The Republican journal., 1914-09-10
Our Washington Letter.
Especial to The Republican Journal.]

WASHINGTON, d. g., Sept. Z, 1914.
Maine m en- here have nearly all gone
away to the firing line in the home State.
Most of them remained until the very
last minute so as to be on hand for what
ever duties might arise. But the attend
ance of Senators and Representatives on
Congress is now large and there are no
local bills of moment pending. Congress
is whanging away in dilatory fashion and
somewhat encouraged by recent state
ments that the session might be brought
to close by October LIST. President
Wilson wants it that way, but Demo-
cratic leaders in the House believe Con-
gress should stay in session right through
the autumn with recess for two or three
weeks, perhaps, in October, to enable the
Congressman to get away for their cam
paigns. Probably President Wilson will
have his way, as he usually does when it
is question of contest between him and
Congress.
Republicans here are much elated by
what they hear about the progress of
the Maine, campaign. Numerous orators
of both parties have already gone from
Washington to do speaking parts in diff
ferent sections of the State. They say
sentiment is strongly with the Republi-
cans, and with the maintenance OF the
interest until election day there should
be no doubt about the result. Such an
outcome would be of tremendous moral
assistance to Republicans throughout the
country. With the exception of few
States. like New York and Massachu-
sets, the primaries will be over and the
parties will be lining up for the Novem-
Der struggle just as Maine has voted. II
Maine holds fast to the Republican col
UNI it will give partisans throughout the
land a splendid opportunity to appeal to
the voters east and west to do as Maine |
has done, and start the first operation
toward driving the Democrats from
power.
Democratic legislation has failed to
provide sufficient revenue for support OF
the Government and Congress is to be
occupied considerably for the next ten
DAYS in enacting new revenue bill. This
will be in the shape of special taxes. The
tariff is not to be touched, for that would
be open acknowledgment of the failure
of the Underwood law.
Maine Republicans will not lack for
Congress sional oratory in their campaign,
even though the Democratic House has
nut its ban on absentees and announced
that penalty of S20.54, the amount of
Congressman pay, for every day he IS
awav from Washington A few Repub
lieans of the House who have been cam
paigning IN Maine have had to return,
but Senator Burleigh, the only Maine
man in Senate and House this week, has
appealed to number of his Republican
friends in the Senate. These are hurry
ing to Maine to take up the argument
and will press it home vigorously.
Senator Borah of Idaho is one OF these.
He stands as one of the very strongest
and most influential Republicans in the
Senate. Like Senator Townsend of Mich
igan, who is going TO Maine at Senator
Burleigh's request, Senator Borah is a
Republican of strong progressive tenden-
cies, He would have been most welcome
in the Progressive party, but preferred
to con tinue his activities for legislative
reforms within Republican lines. He and
Senator Townsend are conspicuous eX-
amples of Republicans who sympathlzed
with the Progressive movement strongly
but were Convinced that it would accom-
plish less than could be accomplished by
working, and cooperating with the Re-
publican party against Democrats.
1t is very UGH of a question whether
the House absentees will be fined at all.
Chances are that the House will remit all
fines when the time for the adjournment
of the session is close at hand. More
over, the Democratic threat to enforce
the law has frightened many campaln
orators among it's members and they will
be 10th to depart under such exigencies.
The willingness of Senate Republicans
to take their places and help make GER
tain that the Maine voters have every
opportunity of understanding how the
Democrats have failed in their admins
tration at Washington and how important
it is that Maine give Republican verdict
September 18th, is decidedly gratifying.
Senator Burleigh feels that Maine Re-
publcans are fortunate in having such a
battery of prominent and influential Re-
publican United States Senators to ad-
dress them.