Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-15
Former Senator Hale Only Sur.
viYOf Of Those Veterans.
Pine Tree Slate Now Repre-
scented by Youngsters.
Johnson Senior Senator, Guernsey
Dean Of the Delegation.

Washington. d. c, Aug. 4.-(Spec-
of regret at the capitol, not exceeded
in many years, over the passing Of
Senator Frye and over the disappear
anee thereby from the legislative stage
OF the last of the veteran Republicans
who contributed for many years to the
remarkable prestige of the Pine Tree
State in national affairs. OF the IA
nous six of two decades ago ex-Sena-
tor Eugene Hale is the only survivor.
Milliken, Dingley. Reed and Boutele.
of the famous four in the House, de-
parted in tolerably close succession.
the first three living in Washington
near the scene of their distinguished
services.
For the remainder of this Congress.
the Maine delegation of senators ana
representatives at Washington will
stand four Democrats and two Repub-
licans, the greatest change politically
that has occurred in the representa-
tion here of any New England state.
probably. for at least a half century.
AT this moment, 1t looks as though the
new Democratic senator. should Gov.
Plaisted decide To designate him
forthwith, could not get to Washing
ton to serve for more than a very few
days and perhaps for less than a week
of the extra session. II would posi-
bly, be of some little advantage to the
eneumbent, should he take his seat
this week. fer he would be started o
his senatorial way. But there is little
business of Importance in which he
could participate. While there are
some measures of Importance where
the Democrats would be very glad to
have his vote, action on some of these
may be postponed till the next regu-
lar session in December, when not
only will there be. an extra Democrat
in the Senate from Maine, but also
an extra Democrat from the state of
Georgia.
The death of Senator Frye means
that the committee on commerce,
which has long been a Maine head
quarters at Washington, will pass UNI
der a new chairman that is distinctly
a loss from the Maine standpoint, be-
cause there comes 10 that committee.
first and last, d deal of business of inn
portance to the State. River and har-
Dor bills, for example, are considered
there, and Senator Frye always looked
out carefully for Maine projects on that
measure, which is now enacted annu-
ally. Then there We're shipping inter-
ests in which Maine has large con-
Germ. Senator Frye was always OIL
the lookout for Maine interests in the
scores of comparatively minor bills
that come up every session affecting
ships and shipping and his friendship
was bulwark of strength for that an
cient Maine industry.
A strong effort probably will be
made to get the new Democratic sens-
tor from Maine assigned to that COM
mittee but it probably can not be
easily done, as the vacancy is a Re-
publican vacancy and the Democrats
may not be allowed another place
there. Then the fact that the new
senator comes only on a gubernatorial
appointment with no certainty of ten
ure beyond January 1913. when the
next legislature assemblies at Augusta.
will augment the difficulties of putting
him on any committees where he can
be of material influence for the bene-
fit of Maine.
Senator Charles f. johnson, afte.
service of only nVe months, now be-
comes the senior senator from the Pine
Tree State. 1t is not distinction Of
particular importance, although some-
thing that old timers around the Cap
itol allude to- He thus holds the rank,
in that regard that Senator Hale held
so long and will hold it for six years,
almost the entire term for which he
was elected. The new man Will be
the junior senator from Maine, as was
u Mr.. Frye for nearly all the 80 years he
Continued on Page Nine.)