Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-18

AT last one may watch for the final
enactment into law of the Crumpack
err Burleigh apportionment bill 1t
will probably be relief to newspaper
readers to know that the concluding
action is being taken and that the
work which Gov. Burleigh began en-
ergetically more than a year ago in the
House is approaching results.
The agreement of the Senate to vote
upon the Crumpacker -Burleigh bill August
3 means that 1t will become law The
Senate Will pass 1t as the House passed
IL, probably without any amendment at all
III any amendment is made 1t will be o
very minor one. When the Senate makes
an agreement to vote 1T always keeps that
agreement and 30 it is certain that the
Senate will dispose of the apporttonment
bill ON tie day mentioned While there is
opposition on the part of some men who
do not want to increase the size Of the
House to 433 members, it is conceded at
the Senate that this opposition will not
avail
Maine people quite generally understand
that this Crumpacker- Burleigh bill pro
vides for four Pine Tree State represen,
tatives for the next ten years. II was
Gov. Burlcigh's desire to prevent any re-
duction in the number of Names repre-
sentatives that prompted him to work in
dustriously for the framing of the pend
ing DILL He was then a member Of the
Census committee. which handles appor-
tionment bills. and aided materially In get
ting the bill enacted by the House at the
last session Of Congress.
As the measure is now worded. it makes
the present distrcting arrangement for
Maine legal without further action by the
Legislature at Augusta and thus it is
certain that the four representatives from
Maine to be voted for at the election OF
September 1912 will not be voted ior al
large II the Legislature that assemblies
during the winter of 1918 desires to re-
arrange the Maine Congressional districts
that is another matter. That Legislature
will have the authority. But unless there
is TOO big a difference in the population
of some of those four districts 1t is open
to question whether there will be any
change for the next ten years.
Senator johnson, of Maine Is getting
very chummy with some of his middle
Western Democratic friends He and Sen
atar Pomerene of Ohio, who sits next to
him in the Senate. are becoming toleraby
thick and are together quite deal Clar-
euee T.. Watson. the new Democratic sen
ator from West Virginia, who is supposed
to be a multi millionaire coal operator, Is
cottoning up" to the Maine Democratic
senator good bit A few DAYS ago youns
Watson had a big powwow at Fairmont
W. Va, which is well over toward Wheel
ing. lot of the Democratic big wig
were invited and among them was thu
Maine senator from Waterville.
Watson hills the seat vacated by thu
death of the late Stephen B. Elkins ant
has great fight on his hands for re
election from the Legislature that as
sembles in two years. West Virginia II
normally Republican state and probabl,
will return to the fold next year. q 10
of New England people. including lumber
men from Maine. have settled in West vir
ginia, and Watson apparently thought HI
could get the attention of this New Eng
Continued on Page Nine.)