The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-06-04
Our Washington Letter.
Especial to The Republican Journal.]

Especial to The Republican Journal]
WASHINGTON, D. c. June l, 1914
The prospects for Maine man ane
Massachusetts Democrat becoming
United States District Attorney for the
old Bay State have gone glimmerlng
Indeed, there seems to be some doubt
whether the present Attorney General
Mr.. McReynolds, can ever select dis
trict attorney for the State of Massachu
etts. He has been trying for months
and appears to be close to throwing W
his hands in despair. 1t took him nearly
six months, to select United States
District Attorney for Maine, but Ste.
phen C. Perry has at last been nominal
ed, confirmed and has qualified, so let that
pass. Hugh D. Mcclellan of Boston, a
native of Belfast and graduate of Colby
in the class of 1895, was at one time all
but selected by the Attorney General for
this office. Indeed, some believed he
had actually been determined upon.
The Attorney General, however, denies
this and says he had never come to the
point of making recommendation.
That is probably true, for it is the most
difficult thing in the course Of his official
duties for MIR. McReynolds to make a
recommendation for Democrat to an
office of District Attorney. He has
more trouble making up his mind Or
these matters than on all other questions
before him. Any how he has dismissed
the idea of making Mr.. Mcclellan Dis
trict Attorney.
The Massachusetts Democrats in Con-
gress turned out in force to oppose Mr..
Mcclellan as soon as they heard he had
prospects. AS they had been unable to
get any Democrat Of their own selection
accepted they did not propose to allow
anyone else to have the place. For
months and months these Massachusetts
Democrats, of whom there are eight in
the House of Representatives, had tried
in vain to agree among themselves, for
which reason, perhaps, Mr.. McReynolds
has not yet recommended man to the
President. However, the other day these
eight held caucus and performed feat.
They did actually agree upon man, one
Michael F. Sullivan, of Salem. Now the
interesting thing is to ascertain whether
by their united endorsement they can
''put Sullivan across" AS matter of
fact many successful lawyers in Massa-
chusetts find themselves unable to ac-
cept the District Attorneyship because
the salary is inadequate.
There were some chances, weeks ago,
of Maine having an Assistant Attorney
General, but these have gone gimmering
and the place has gone to Massachusetts
He is Charles Warren, son
of Winslow Warren. The place is de-
sirable one, although it is to be said that
the salary of $1,000 year is not very
attractive to successful lawyer, as he
must abandon his own practice at home
and take chances on getting it back again
when he is through holding Office at
Washington.
Senator Johnson sought an acceptable
Democr at for the Office of Assistant At
torney General but did not succeed.
There appeared to be no lawyer Demo-
Gratis in Maine, large enough for the
place, who were willing to make the
financial sacrifice. It will be remembered
that w. R. Pattangall came here in the
winter to look over the office and also to
enable the Attorney General to look him
over. The outcome was that Mr.. Pat
tangall did not connect with the SIS, 900
salary. 1t is understood he felt he could
not afford to make the sacrifice. The
assistant attorney general must give
practically all his time to the duties of
the office. He can not well run back
home now and then to look after private
business as some of the lawyer members
of the National House may do now and
then.
But Massachusetts Democrats are
getting a lions share of the big federal
plums from New England, anyway.
Besides an Assistant Attorney General
they now have an assistant secretary of
the Treasury in Charles S. Hamlin, of
Boston. Richard Olney. of Boston, ex-
attorney general and ex-Secretary of
State, was offered the place of Ambas-
sador to Great Britain and later governor
Of the Federal Reserve Board, both of