Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-04-21


during the last few days in an effort to
adjust the final differences between the
Senate and the House ON the census bill.
The third district congressman is one OF
the House conferees on that bill, the only
one apparently other than the tariff bill,
| which is to be allowed to pass ana become
law during the extra session
It has become one OF the famous bills OF
Congress now. and the General desire is to
get it out OF the way. The makeup of the
bill, providing for the selection OF census
office and census field employees by COM
petitive examinations, is in the form that
Representative Burleigh recommended
from the start. He was averse to antag-
onizing President Roosevelt In the matter
OF selecting these employees, and though
it better for the efficiency OF the census
bureau and from other points OF view to
frame the bill about as President Roose-
welt wanted it, and have the matter re-
moved from the field Of Legislative and
executive controversy. -
Representatives Crumpacker, of Indiana,
who is member OF the ways and means
committee, and Burieigh are the republi-
can conferees on the part Of the House.
Senator LaFollette, who has recently been
made chairman of the census committee
Of the Senate, is the leading conferee on
the part Of the upper legislative branch.
He and Gov. Burieigh have been OF the
same mind about those features OF the bill
for which President Roosevelt contended.
Gov. Burleigh has given careful attention
to census matters during his service in the
House, and has contributed materially to
the adjustment of the difference in lam
guage and provision between the Senate
andHouse bills.
Otherwise, since the passage OF the tariff
bill in the House, the Maine representa-
tives have had little to do, aud have been
at liberty to enjoy the splendid sunshine
days which prevail in Washington ut
this time OF year. 1t is so spring like,
however, that nobody feels very much
in the mood OF mental and physical effort,
and probably nearly all the 391 members
OF the House are entirely willing that the
Senate should do the working for the
legislative department OF the government
for q while.
II Representative Nelson Dingley, OF
Maine, could return to earth and tarry
around Washington a little, he would
have an opportunity to appreciate the
good things that men, who guide the ma
tion's affairs. say about the greatest leg
islative work OF his life Probably no
tariff law was ever more criticised than the
law which bears Che Maine mans name.
But that is on the principle that Presi-
dent Cleveland once enunciated about the
most clubs being under the best APPLE
trees. The wise men around the cIpitol
and IN the departments are emphasizing
to-day, as they never emphasized before,
that the Dingiey law was one OF the best
books.
goodly portion of the 500 law-makers
now in Washington are convinced that il
the Dingiey Law could have bsen left I'M
disturbed, 1t would have produced SUM-
Gent revenue for the needs of the govern
ment, as soon as times revive, and also
that its operation for the next few years
would probably work less injustice than
any other tariff bill which can be enacted
at the extra session. OF course Maine re-
publicans have always been well satisfied
with the Dingley law. But the republic
SAAe .tom many otnef states, including
republicans from some states where there
has been clamor for a revision. are now
realizing that the Dingley law would be
satisfactory, and that it was unwise to
Join In the chorus OF disapprovsl which has
brought on the present revision.
The DinRley law was one OF the best,
probably the best revenue producer. ever
written. The trouble has been not with
the law, but with the enormous increase
in the expenses Of the government. But
that trouble would. mot have been ac-
csntuated in all probability but TOT the
panic and the business depression.
lew will Be just a. mach IKE the Dineley
law = it i poasible. The Senate u steer
ing that way, aqd u s@sking to mako moet
Of the echeduisS the s1dse - thsy have
hseu.. The Senate leaders think that wiser
to-; e launch ost On some untrisd ex-