Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-26
CAPITAL CHAT
Prominent Maine People
Guests in Washington
Maine P. Of HIS. Giving Much
Attention 10 Rural Credits Bill
Senator BurIeigh Looking Carefully
After That and Other Matters


nence have been passing this way of
late. Hon. Charles F. Libby of Port
land. ex-president of the American
Bar Association, is one of them. He
has been far South, having visited
Panama, Bermuda and other Southern
points. He has been tarrying here
some days before proceeding north.
He called upon Senators Johnson and
Burleigh and Representative Kinds at
the Capitol. Mr.. Kinds had him and
Mr.. F. H. Appleton of Bangor, who is
passing the winter here, at luncheon
the other day. MIR. Libby spoke solic
itously while here about the railroad
situation in New England and hoped
present troubles would be cleared up
SO that transportation lines could
make a new start and business in New
England could get on firmer basis.
Hon. Carl E. Milliken of Island Falls,
Me-, President of the Senate in the
last Legislature, is also tarrying in
Washington. Accompanied by his
wife and child. Mr.. Milliken has been
On visit South. He paid his respects
while here, to the Maine men in Con-
gress.
bill to grant a pension to the widow
of Jonathan Gordon Bigelow. She
lives in this city. The late Col. Bige-
low was a native of St. Adams, Me-,
who went out" with the famous
3rd Maine Regiment as captain of
Co. G. He afterward became colonel
of colored regiment. He graduated
at Amherst College, where he took
mathematical prize, but eventually
settled down to practice of law in
Washington City. Here he was iden-
titled with considerable notable litiga-
ton. He was one of the counsel in
the famous Guiteau case. Col Bige-
low had brother who died some
months ago at Skowhegan.
The Patrons of Husbandry in Maine
are paying considerable attention to
the rural credits bill, now being per-
fected by committees of the Senate
and the House. Senator Burdeigh is
receiving many petitions and letters
from the Maine Oranges in behalf of
the legislation. He has just presented
such u petition forwarded to him by
Morning Light Grange, No. 10, p. of
H., of Monroe, Me-, and also similar
petition from Augusta Grange, p. of
H., of Augusta. These petitions were
referred to the Senate committee on
banking and currency, that has been
conducting many hearings on the sub
iect. 1t seems certain that such a bill
will be enacted into law at this ses-
sion of Congress although there is
considerable delay about it. There
are two New England men on that
Of c
Senator Weeks of Massachusetts,
practical banker, and another is Sen
ator Hollis, the New Hampshire Dem
ocrat The House banking and cur
rency committee has been working on
a similar bill. President Wilson has
urged Congress to enact such law
and presumably will not consent to an
adjournment of the session till Senate
and house have presented the measure
to him.
Senator Burleigh has recently pre-
scented to the Senate a petition from
druggists of Augusta, praying for
enactment of legislation to prevent
discrimination in prices and to provide
for publicity of prices to dealers and
to the public. This petition was re-
ferred to the Senate committee on the
Judiciary. That committee is work.
ing at the preparation of such a bill
but the outcome of their efforts is not
yet apparent. The subject is proving
very troublesome one. The Senate
judiciary committee and alike the
House judiciary committee are find
ing much difficulty in working out
law on this subject which will give
promise of being satisfactory and at
the same time of causing no great in
justice.
. These, however, are only a part of
the topics legislative in which Maine
people seem to be interested at this
time. Senator Burleigh has recently
received from the st. CroiX Ministerial
Association a memorial 1t remon-
strates against the enactment of any
legislation to change the present COM
pensatory privilege of postoffice en-
ployes. This was referred to the COM
mittee on post offices and post roads.
No further postal legislation can be
expected at this session, or probably,
during this Congress which will end
March 4. 1915. The post office appro-
priation bill has recently passed Con-
sress and been signed by President
Wilson.
Still another petition recently pre-
sented in the Senate by Mr.. Burleigh
was from Rohbinston Grange, P. of
H., of Washington county, Me, pray
ing for the enactment of legislation to
provide an educational test for i'm
migrants. A bill, known as the Bur-
nett act, containing such provision,
has recently been presented favorably
to the Senate 1t is now on the Sen
ate calendar in about the same Ian
guage as was passed by the House.
Much depends upon the attitude of the
chairman of the immigration commit
tee, Senator Smith of South Carolina,
as to whether this bill becomes law at
this session of Congress. The Presi-
dent is supposed to be against the ed
ucational test and, if this is actually
so, he might prefer that consideration
of the bin be deferred till another ses-
sion of Congress. Then the elections
will have passed and the danger to
him of losing votes in the populous
cities where the opposition to the lit
eracy test will have passed.
Representative Kinds is now shap-