Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-06-04
CAPITAL CHAT.
More Prominent Maine
People Have Visited Capital
Than at Any Other Session
In Many Years.
Some Have Been on Tariff Errands,
Others on Pleasure.

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during the present session of Congress
than at any other previous session for
years. Some have come on tariff
errands and some purely for pleasure.
that they might enjoy a few days at
the Capital Two former governors
have been here-ex- Gov. John F. Hill,
the Chairman of the Republican
National Committee, and ex-Gov.
Cobb The latter was here earlier in
the session to look after the duty on
lime in which so many Rockland
people are interested Mr. Edward
Kicker has been here two or three
times to see what the prospect might
be for getting a higher duty, placed on
pint and quart bottles in which mineral
waters are imported. States Attorney
Warren Philbrook of Waterville, spent
day here not long ago, visiting Maine
people and incidentally being admit
ted to practice before the Supreme
court of the United States.
| Republican State Chairman Byron
Boyd is one of the latest visitors as
WAS Editor Frank L. Dingley, of the
Lewiston Journal. Preceding them IA
J few days was Oviler l.. Hail. city
editor of the Bangor Commercial. and
Judge Hall, his father, of Augusta.
Thomas Phair, of Presque Isle, has
| been in Washington this spring. The
starch king, of AroOstook, is Interested
of course, in the tariff bin which deals
with the products he manufactures
The list of Maine visitors of the last
two or three months might be ex-
tended. Many of them have been to
the White House and have had an op-
portunity to get acquainted with the
new President All in all it has been
pleasant feature of the extra session
The Maine people here have had better
opportunity to keep in touch with
affairs back home and the visitors
have had opportunity to get a little
better acquainted with Washington
and with men who are conducting the
governments affairs. Usually the
bulk of New England visitors to the
Capital are from Massachusetts, but
in recent weeks Maine has been a
close second Some of the Maine
people have been down to talk with
Treasury officials about plans for pub
lie buildings and for the purchase Of
sites for such structures. Judge Rual
Robinson, of Camden was one of the
latest visitors on public building
Grand
Everybody in Washington is playing
a waiting game, but some are working
harder at it than others. Senator Hale
Is waiting for the last move Of the
opposition to tariff revision to develop.
Senator Frye, who is one Of the most
constant OF Senators in his attendance
~, fla
vote on tariff to be taken.
Over at the House end of the Capitol
the four Maine Representatives are
waiting for the tariff bill to come back.
They do not have to stay on the job
very diligently. Like scores and even
hundreds of other Representatives,
they are simply marking time, attend
ing to the letters that come in from
constituents and doing odd chores
about town against the day when the
House will be humming again with
activity. Uncle Amos" Allen, Of the
first district skipped away from Wash
ington for a few days to plant a few
seeds up at Alfred and look after his
garden He yearned for a sniff of real
Maine air and went away to get it. All
the Maine Representatives have taken |
brief journeys out of town since the
House disposed of the tariff bill and
therefore had nothing to do till the |
Senate was through.
Representative Burleigh Of the |
Third district. was up to the White |
House offices the other day and had
quite a chat with President Taft |
They discussed some matters of Maine
politics in a general way. The Presi-
dent, as the leader of his party, keeps
in touch with developments and as.
certains from time to time the condi-
tions and prospects i'm the states. Gov.
Burleigh reviewed with him the
Republican situation in Maine and also
expressed the hope that the President
would find it possible to visit Maine
during the summer Such a visit is
among the possibilities. The President
may take an automobile run int
Maine some day, while he is making
his home at Beverly or he may take a
sail up the Maine coast. He has both
those contingencies in mind. Three
years ago he had an enjoyable visit to
Maine. on a speaking tour and feels
that he would like to renew his ac-
quantance with the State from the
rear seat of an automobile.
The Maine men are spending their
morning hours generally at their
rooms in the big marble Office building.
There they receive visiting con-
stituents, who happen to be in town,
and attend to current business.
The big Maine figure in Congress
through the weary June days of tariff
deliberations continues to be Senator
Hale. He stays on the watch tower
quite as long as any other Senator
every twenty-four hours and, perhaps,
little longer than any other Senator,
unless it be Senator Aldrich of Rhode
Island. There are three New England
Senators in a row. right in the middle
of the Republican section of the
Senate, all of whom stick it out day
after day, however dreary the speeches
may become. First comes Senator
Aldrich who has a big tariff bill on the
desk before him. He watches every
detail that pertains to that measure
When there is roll call. he has one
Of the long. printed slips bearing the
names of Senators. His clerk, who sits
at his elbow, marks off the votes, as
Senator's respond. Before the result
has been announced, Senator Aldrich
| has glanced down the column and can