The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-02-26
Our Washington Letter.

! WASHINGTON, ~. ", FeD' 20, AoA1'
Matters of Maine interest are becoming
more numerous at Washington with the
advance of the legislative season here.
The Maine Senators and Representatives
know that the present is the time to get
their business before Congress. The ap-
preparation items and the small bills af-
fecting few communities or a few per-
sons. but none the less of Importance,
must be promptly made up now and pre-
pared for consideration.
Senator Burleigh is taking hold vlgor-
ouslv at this annual task at Washington
in behalf of Maine. He is now as strong
and we'll as ever Although minority
Senator for the present, he does not per-
init this to deter him from efforts that
will help the old State. Democrats, of
course, while in the majority, will take
all the credit they can for what is accom-
plished, but without special thought as
to this Senator Burleigh ''goes to the
'front.' on every Maine proposition which
comes up here.
There is the matter of pensions for
| Civil War veterans in Maine. He has
always, as Congressman here from
Maine, given much attention to this
business, which is of large Importance to
the old fellows. He was on very friend
w terms with officials at the Pension Of
fee during Republican administrations.
Those places are now held byDemocrats,
but Senator BnrIcigh continues to be
frequent visitor at the Pension office IN
behalf of the eX- soldiers from Name and,
to his qualification, finds himself on
friendly terms with Democratic o1hcias
now on duty there. They cooperate
with him in having many pension cases
brought up ard in having the papers of
applicants perfected speedily.
The Offices of the junior Senator from
Maine are very much of rendezvous
for all the home folks coming to Wash
ineton. If one wishes to know whether
anyone has been in Washington from
Maine, he has only to inquire over Sena-
tor Burleigh's telephone. The Senator
receives rany Maine visitors there every
week and enjoys getting the local news
from the many towns in his constituency.
Euloeies in the House last week for
William H. Wilder, who died as Rep
resentative in Congress from Gardner,
Mass, formally noted the passing OF
son of Cd Maine. Mr.. Wilder was ma
tive of Belfast, where he lived till he be-
came II wears old. His father was Jonas
?, Wilder, who will be remembered by
the older residents of Waldo county.
Jonas was inventor of the sidehill plow,
which was originally devised for blowing
or side hill but is now famiiarly known
as the swivel pillow. Jonas was good
mechanic, and so was the son, who was
destined to be a Republican congress
man from one of the great industrial
, districts of Massachusetts.
Representative Gardner started life as
a painter, but he gradually developed in
to other lines of activity. He had an in
ventive turn of mind but was much more
! than most inventors. He invented things
himself and had the good hard sense to
develop his patents. He also bought
patents and built up factories for max
| ing inventions. In that connection he
was a great manufacturer of stoves.
That business was organized nearly
twenty-five years ago, with Mr.. Wilder
as treasurer When he died Mr.. Gard
ner had stove factories at Gardner,
Mass, Florence, Mass, Greenwich,
Conn. and Jackson, Mich; with store
houses at Boston, New York and Chica-
90. He had practice of bringing out
at least one patent year. Eventually
he qualified as patent lawyer himself.
He began studying when he was forty
| five years old, was admitted to the bar,
and engaged much thereafter before the
courts in his own patent business. One
patent with which he was most con-
spicuously identified was the famous free
level oil stove patents.
Mr. Wilder had many ups and downs
in business. When he was forty years
old he found himself overtaken by bust
ness disaster and with load of $50, 600
in debts. His friends urged him to 60
into insolvency, but he refused their adj
vice and applied himself to paying OFT
his obligations. He did this after some
years, giving his creditors dollar for dol
lar and also the accrued interest. Mr..
Wilder never knew what fear meant.
One phase of his work as youth was
the painting of church spires.
No other three States in the land have
furnished so many native sons for promi-
nent official places under the federal
government as Maine, New Hampshire
; and Vermont. The young men from that
tier of territory who migrated west
ward had a lively interest in politics and
promptly asserted themselves in their
new homes. The same thing was true
of young men from the counties Of