shipping have been consid-
cred there during the winter. one Of
the last bills Senator Frye got through,
before ne left for the Maine fishing
grounds, was bill for the relief OF
the people in Hawaii, who want the
passenger provisions of the coastWisc
shipping laws suspended that they
may be able to travel from Honolulu
to San Francisco in other than Ameri-
can built ships.
OF course the junior Maine Senator
gained some distinction for leading
the Taft presidential boom in Maine.
He was one Of the first New England
Senators to come out for Taft ana
much of the Taft work in the Pine
Tree State was done in Senator Frye's
name.
Coming to the Maine delegation in
the House, Representative Burleigh's
big work of the winter has been on the
public building bill. Earlier in the
session he had helped build a bill 70"
the taking of the next Census, which
the House had under consi Grafton
some time ago. Then about the mid
die of the session he and others of
the public buildings committee, settled
down to framing that $33,O0O,OOO omni-
bus measure, which they and a few
Senators have just put the finishing
touches on. 1t is one of the most
| difficult Of all the appropriation bills
to frame.
The Maine Representative in the
House have a large correspondence
with their constituents and do much
running about the Departments-tO the
FoStoflce Departments about rural
routes and fourth class postohices, to
the Pension office for pensions, and so
on. Gov. Bureigh has had an I'M
usual amount of this Departmental
work this winter, which is also true OF
his Maine colleagues in the House.
Representative Littlefield, perhaps,
has devoted as much time to lighting
for the enactment of his anti-jug
nqHor BIN before the judiciary Com
| lnittc@ this winter as to any other
measure. But he has had a very ac-
tive session. great number of i'm
porIant legal and constitutional meas
ureS have COrle before the Judiciary
Committee, where he has been recog-
niZcd as Il leading Republican member.
He rendered the opinion that saved
the White Mountain forest re-
serve bill, as he found Il clever
constitutional argument about pre-
serving the naVigability of rivers,
which was sliced upon at once
BY the friends Of the measure 50 that
legislation is now. as good IS assured.
Mr.. Littleficld has, likewise done mucn
work in the Merchant Marine Com
mittce, but little OF it has brought
forth definite results.
Representative Il Allen, of Alfred.
helped frame the Indian Appropriation
bin, which from beginning to end oc-
cupiGG about three months of time.
1t is one of the most difficult of all
the appropriation bills, because of the
many schemers who seek to get a
hand on the appropriations for the
Red Men in various sections of the
West. Although he declined to be a
member of the District of Columbia
Committee this year, Mr. Allen has
nevertheless paid much attention to
District of Columbia business Many
citizens still come to him with District
matters and, as he is very familiar
with local affairs, he is able to take up
such business more intelligently than
the average member of the House. As
usual Mr.. Allen has done deal of
personal work for his constituents be-
fore the Departments.
Representative Powers devoted HIM
self earnestly to the framing of a cur
rency bill in the House Banking and
work was about half over he was talk
en- i'll and had to go to Rrookline, and
later to his home at Houtlon. He
had taken up a number of important
matters in the Territories Committee,
which he has had charge Of, but his
illness made it necessary to turn these
over to others.