Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-01-25
FROM WASHINGTON.

FROM WASHINGTON.
New Turn in Apportionment Fight
New Men ON the Stage.
WASHINGTON, Jan. u especially The
superintendent fight has taken new turn
in the House, and is fast and furious. A
few days ago Representative Burleigh,
who has had prominent part in the
framing OF the bill and in the organiza-
tion for its passage, hoped it was all but
won. The old House leaders, who had been
quiescent, have started up again and are
trying either to keep the House ct Its
present membership OF 39l or to prevent
the enactment OF any superintendent law
at all this winter. This means that there
will be a hard fight.
Probabl they will not succeed in either
direction, but their efforts are naturally
giving some concern. Either proposition
would imperil the plans to give Maine
four members Of the House for the next
ten years. As only about . dozen states
are particularly interested in increasing
the House membership SO Is to retain the
same number OF representatives they now
have, there is quite a group for the
opposition to work upon.
Gov. Burleigh has been working night
and day to counter this opposition move
ment. A plan was advanced to hold
republican caucus on the pending appor-
tionment bill. Gov. Burleigh has been
resisting that, as have the other friends Of
Maine. A good lot Of support for the
proposition Maine favors comes from the
democratic side. 1t might be . question
whether . republican majority of the
caucus would favor it, but the result Of .
majority vote there would be to bind re-
publicans to act as unit. Gov. Burleigh
favors taking the bill into the House in
the usual way, and putting it to . vote
there of all the members. He insists that
apportionment is not . strict party ques-
tion and should not be made partisan by
the holding of caucus.
He believes he has . good majority Of the
House organized in favor Of the bill that
would give Maine four members, and does
not intend to yield the advantage that has
tion and canvassing. Just now it looks as
though the caucus suggestion would be
defeated and, II it is, the bill, which has .
privileged standing, may get before the
House within q week or ten days.
The contest has been q very strenuous
one and the Maine folks at Washington
will be glad when it is over. While there
are elements of uncertainty, they are still
fairly confident of winning.
There is much Maine interest at the
capitol these days. The exceptional event
OF the arrival and departure OF the demo-
cratic representatives-elect,S $. w. Gould
and Daniel J. McGiIlicuddy, has come as
per schedule. There WAS regret from the
standpoint OF those who watch the advent
OF new legislators that Standardized
Charles F. johnson did not come also.
Washington likes to ''siIe up its new
senators.
The newcomers were given the usual
cordial welcome in Maine circles here.
They aocked much with the democratic
states. The Boston democrats nov in the
House and those who have been elected
TO the next House, were their constant
companions. Rut the two prospective law
makers from Maine penetrated to the gal
leries of the Senate, looked dwn upon the
venerable solons there, journeyed BY the
long corridor to the tempestuons house OF
representatives and mingled in the iovial
democratic cioAkrooms where the story
tellers congregste.
They did not thrust themselves forward
in the democratic caucus. The bars were
lie; down for the new members-eiect to ex-
press their views, and the democrats from
Boston and Rhode Island sprung to the
opportunity eloquently. ssOator Dan"
McGiIlicuddy, however, is willing to bide
mis- time. He sees little glory in caucus
speaking, where the doors are shut and
the public barred out. The democratic
brethren gained . good impression Of the
Maine men and are counting upon them
to give good account of themselves
The machinery is throboing under
high pressure Every wheel At Wsshiug-
ton in the complicated mechanism of
government is turning. This is the period
when finished products in legislation and
administration must Be turned out in
maximum volume. Congress is busy; he
White House is basy; departments are
busy The supreme court, . staid. dig
uirss.d and ingieuens3-n hrn urh saf fs6eral