Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-05-06
CAPITAL CHAT.
Democrats Name Maine
Mill for Inquiry.
|Wht Has Been ANN Wooden
| Co. Relations with Il?
Snator Frye's Condition Several
Contests for Postmasterships.

i Washington, D. c.. May 5.-(SpeciaD
0EGen. Joseph S. Smith of Bangor, d
member of the board of managers for
the National Home for disabled volun-
lteer soldiers, has just departed from
l Washington after a sojourn covering
most of the past winter and will soon
be back in Maine. He has interested
himself here much in work that would
advance the comfort and pleasure of
the veterans in the Togus Home, for
which under the practice of the board,
he stands as sort of special sponsor.
From the authorities at the War De-
lpartment and elsewhere Gen. Smith
has acquired quite a large collection
of large and small guns. cannon balls,
and other like munitions. There is
well toward half carload of this ma
terial which Gen. Smith has consigned
to Togus and which is to be utilized
there under his direction, for the orna-
mentation of the buildings and grounds.
During the last session of Congress
Gen. Smith was diligent in talking
up" an appropriation for a Catholic
chapel in the Togus grounds but the
appropriation committee, under the
stress of economy, did not feel able to
vote the few thousands of dollars that
| Gen. Smith asked.
For awhile Gen. Smith was absent in
the West on a. inspection of certain
of the branch MONIES, including that in
| California, but returned here a month
or two ago. He and his daughter have
been living at the Richmond and all in
all have had delightful winter Near
| ly all the board of managers of the
| National Home come to Washington at
some time during the year. Gen.
Smith has thus been much in touch
with his colleagues and has gathered
several ideas for the conduct of the
homes, some of which he expects to
put into operation.
Every little while there is a new
postmaster for one of the larger Maine
cities. In very few days the nomi-
nation of Edward w. Hyde. to be post
master at Bath, in place of the late S.
| +. Snipe, is expected at the Senate.
| The endorsement of Mr.. Hyde, who is
a son of the late Gen. Hyde of the
Bath Iron Works, has been made by
Senator Frye, who controls the federal
patronage for that Congressional dis
| trict, now represented in the National
House byla Democrat. A large petit
| ton, numerously signed by represen-
| tative people of Bath, was forwarded
| here and it is understood that Mr..
Hyde had practically no opposition.
Hon. Harold SewalI of Bath, who was
| here few days ago for a brief visit.
consulted with Senator Frye about the
matter.
There is little change in Senator
| Frye's condition. He is able to sit up
a good deal of the time and it is said,
could go to the Senate if it was inn
perative that he should be there. Many
| days he is able to give attention to his
correspondence and = dictate letters.
He is not contemplating an early re-
| turn TO Maine. because he is still toll
erably comfortable here at Washing
| ton. When the weather becomes so
warm as to be uncomfortable. however.
| if Congress then remains in session, 1t
| is not unlikely that Senator Frye will
go to Maine in advance of adjourn
ment.
The Democratic resolution of in
quiry into the American Wooden Co. as
presented in the House the other day,
names one Maine wooden mill, the An
derson Mill, at Skowhegan, among
many others and is intended TO bring
out whether the American Wooden Co.
| has had any relations with that mill in
violation of law. The purpose APP
parently is to ascertain whether there
has been any violation of the Sherman
anti law. This resolution and
others that the Democratic House now
has under contemplation are part of
their political program and are intend
ed undoubtedly to be preliminary to
| legislation greatly reducing duties.
The Democrats plan to reduce the du-
ties on wool and woolens and probably
will interest the carded wooden mills
to some extent in such activities, as
the cafded wooden mills did not obtain
certain rates of duty in the Aldrich-
Payne law. 1t has been a bitter con-
troversy with the details of which. in
the very nature of things, the public
can not be very familiar. 1t is all too
| technical.
| There is to be big fight over the
reduction of the duties on wool and
woolens and probably that fight has in
reality Just begun with the delbera-
tions of the ways and means commit
| tee over the revision of schedule X.
1t is not expected that the Senate will
assent to that revision, whatever the
House may do, and consequently the
revision will likely enough be an issue
In the presidential campaign next year.
/ The Democrats, in reality, are framing
the tariff revision bills up with that
expectation and probably will do most
of the revising that they have in mind
before the extra session of Congress
adjourns.
There is little or no activity among
the Maine members of the House these
days. That is because the tariff de-
bate over the farmers free list is drift
ing along. A lot of the Democrats
would like something to do but tht
leaders will not give them the oppor-