Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-01-03

Offices, but not all, and it ought. For
the President has too much to do with
purely administrative matters to have
his ante-room crowded every week.
day morning with dozens of people
whose errands are purely political. A
seasoned manager can keep track of
the strife for delegates ard watch out
for tricks on the part of the LaFollette
headquarters, still maintained on a
magnificent scale in one of the tallest
and most modern office buildings in
the city.
And if it should be finally decided
that Mr.. Barnard, once nominated for
mayor of New York City. is to come
in that capacity, there will be new
parsonage of importance at Washing
ton. His selection for that post would
probably presage his selection as
chairman of the National Committee,
after the convention has met. nomi-
mated, and adjourned late in the com
ling month of June. He, would become
forthwith one of the very important
Republican politicians of the hour,
OF course the Maine folks have been
returning, too, all except Representa-
tive Asher Kinds. He has a residence
in Washington and finds it quite as
comfortable to stay here during a De-
cember recess, as his family is here
and he does not want to go back and
open his house in Maine for so short
Il period Representative Guernsey
comes back among the early ones.
All the Maine Democrats in Con-
gress. except Sam Gould have been
spending the holidays at home and re-
turn full of information about the
campaign schemes on foot among their
own constituents. They are alive with
expectation for next week when their
National Committee assemblies here
and when all of them Will be mingling
in the hotel throngs and hearing how
easy it is going to be to elect Demo-
cratic President in a few months. For
this is the time of year when Demo-
Gratis always carry the country with a
sweep.
Thus far the Maine Democrats have
had hardly half chance to accom-
plish much of anything in way of leg
islatio They want TO try to do some
thing right away. They know that be-
fore many weeks pass the voters up in
Maine will want to know what there
is to show for their having been at
Washington SO long and whether it
will not be better to send some Re-
publicans down TO Washington in their
stead There must be an effort soon
to make up a record and, of course,
the Maine Democrats in Senate and
House will de their very darndest to
make up something.
Ii is long time since Sam Gould got
as far away from home as Panama
and with his travelling brethren of the
| House Interstate Commerce Commit
tee had thoroughly good time. They
went chiefly at government expense
and certainly some of them did quite
as much sightseeing as they did study
ing of canal problems for legislation.
Everything Maine gets out of Con-
gress this winter win be largely from
Democratic efforts, because there is
nobody on deck in positions of control,
| except Maine Democrats. The two
| Maine Republicans in the House are,
of course. in the minority. The two
Maine men in the Republican Senate
have still to feel their way around II
is rather painful. as compared with Il
year ago when those veteran legisla-
tors. Senator's Hale and Frye, We're on
the scene and able to look after the
States interests in legislation handi-
w