Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-05-11
CAPITAL CHAT.
Maine Appropriation Bills
10 Good Hands.
The Westerners Are SCram-
bling for Choice Seats.
Contest Between Regulars and
Insurgents Wakes Warm.

UuSUs Is Outo oUHSS Vs~'"ss
Washington. ID. G.. May l0.-(Spe-
ciaD. 1.-The Maine men at the Capltoi
have much to DO with the end-ol the
session. appropriation program. Ac-
curtlinSly they have considerable busl-
ness on hand just now. The House
has uader consideration this week the
last Of the great appropriation DIS
of the session. known as the Sundry
Civil bill 1t will be over in the Sen
ate liz the course Of Il week or TWO.
Wler" it will be revised and amended
under Senator Hale's supervision.
soon after that measure is out OF
the way in the House the Omnibus
Public Building bill. carrying total
Of several millions, will be reported.
Governor Burleigh, Chairman of Sub
Committee Number and the ranking
member of the whole committee. has
been a! work helping put the finish
ing touches on. His efforts We're in
terrupted by the death OF his son.
Clarence and the consequent journey
of himself and Mrs. Burleigh to
Maine. The final meetings on the pub
lie binding bill are being held this
week
Senator Frye is keeping an eye out
or til" River and HarbOr appropria
tior bill, now in conference. He is
giving attention to the Maine items
thereon, although Representative
Alexander, Cf New York, one of the
House conferecs. will not allow any of
the Maine items to be lost The Sen
ate provision for $500 Improvement
OF the st. CroiX River will be re-
tanned. Senator Hale is especially
watching the conference on the Pen
sion bill, lest the House provision
aho!ishing pension agencies-that at
Augusta, Maine, in the number-shall
be allowed to prevail. There will be
q hard fight in conference over that
provision but presumably the New
nglard Senators will have their way
and the House will yield. The veter-
ans CT the Civil War in Maine have
shown emphatically that they prefer
to obtain their pension payments from
Augusta. rather than from Washing
ton.
Senator Hale will not have charg"
of tho Naval Appropriation bill upon
the nccr this year for the first time
in q very long while. That is because
lie ha1 to surrender the craftsmanship
when he went To the appropriations
committee. l:ut lie is taking a very
rctive part in deciding the numerous
controversies of naval policy invGl-
we'd in III" bill and Will be one of the
cOnferccS To adjust differences be-
tween the Senate and the House. He
is expected to debate some features
of the naval appropriations this year
ana will be listened to with the closest
attention. HES opinions of naval ad-
ministration and expenditures carry
greater weight at the capital than
those " any other legislator.
There will be "A leisurely adjourn
mcnt this year. although when the
break comes it will probably be quite
Sudden. AS there is no limitation up
on the length of the session, plenty
of time can be taken in disposing of
the flag ends
Senators are very human in scram-
bling for the places of their retiring
leaders There is q touch of the pa
thetic in the rapid adjustments, al
ready taken for granted in anticipation
of retircmentS to occupy year from
row. Ambitious WesternerS have al
ready filed upon the seats occupied
in the center Of the chamber by Sem
ators Hale, of Maine, and Aldrich. of
Rhode Island. and occasionally when
either Of those Senator's is absent. the
prospective encumbent Wanders over
that way to sit down and reaiiZa what
a fine point of vantage he Will nave
after March next. Senator DolhVef.
cf Iowa, the aggressive lnsurgent, mas
nut in his claim to Senator Hale
seat, and Senator Burkett, OF the ad-
Joining state Of Nebraska, TO the seat
of Senator Aldrich.
And the men who will succeed 10
their powerful charmanships are al
so making it evident that they VIII
welcome the advent of authority.
Colleagues in the Senate are prompt
" cuGdling up to. these new authorl-
ties and trying to get on the best OF
terms with them in view of future
favors that will be requested. Sen
ator Warren. of Wyoming. who VIII
succeed Senator Hale. as chairman OF
Appropriat ions. is evidently man OF
more influence than ever before since
Senator Hale announced he would not
seek Il reelection. AS much is true
of Senator Penrose, of pennsylvania,
with reference to the Craftsmanship
of the Finance Committee. although
it is not quite SO clear yet whether
Senator Penrose will come into that
place of power Immediately. There
NAV be a period during which Sena-
tor Burrows. of Michigan, will have
that craftsmanship.
While the influence of these new
corners wakes in the Senate, there is
an inevitable waning in the regard
for the Senators soon to yield their
places Of power Washington wor-