The independent-reporter., 1909-12-30
OUR MAINE MEN
At WASHINGTON
Scattered For The
Holiday Season
What the Maine Representative Have
30 DO.

inc Mdihs loihht "ub 1oiHf "
Washington during the session of
Congress. have scattered for the holi-
days. Several of them have gone to
their homes Senator Hale has gone
to Boston for a few days in the more
vigorous northern air. He seems TO
like Boston better than Washington
as a place for rest from legislative
labors. Senator Frye is tarrying here
at present but will probably get over
to New Jersey to visit his grand
daughter before New Years, for Con-
gress does not reconvene till Tues
day. January 4, and there is nothing
to occupy him till that time. He
improved the opportunities before the
holidays to get number of small
bills out of his committee on COM
merce and thus start them on the
way through the legislative mill
In advancing the scores of little
bills affecting commerce upon the
seas, Senator Frye is a wonder. He
had his committee called together
early and persuaded the senators
thereof to agree to bill to construct
vessel for the customs service in the
vicinity of Portland, Me-, and also to
agree on a bill for the construction
of a lighthouse tender for the en-
gineer of the first and second light
house districts, which include the en-
tire coast of Maine and of New Hamp
shire and Massachusetts.
Representative Burleigh of the 3rd
District has returned to Maine for
the holidays and is with his family at
Augusta. He cleared up his work in
cident to the first two weeks of the
session and visited several of the de-
partments to dispose of the numerous
errands entrusted to him by his con-
stituents. He was one of the two or
three New England congressman bid
den to the recent annual fall dinner
at the Gridiron club, which is usual
! ly regarded as a big event of the
early weeks of a session OF Congress-
The President, most of the members
of his cabinet and a large contingent
from official life. invariably attend
this banquet given by newspaper
correspondents Good fun and mer-
riment prevail All are on an equal
ty and the big officials, even to the
President have to submit to the
roasting"
The committees of which Gov. Bur-
leigh Is a member have held no meet
ings yet, but they have considerable
business ahead this winter. The CEN
| sus committee keeps a lookout over
the plans for taking the census and
the public buildings and grounds
committee already has a big grist of
public buildings bills on its calendar.
1t Is to be determined after the holi-
days what the policy shall be this
winter with reference to big public
building bill to cover numerous pro-
jects, including several already
brought forward in Maine. Gov. Bur-
leigh holds the ranking Republican
seat, next to the chairman on each OF
those committees.
Representative Guernsey of the
Fourth district, has gone back to
Dover for the holidays. While he was
here he took up to the treasury de-
partment an official recommendation
for the denomination of Bill" Sewall,
the friend of ex-President Roosevelt,
to another term as collector Of Gus
toms in the Houlton district and also
attended meeting or two of the ter
ritories committee, which has been
considering a bill to amend the land
laws of the territory of Hawaii. MIR.
Guernsey Is now one of the common
council of the District of Columbia,
as the House committee on the Dis
trict of Columbia is known. That
committee grinds out measures by the
bushel every session, although they
partain solely to the government of
the strip of land along the north
shore of the Potomac in which the
federal capital Is located
Representative Allen of the 1st di-
trict helps make up the annual In
dian appropriation bill and that In
dian committee has been sitting early
and late getting it's bill into shape.
Mr.. Allen likes Washington's climate
in winter and he is sticking close to
base during the holidays.
Representative Swasey of the End
district that used to be represented
by Mr.. Littlefield, participated in
some of the powwows of the merchant
marine and fisheries committee over
the framing of ship subvention bill
and has also been poring over the pa
-----------------------------