The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1911-01-19
Wast ington Letter.
Prospects of Reciprocity Treaty with Can
ada. The Forestry Question. Congress
man Burleigh and the Apportionment
Bill. Pearl Wight of New Orleans.

Bill. Pearl Wight OF New orleans.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 16, 1911.
The visit of several members OF the
Canadian cabinet in Ottawa to Washing
ton has a bearing upon topics of Maine
interest. One of the errands has to do
with Canadian reciprocity and it is sup
posed that the negotiations of reci-
procity treaty is not far distant. Pre-
sumably such treaty, If negotiated and
ratified by the Senate. will have some
effect upon the duties on agricultural
products. This concerns people in Maine
in different ways. The city populations,
in some degree, argue that the removal
of part of the duties on potatoes, eggs,
vegetables and the like might make those
articles cheaper to the consumer. The
farmers of the State have been on the
alert regarding such action, lest it might
result in encroachments upon their mar
ket.
No details are yet available regarding
the prospects, but it will undoubtedly be
a subject of discussion. If there should
be any agreement that struck too hard
at the agricultural interests of Maine,
the two Senators from the Pine Tree
State, along with other Senators from
New England, would make it exceeding
" difficult to ratify such an instrument.
The manufacturers of agricultural I'M
plements are urging Canada to make
concession in the duties imposed by the
Dominion Government. There is great
farming region in the northwestern prov
inces of the Dominion that has aided IN
vocing the demand.
The parleys in Washington are also OF
some minor interest to the Maine fisher
men. The hardy fisher folk OF Glouces-
ter, Mass, are more concerned, however,
in the efforts to adjust details incident to
the award of the Hague Tribunal last
autumn. These details are to be dis
cussed here this week, as are matters OF
Joint rate making and the like that affect
railroads in the United States and Cana
da All these. of course, have bear
ing upon the Maine railroads in their
transactions with the Canadian Pacific
and the Grand Trunk, as we'll as great
number of shippers and receivers OF
freight in Maine. The visit of the Cana
dians at this time is regarded as of I'M
usual importance. Efforts are beng
made 10 give them splendid welcome
and to utilize the occasion to the utmost
to promote trade prospects and good will.
Maine is probably more keenly inter-
ested in the apportionment bill, at least
in sentimental way, than in aught else
that Congress will do this winter. The
fight which is to determine whether
Maine will have four representatives IN
the National House during the next ten
wears, or only three, is on and may be
decided almost any day. Representative
Burleigh of the third Maine district
came to town right after the holidays
and has been up to his ears in this ap-
portionment fight. The first skirmish
was won on Friday in the House census
committee, when Gov. Burleigh was one
of the members who voted to present
a bill to the House, providing for 433
members. He has not rested on that,
however, for the big tussle will come
when the House votes to accept or reject
the committee report.
And in the meantime Gov. Burleigh is
and has been hustling for votes. He is
pulling after Democrats as we'll as Re-
publicans to vote with him, for the ap-
portionment bill is not d party question.
There are Democrats for and against it
and Republicans for and againstit. Many
of the older members of both parties
are analterably opposed to increasing
the size of the House. But it has gen
orally been that way and the older mem
bers have almost invariably been defeat
ed 1t is difficult to fight against a meas
ure which retains the present members
of a State delegation, as far as its num-
Der is concerned, or that increases the
size Of a delegation.
Thus far Gov Burleigh has been sue
cessful in winning many, probably most,
of the New England members of the
House to support the proposition that
Maine favors. Hardly any other New
England State is very much interested
directly in increasing the House member
ship, but there is very general willing
mess to ''help Maine out" Gov. Burleigh
has also been invading the haunts of the
big New York and Pennsylvania delega-
lions and getting some help from that
quarter He and all the Maine men atlthe
Capitol are now very hopeful of winning
the apportionment fight.
a notable son of the Maine seacost is
sojourning here in the person Of Mr..
Pearl Wight of New Orleans. He is
erect as a schoolboy, although crowned
with the SHOWS of many winters, and
looks quite like the conventional and
courteous Southerner. He is none the
less a native of Rockland, Maine, and
very proud of it. When he comes to
Washington he invariably seeks out
Maine people of his acquaintance and