The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-06-18
Our Washington Letter.
rsnecial to The Republican Journal. ]

THE harbor at Belfast is to have survey
with view to making further improve
ments, if a provision put upon the River
and Harbor bill in the Senate becomes
law. This was done with the assistance
of Senator Burleigh, who has familiar
ized himself with conditions there and
who believes that the Government could
we'll improve the water facilities at that
mort. The item has been agreed to py
the Senate, but has yet to go through
the House. Its acceptance there de-
pends upon the attitude of the House
conferees, There are no Maine men on
the House Rivers and Harbors commit
tee. which makes it more difficult to
handle Maine items there successfully.
Senator Burleigh, however, has canvass
ed the situation with several members
of the House, as has Representative Pc
ters. and they are confident the survey
will be approved.
This is only one of several Maine items
in the bill, some of which were urgently
pressed by Senator Burleigh. He IA
vored surveys at different points along
the Maine coast, as result OF which
there are prospects of several improve
ments during the next two or three
wears. After survey is made, appro-
priations are in order, provided the army
engineers report favorably. This year
+be rivers and harbors bill is very
skinny" because Democrats are try
ing hard to keep down expenses. Ihey
are not succeeding particularly at 1t.
However, they have voted money so law
ishly for many other things that they
feel compelled to proceed strenuously IN
pairing down improvements for rivers
and harbors.
There is similar story as to pubic
buildings. Maine is to receive next to
nothing this year, except for few build
;ngs already authorized and under way.
Nothing except emergency approprla-
tons is tolerated by the Democratic
committees. Indeed, over in the House,
where such appropriations must origin
ate. it has been impossible to make any
progress with building items because the
chairman of the committee has been
away from Washington. Senator Bur-
leigh helped get small appropriation
for Bangor through the Senate, but 1t
mas been hung up in the House because
of the Democratic absentees. BEFORE
the end of the session, however, there
are hopes that an additional appropria-
ton for Bangor will be allowed.
One of the best things this Congress
is likely to do for Maine is the voting OF
300. 900 for federal inspection OF pota-
toes in that State, when the Department
of Agriculture puts it's quarantine into
force August 1st next. The Senate
voted the money the other day on motion
of Senator johnson. The Maine delega-
ton in Senate and House have had their
coats off, doing all they possibly can to
get that item written into law. For
several days Representative Guernsey
has been laboring with House conferees
on the Agricultural appropriation Dill
and urging that they accept the Senate
amendment. There are plenty of reasons
why this n oney should be voted, but 1t is
noe easy to get $500, 900, which everybody
knows will be spent almost entirely in
one small State in the ortheasternmost
part of the Union. The opposition Of
Congressmen from other sections is hand
icapped, however, because of large ap-
preparations for kindred purposes that
Congress has been voting. For example,
the South, especially States like Texas,
have been benefciaries of large appro-
priation for eradication Of cattle ticks.
Western States have had large appro-
priations for the suppression OF hog
cholera. Then there have been, and still
are, large annual appropriations for fed
aral inspections of meat.
Indeed in recent years the federal gov
eminent has been going extensively into
the inspection business. There are hum
dreds of employees under the Depart
ment of Agriculture VINO do nothing but
inspection duty of this sort out in the
States, 1t used to be claimed that such
work could best be done by the States
themselves, but little is heard of that
argument now. Few of the States would
do the work any way and then it can be
much better done by the federal govern
ment. The favorite argument against
such appropriations at present is the
cost of them, and that was what was
feared of the appropriation of $500. 600
for the inspection of potatoes in Maine.
There is considerable doubt whether the
government has any right to prohibit the
shipment of sound potatoes from Maine
into any other State, and that was one OF
the reasons why the money for the po-
tato inspection was voted. The govern
ment can put up the bars against ship
ments of diseased potatoes, but the bur-
den is on the government to show that
she potatoes are diseased.
Maina people now in Washington are
mopping the perspiration from their coun-
tenances and signing for the rugged
shore of the home State. Only those re-
main who have official business. The