Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-05-04
But Those UnIucky IS In
surgents Are Divided.
The HumOr and The PathOS Of
The Senatorial Situation.
Hue and Cry for and Against De.
parimeni or Bureau Of Health.

Washington, D. c., May 3.-(Spe-
cial. )-Some Maine folks are bearing
down heavily these days with re-
quests for a national department of
health. Strong advocates of such a
department seem to be eXerting them
selves very actively in different parts
of New England. The petitions and
letters come in at a rate far beyond
| what could ever be expected from a
normal public interest in such mat
| ter. The crusade was under way in
| Eastern Massachusetts a few weeks
ago, and Representative A. p. Gardner,
of one of the Eastern Massachusetts
| districts, had as many as 500 letters
| and petitions from his constituents at
one time in behalf of such a depart
ment. Now the movement is under
way also i'm Maine for Representative
| McGillicuddy, few days ago, intro
dueed the petitions of John Rice and
| so others, "fayoring the establishment
of a national bureau of health" These
were referred to the committee on ex-
penditures in the Interior Department.
! And that very same day Representa-
| tive E. W. Roberts of Massachusetts.
| who is a native of Somerset county,
| Maine, offered big batch of petitions
against any legislation for national
department of health" which petitions
were also referred to the committee
on expenditures in the Department of
the Interior.
These are only a few samples of the
thousands upon thousands of such
hot o. in
Congress in connection with this con-
| troversy. Numerous bills have been
introduced in past Congresses and the
advocates pro and con have been busy
working up sentiment. Nevertheless
the proposition is still in the agitation
stage. There is no immediate pros
pect of legislation and yet it is i'm
portant to the supporters on both
sides of the proposition to keep up
their end
Some day. probably, at least a=Bu-
reau of National Health will be estab-
lished at Washington. President Taft
favers the bureau and that word "bu-
reau" should be noted as against
Department of Health, for President
Taft is stoutly against Department"
of Health. 1t is the general opinion
that the cabinet is now large enough;
that it would serve all the purposes to
have a bureau of health and probably
that will be the outcome but not for
quite a long time yet.
Congress is just now passing into
its second month. II is still a prob
lem to the observer. The usual STAN
dards for judging what might be have
been absent. The Senate is hardly at
work yet. The month that is past
has been filled with sparring, as far as
that branch of Congress is concerned.
1t should not be overlooked that those
old Senate regulars, comprising three
fourths of the Republican majority of
the Senate, have been doing remark
ably we'll with most troublesome stu
alton. The country in these times is
prone to pounce upon the old regulars,
who carried the country along many
years with splendid administration
of governmental affairs. When the
big regulars dropped out of the Senate
at the close of the last Congress- folks
persisted in saying that the party would
go to the bowwows in the upper legis-
lative branch-Western radicals would
grab the helm. But thus far the
Western radicals have not grabbed the
helm. They have been the bad boys
of the senatorial school, kicking up a
rumpus and attracting the attention
of the country. The Senate regulars,
however, it must in fairness be said,
have closed the gaps in their ranks
and moved steadily forward under the
gruelling fire. They let the insur-
gents in on some things, gave to them
generously. but maintained a firm,
rigid program and would not yield be-
yond certain light. And the regular
organization of the Senate has come
out of the ordeal stronger than was
expected possible.
The regular brethren have the upper
hand in the Senate, in spite of the
possibility that half dozen insurgents
may at any moment vote with the
Democrats and make a clear majority.
But voting is not everything; tactics
count. The finance committee has been
organized so that there are eight
standpatters, as against one insurgent
and six Democratic members. The
phalanx will be solid, of course. when
it comes to pigeonholing bills that are
calculated to break down the protec-
tive system. saving only Canadian
reciprocity. The great political is
sues that now agitate the country,
when embodied in the form of legisia
| ton, go largely before the finance
committee and the interstate COM
merce committee. The situation be-
fore the latter committee, as regards
control by standpatters, is very much
| the same as with the finance COM
mittee. And that will hold for the
next two years, at least.
| And during the month of dillydally-
ing in the Senate, the old regulars
have further clinched their organiza-
| ton. The chairman of the party
caucus. Senator Cullom is a regular
/ The new president pro tempore of the
Senate, Mr.. Gallinger of New Hamp-