The Republican journal., 1910-01-20
men AND Affairs AT WASHINGTON.
Maine Men Prominent in the Public Service.
A Busy Session Of Congress Predicted.
Correspondence of The Journal

WASHINGTON, D. c., January 18th. 1t
is many years since Maine men were
holding as many important posts at
Washington and participating as promi-
nently as now in the operations of a
Washington winter. In half dozen diff
ferent fields these sons of the Pine Tree
State are engaged upon work that is
focusing the attention of the country.
The deliberations of the Supreme Court
in it's current term are of great moment
the country over, especially because of
the decisions affecting the validity of the
antitrust and anti corporation laws.
Chief Justice Fuller, once of Augusta,
where he studied law and edited news
paper, continues his duties as the head of
the court. Although he will be n years
old on the eleventh of next February
an age when the most successful are con-
tent to relinquish their labors-he is as
alert mentally and intellectually as ever.
And while he is sitting in judgment upon
enactments for the restriction and regu-
lation of trusts and corporations, still
other Maine men are having word about
the framing Of still more such laws. Rep
resentative Frederick c. Stevens of St.
Paul, a former Bangor man, is one of
the most influential members of the
House Interstate Commerce Committee,
which is celebrating over the President S
bills for further regulating railroads. He
is very familiar with the railroad prob
lens Of the great trunk lines of the
West
A very important waterways appro-
priation bill is to be formulated this Win
ter. It will cover some of President Taft's
advanced ideas about improving the navi-
gable waters of the United States. Rep
fesentative D. S. Alexander of New
York, who halls from Richmond, Maine.
is now engaged in drawing that bill which
will be made public late this month or
during February. The navy appropria-
another Maine man, Senator George c.
Perkins of California, once of Kenne-
bunkport.
The list might be extended without
coming to the activities of the Maine
delegation in Senate and House. Nearly
all these men from Maine constituencies,
especially those Of veteran service, will
have influence in fashioning some of the
measures which Congress is to dispose of
between now and the day of adjourn
alent 1t all goes to demonstrate that
Maine men still have the knack of get
ting ahead and of making an impression
upon the forces that govern the nation.
The eventful New Years reception,
with all its show Of official prominence
and military display, is over Washing
ton now breathes easy. The men who
do things are settling down for win
ter of hard work. The President has
been rounding out his conferences with
the leaders. His long looked for special
messages have been completed and Con-
gress Informed of his wishes. He has
toiled through the problems of patronage
Destowal and from this time on can give
more attention to other, if not more i'm
portant matters. For more than six
weeks, during his stay in Washington.
there has been a constant procession of
visitors to the White House offices. Most
Of them had errands in which the Presi-
dent was interested, or at least had views
upon current questions affecting men and
measures with which ne wished to be-
come acquainted.
Senator Hale. with whom the President
almost invariably consuIts before taking
any important step with reference to
congress, returned here at the very fag
anI Of the old year He saw the Presi-
lent by invitation soon after his arrival
-or the better part Of two hours and the
whole subject of the winters program
was gone over in considerable detail.
The President had not then finished his
special messages and he asked the Maine
Senator's opinion about various features
of his discussion of the incorporation act.
or federal license bill as it is sometimes
called, about features of the conserva
zion message, and also about the nomi-
nations OF the customs court, which the
President is about to establish here in
w ashlngton. The President has been
exercising exceptional care in the selec-
ton of those five Judges, authorized un-
der the new tariff law and has taken the
advice of the members of the finance
committee, especially of Senators Hale
and Aldrich. The President sought their
powerful cooperation last summer in OBJ
tanning in the customs law the kind of
provision he desired for those judges and
and as the court has to do with conten-
lions and litigation affecting tariff, which
class Of enactments comes within the
jurisdiction of the finance committee, he
has been very glad to avail himself of
che advice of those Senators in obtaining
the right kind of judges.
From now on there is every expecta-
zion Of q humming winter. There has
been a long wait while the President and
the Congressional leaders have been for
mulatlng plans. Now the preparations