Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-03-22
Our Retiring Congressman.

| Maine = TctlilHS f'uSItSSiIldil, nun
| Edwin c. Burleigh, who is expected tC
return To Augusta within a few days
Twill be remembered for what he has
done for Maine when many statesmen
who have won oratorical rcnown are
forgotten.
From the day ne entered public ser
vice Governor Burleigh has been
known by all as tireless worker
Possessed of splendid physical bless
lings he has accomplished work that
would have exhausted a man less
strong, long years ago. He drops his
| re, because he sees still more work
| to do for his State and country. The
session with which his term of service
expired was too brief for the full ac-
complishment of the work h" had
blocked out There were odds and
ends To gather up Of claims that had
been trusted to his care, and il may
| not be out of place to remark that
even now Maine people are coming to
terests before the Federal government.
Representative Burleigh has been
recognized in Congress as one of the
great organizers of the National
House. AS ranking member on two of
the most important committees il has
lain within his power To be of great
service to his State. Years ago the
press OF the country accorded TO Maine
more power according to representa-
ton than any state in the Union.
The importance OF seniority has been
often referred to; that a congressman
influence comes from length of SER
vice. New men. no matter how am
bilious and jealous. have very little in
fluencc. They do not and cannot be-
gin their work where their predeces-
sors left off. Speech making does
not bring them influence; work brings
it--committee work. Members work
in their committees by seniority. Be
sides, new members do not get and
cannot get. in the usual course of
portant committees.
Maine stood at the head because Of
her policy of keeping her representa-
tivcs in Washington until by length Of
service and hard. continuous work,
they were able to rise TO commanding
positions upon the great committees OF
the House and Senate.
The Lewiston Journal in 1908 said:
certainly, the long ana honorable
career Of Congressman Hurleigh places
him beyond reach of any personal at
tack. He is known by all Intelligent
men in Maine to be one of the most in
tluential members of the National
House standing today second on two
of its most important committees-the
Public Buildings and the Census com
mittees-placing him Immediately in
line for two of the most important
in the House. Such
places as these come only with years
of successful service in the House.
The importance of Governor Burleigh's
work upon the committee on Public
Buildings is shown by the fact that
during his term OF service there Maine
has secured nearly half as much
money for public buildings as was Sc
cured during it's entire previous his
tory as State. His own district has
secured nearly twice as much in the
way OF appropriations for public build
inss since he has been in Congress as
IL had previously received since the or
ganization of the state in 1920"
That was three years ago and Con-
gresham Burleigh has continued to
work just as successfully for Maine in
terests ever Since. In his retirement
Maine calls home one who has served
her long and faithfully. Through
various state offices to the Governors
seat and then to Congress--in every
place he was found loyal TO Maine and
her interests and untiring in his de-
votion to those duties which looked to
the welfare of his constituents. To the
last he has stood by and for those
things which he honestly believes to be
for the greatest benefit to the greatest
number
Congressman Burleigh has been as
sailed by one Maine paper because Of
his firm stand against the Canadian
agreement, msnamed reciprocity"
lie knew it was not reciprocal. 1t
was grievous duty to disagree with
the Administration. but Congressman
burleigh was representing his people
and not President. He voted against
the measure. That was all he could
do, yet he has been attacked in certain
quarters as though he were melting a
revolution. He has been abused as
the head of an imaginary lumber