Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-05-11
FROM WASHINGTON.

FROM WASHINGTON.
Scramble for Retiring Senators Seats
-Maine's Delegation Busy,
WASHINGTON, d. C. May Q (special)-
Senator's are very human in scrambling
for the places Of their retiring leaders.
There 10 . touch OF the pathetic in the
rapid adjustments, already taken Tor
granted in anticipation Of retirements to
occur . year from now. Ambitious
westerners have already fiIed upon the
seats occupied in the centre of the cham
Der by Senators Hale, Of Maine, and
Aldrich, OF Rhode Island, and occasionally
when either OF those senators 10 absent,
the prospective encumbent wanders over
that way to sit down and realize what .
fine point OF vantage he will have after
| March 4 next. Senator Dolliver, Of Iowa,
| the aggressive insurgent, has put in his
claim to Senator Hale's seat, and Senator
| Burkett, Of Nebraska, to the seat Of Sena-
| tor Aldrich.
And the men who will succeed to their
powerful chairmanships are also making
it evident that they will welcome the
advent OF authority. Colleagues in the
Senate are promptly cuddling up to these
new authorities and trying to get on the
best OF terms with them in view of future
favors which will be requested. Senator
Warren, of Wyoming, who will succeed
Senator Hale as chairman OF appropria-
tons, is evidently . man OF more in
fiuence than ever before since Senator
Hale announced he would not seek re-
election. As much is true OF Senator PEN
rose, OF Pennsylvania, with reference to
the Craftsmanship of the finance COM
mittee, although it is not quite SO clear
yet whether Senator Penrose will come
into that place OF power Immediately.
There may be . period during which
Senator Burrows, Of Michigan, will have
that chairmanship.
While the influence OF these newcomers
WAKES in the Senate, there is an inevitable
waning in the regard for the senators soon
to yield their places Of power. Wsshing-
ton worships oficials who hold the scep-
tire Of power, but it promptly forgets men
when the sceptre departs. Neither Sena-
tor Hale nor Senator Aldrich yields the
same influence over legislation to-day
that be did two months ago. Both men
already notice the difference. The Senate
notices the difference.
1t will be moro noticeable next session,
tie last for both Of the New Engianders,
and before March 4, 1911, comes around
the men who ara to assume the leadership
which those two have had will have grad
ually come into authority and their au-
thority will BE- recognized. There will be
little jarring in the adjus.ment. It has
almost always happened that way in tho
Senate except that it has been rare states
would allow two influential leaders like
Hale and Aldrich to retire when there was
no change in party control at home.
The Maine men ct the capitol have much
to do with the end-of-the-session appro-
priation program. Accordingly they have
considerable business on hand just now.
The House has under consideration this
week the last of the great appropriation
bills Of the session, known IS the sundry
civil bill. 1t will be over in the Senate in
be revised and amended under Senator
Haie's supervision.
Soon after that measure ia out Of the
| way in the House, the omnibus public
| building bill, carrying . total Of several
| millions, will be reported. Representa-
| tive Burleigh has been at work helping put
the finishing touches on. His efforts were
interrupted by the death OF his son
Clarence, and the consequent journey OF
himself and Mrs. Burleigh to Maine. The
final meetings on the public building bill
are being held this week.
Senator Frye is keeping an eye out on
the river and harbor appropriation bill,
now in conference. He is giving atten-
tion to the Maine items thereon, although
Represen: alive Alexander, of New York,
one of the House conferecs, will not allow
any OF the Maine items to be lost. The
Senate provision for t75,000 improve
| ment OF the st. Croix river viii be re-
| tanned.
Senator Hale is especially watching the
conference on the pension bill, lest the
House provision abolishing pension
| agencies-that at Augusta in the number
shall be allowed to prevail. There will be
hard fight in conference over that pro-
vision, but presumably the New England
senator's will have their way, and the House
| will yield. The veterans OF the Civil war
in Maine have shown emphatically that
they prefer to obtain their pension pay
ments from Augusta, rather than from
Washington.
Senator Hale will not have CHARGE nj