The Republican journal., 1909-02-04
Washington Letter.
Especial to The Journal.]

WASHINGTON, u. u, y an. 81. MOSC Oh
the official world of the capital city is
settling down for several months resi-
dence here, lasting we'll into the summer.
For, while the days of the present admin
istration are rapidly waning and the ses-
sion of Congress will soon be nearing a
close, the new administration will be
treading on it's heels and with it will
come a new and special session of Con-
gress.
Ordinarily the Maine men in Washing
ton would now be making their plans to
get home or at least to get away from
Washington. But there will be only
about ten days interim between the adj
iournment Of Congress and the recon
vening by proclamation of President
Taft. The Maine Congressman have a
very lively interest in the extra session.,
because it is to revise the tariff, in which
Maine industries and very many Maine
people are greatly interested. For that
reason most of the Maine delegation will
remain right here during the interim.
The Maine members of the House, head
ed by Representative Burleigh, will seek
to secure the best terms possible in the
new tariff bill, after which, when it is
passed along to the Senate, Mr.. Hale
will take a hand toward securing even
better concessions, if they are needed
He will be one of the leading men in the
makeup of the tariff bill as the Senate
wants it, because he is a member of the
finance committee, where the House bill
will be revised.
Maine men have been alert to the i'm
portance of the tariff schedules ever since
the work Of framing the new bill began.
Several have come here at intervals dur
ing the hearings. Others have commu-
nicated with different members of the
States delegation so that the latter are
now in possession of adequate informa-
ton regarding what will be satisfactory
Senator Hale some weeks ago was wit
ness before the House Committee regard
ing certain ScneuuleS.
Mai. Herbert NJ Lord of the army,
formerly of Rockland Maine, has had
much to do as committee employee, with
the makeup of the new bill. He was
clerk of the Ways and Means Committee
during the encumbency of the late Nelson
Dingley of Maine, as its chairman. Maj
Lord became so much of tariff expert
that the committee drafted him from the
army months ago to aid in the collection
and compilation of necessary information.
This has been quiet winter for most
Senators and Representative in Con-
gress. Up to date Congress has been
much occupied in talking against time
and none of the Maine Senators or Maine
Representatives are long on that accom-
plishment. They talk when they have
something to say;otherwise they permit
the transaction of public business to pro-
ceed
The ordinary tasks of the Maine Con-
gressmen at Washington do not differ
materially from winter to winter.
Whatever the days bring forth in requests
from constituents the Maine men give
their attention to and try to keep their
desks clear. All of them have had a
little legislation to take care of but not
enough to rush them, because this is pre-
eminently winter of appropriation
bills and Senator Hale is the only Maine
man serving on an appropriations COM
mittee.
Representative Burleigh has had his
full share of activities, along with the
other Maine men here. He handles his
correspondence, which is quite large
everything considered, from his room in
the House Office Building. He goes
there every morning bright and early to
get his start for the day and that room,
No. 274, is the base from which he oper-
ates most of the day. His mail has been
delivered there in the morning and keeps
coming in by patches at different inter
walls during the afternoon. He can have
it delivered at his residence 100 Yer
mont Avenue, if he so chooses, as he
sometimes does, especially when he wish
es to remain with Mrs. Burleigh, whose
health is poor. He keeps within tele-
phonic communication of her all day
long and is nearly always at home in the
evening because she is not able to go
out.
Most of the visitors from Maine, who
want to see their Congressman, go now
to the Office Building because it is easier
to locate the Maine lawmakers there.
The Offices all have an easy Oh air or two
for folks from home and a clerk is on
duty when the Congressman happens to
be out There are telephones in every
one of he 400 and more offices in the
Office Building, communicating through
the big switchboard of the House. In
fact the House of Representatives and
it's Office building are quite little village
all by themselves. There is many less
populous community in the third Con-
gressional district But every room and
almost every corner of this Congression-
al community is within immediate speak
ing reach of every other room and cor
ner. not to mention the Senate end of the