Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-01-09

office. His familiarity with the sources
OF Information about suclf matters and
with the KIND OF arguments that APP
peal to various members have stood
him in good stead
Therefore in some respects, Gov
Bnrlaigh feels that he is better forti-
fed in making the apportionment night
this wear than he was 10 years ago. II
is very necessary, however. that he
should be- for, at the start the Hght
seemed even more hopeless Than IL
was in 1901. The argument against m
creasing the size of the membership,
when threatened to be very formula
bic. mas been met so tactfully mat II
is not carrying as much weight as was
anticipated. The present House OF 391
men, hers is conceded to be very large
and it is pointed out that with such
number there could not be much diff
ference in adding 40 or so more Many
of the older members would like to
see even smaller House than there is
at present but realize that is impossi-
BILE Some would make the membership
200 but they know that is impossible.
Nothing like a majority of the House
could be induced to vote for 1t. because
the membership from nearly every
state would have to be curtailcd.
The practical assurance that the seating
arrangements in the hall are to be chang
ed and the desks taken out. as has been
pointed out heretofore. is helping greatly
in the campaign 1t eliminates the old ar
gument, which Gov Burleigh had to con-
tend with 10 years ago, that there was no
rppnhprs The
House has already voted and appropria-
tions have been made to reduce the size
of the hall and to put in something like
opera chairs and under that plan as many
as 800 members can be accommodated
with convenience. The fact that every
member of the House has a modern ONCE
in the new office building obviates any
necessity for a desk in the hail of the
House
Probably the issue will have been de-
termined within two Or three weeks. The
moment the apportonment bill passes the
House the controversy will be over, for
the Senate will acquiesce in whatever
plan the House approves 1t will then
'be up to the Maine Legislature to draw
the linss for the Congressional districts.
Little is known here about what tactics
the Democratic Legislature will adopt.
whether the party leaders will be content
to leave the Arrangement about as it is
at present or whether there will be ef-
forts to arrange the lines to give the par
ty some advantage over the Republicans
in the next Congressional election,
The Bowdoin alumni in Washington are
making extensive preparations for their
annual dinner at the Raleigh Hotel on
the evening of Jan. 10. 1t promises TO be
an interesting dinner and prominent in
vited guests will attend. There is some
regret among the alumni that the date
happens to be that of the Democratic
caucus of members-elect of the next
House They would like to have "Orator
Dan" McGillicuddy of Lewiston present.
but apparently Mr.. McGillicuddy will be
unable TO attend. because he will be
wanted to be on that caucus job. Pre-
sumably the caucus will be held in the
evening
There is little to indictte whether Mr..
McGilIicuddy will land a place on the
ways and means committee. although
there is much friendly talk in his behalf
around the Capitol in Democratic cir
Giles. He will apparently get the place
If Representative Peters of Massachu-
sets does not. Mr.. Peters sole adyan-
tage over the Lewiston Democrat ap-
pears to be his longer legislative expert
ence, which counts quite a good deal
But Mr.. Peters and his friends are nat
urally making the most of the fact that
he has been four years a member of the
House and has served in the Massachu-
sets Legislature before he came to
Washington. 1t is IA little exceptional 10
put new member of the House upon
the important ways and means commit
tee If Mr. McGillcuddy wins before the
Democratic caucus he will have scored
Very materially right at the threshold OF
his congressional career. Maine has hod
no member of the ways and means COM
mittee since the death of the late Rep.
Nelson Dlngley. senator Hale is on the
corresponding committee of the Senate,
that on finance. but of course will retire
from it with the close of this Congress
March next.
lIDCES EnIIHATInA