The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-04-23
Our Washington Letter.
Especial to The Republican Journal


Especial to The Republican Journal
WASHINGTON, D. c., April 20. 1914.
Many Maine folks were away home last
week. They are Republicans. most OF
whom went to attend the State conven-
ton. Representative Peters of the third
district started early to be on hand az
presiding officer and also to see some OF
his personal and political friends. Rep
resentative Kinds went home to Portland
for an opportunity to talk things over.
He has not been in the first district for
several months and wanted to get into
touch with some of the people who are
interesting themselves in his campaign.
Representative Guernsey has also gone
to Maine and will be back here the latter
part of the month. This is quiet season
IN the House, all the Republicans having
remained in town until after the vote on
the repeal of the law exempting coast
wise vessels from payment of canal tolls.
All three Maine Republicans in the
House voted against repeal and Senator
Burleigh will do likewise when he has an
opportunity to vote on that bill in the
Senate. He took that position early and
announced that he would not be for re-
peal, even though he were the only man
in New England to take that stand. AS
a matter of fact Senator Burlelgh,
pioneer in deciding against repeal, will
find himself in lot of New England
company. Senator Gallinger of New
Hampshire, minority leader of the Sen
ate, is against repeal and so are practl-
cally all Republicans in the Senate ana
House from northern New England. In
deed, every Republican member of the
House from Maine and Vermont voted
against repeal. So did nearly all Repub-
licans in the House from Massachusetts,.
Senator Burleigh has adhered to his
view about the advantages which would
accrue to Maine shipping from exemp-
fion of tolls for vessels in the coastwise
trade. He reasons that the many Maine
ships now plying up and down the coast
would extend their trade to the Pacific
coast under the present law and that one
would be untrue to the interests of Maine
people by voting this advantage away.
Absorption in big controversies has not
kent Congress and the White House from
attending to an interesting variety OF
things. In between times, while giving
and taking blows over the canal tolls,
the President and Democratic leaders
have been speeding routine business
along. For example, the House has just
been tackling the legislative, executive
and judicial appropriation bill. More
people are closely interested in that
measure than in any other that will pass
during this Congress. This is because it
carries salaries for many thousands OF
employees here in Washington, all the
way from the $1,000 messenger and the
$1,000 operator of typewriting machine
to members of Congress at $500 and
the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Probably half hundred people In Maine
get salaries provided in this bill. On this
bill there is always mighty effort to
have salaries increased, but this year the
economy advocates have prevailed and
government employees will be paid only
what they have had. The House has
turned cold shoulder toward all appeals
for more pay, although some of these
appeals are undoubtedly deserving.
The House appropriations committee
undertook to cut out the ancient and time
honored provision for mileage for Sena-
tors and representatives., but the House
itself baked 1t voted the old arrange
ment back again and this apparently will
stand Congressman are under so many
expenses in public life, in many ways,
that they are much adverse to curtailing
their compensation in any form. A cam
paign against mileage of 20 cents mile |
has been under way for many years but
will not soon win according to all indica- |
tons. The mileage has become as much
of an institution among the Congress
men as the distribution of seeds has be-
come among voters in the rural districts.
CuCAC las OSSl uAoAJ up
heavals in official proceedings during the
last four months, great progress has been
made in disposing of routine work. The
: Dig appropriation bills are really we'll
advanced, and that tells much about the
industry of session of Congress. The
House has only three or four more ap-
preparation bills to pass, one of these
being the bill which provides funds for
! the navy, and another the Sundry Civil
bill, which carries an enormous total for
a great number of purposes. Appropria-
lions for the Panama Canal and also for
the maintenance of the National Home
for Volunteer Soldiers, including the
branch at Togus, Maine, are carried upon
this bill.
The President has been giving much
time to patronage quarrels. Democrats
an many localities are fighting like Kill
kenny cats over offices. An unusual
number of these contests have been
placed upon the Presidents desk in the