Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-02-21
Senator nsIs Hust|ing The
Appropriation Bills.
His Activity Encourages others
To Hurry Their Bills.
Growing Sentiment for Promoting
and konor for Peary.

end Of the Capitol may pc piOddlhS
along these days. but it is not true OF
Senator Hale of Maine and this big
appropriation budgets. Many are
talking about the Senatcs inactivity
There is inactivity there, as well az
in the House. Hut the inactivity APP
piled TO genera! legislation. The ap-
preparation ccn..rittee. where Senator
Hale pres.des as chairman. Is hum
ming with Industry. Just as soon as
the House sends over an appropriation
bill Senator Hale hurries out the no.
tiees for a committee meeting. Every
body connected with the committee
gets busy"
Ana in the course q very few days,
the items in the budget, totalling into
millions OF dollars. have been analyzed,
the amendments written in italics. ana
report made to the Senate. The next
day thereafter which is the earliest
time PERMITTED under the rules, Sena-
tor Hale is watching for an opportune
moment TO get in" When that OPP
perfume moment comes. provided the
Senate Is in calm and deliberative
mood. the senator from Maine calls
his appropriation bill up and gets it
batting in the Senate this winter but 1t
has not been on appropriation bills.
Accordingly when people say that
the Senate is rushing business. a state
ment that is heard quite frequently
these days, they mean that the APP
preparation bills are getting through
on record time Chairman Hale never
stirs up unnecessary controversy over
the budgets of appropriations he has
in charge. He volunteers only the
most necessary explanations. If SEN
ators ask questions he answers them.
1t Is not safe to make too many as
sertions in the Senate gratuitously.
They invariably provoke discussion.
The Senate slips off into a discussion
of an hours or days duration. as
easily as a seal glides off a rock into
the water.
But the Maine senator is also en-
couraging other Senate committees.
that handle appropriations to do like
wise. There are several of these COM
mittees and they are taking the Maine
senator's advice. Usually after an ap-
preparation bill has been disposed OF
by the Senate and House it is put up
on the shelf to dry out and the con-
ference over it Is delayed till toward |
the close of the session. This winter |
Senator Hale is crowdng on steam to
get the conference reports in early |
adopted and disposed of and within !
Few days some of these appropriation |
bills VIII be travelling up Pennsylvania |
avenue toward the White House.
The House Is flddling around deal |
over the proposition to promote and
honor Commander Robert T.. Peary, the
Maine explorer, who discovered the
North pole. Much unfriendly sentiment
to the action of House sub commit
tee in turning down the original meas
ure 10 advance him to the rank of rear
admiral on the retired list is develop
ing and the indications grow that
some kind of measure will be passed
before Congress adjourns. Represen-
tativG Mccall of Massachusetts has
come out IN a strong declaration in be-
half OF the promotion to rear admiral.
He is easily the leader of the Massa-
chusetts delegation in the House and
his words are regarded as rebuke to
Representative Ernest w Roberts.
who, for some reason. has been ex-
ceedlngly active in urging the argu-
mcnts of the line officers of the navy
against the promotion of Peary. Mr..
Mccall has considerable influence in
the House and his utterances at this
time will not be without weight Rep
rcsentative J. Hampton Moore Of Phil
adri7hia. who Is very popular in the
House. is also helping Peary ana has |
introduced a new bill to give him the
rank of rear admiral but with terms
That comply with Sec. Meyers recon-
mendations. Numerous other members
are taking hold to demonstrate the
prevalence of sentiment for the North
pole explorer, favorable to honorine
nm beyond merely giving him the
thankS of Congress and voting him
gold medal. Meanwhile the Maine
memhers of the House are working
with will and meeting the campaign
OF inc line officers of the navy. As has
pech widely stated the chairman of
Tue Heuse naval affairs committee.
George f. Foss OF Illinois. a New Eng
land man. also faters giving Peary
Sood promotion and placing him on the |
retired list -
ihere Is feeling that Commander |
feary has conducted himself admira-
ply turing the controversy in the |
house and that is working to his ad-
vantage. He has refused absolutely to
nave any part in it and takes d'sni-
fled attitude that 1t is not appropriate
for him in any manner to seek the
legislation or to encourage 1t.
Senator Frye has g frequent turn at
the gavel this winter. Vice President
Sherman is quite as enthusiastic a
traveller as is President Taft and is
much away from Washington. When
ever he is absent Senator Frye Off
ciates in his stead as the presiding Of
ficer of the Senate II is generally con-
coded that he is one of the best pre-
siding officers the Senate ever had and
he has not forgotten how during the
four years that Vice President Fair
banks chung tenaciously to the job
without ahsenting himself more than
three or four days during the entire
four-years period
The Junior Maine senator likes to
WELD the Legislative gavel and takes
s pleasure in speeding the tagging Sem
ate to business. AS one of its members
he can take liberties in driving legis-
lation to a vote that a Vice President
could not safely do Therefore many