Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-08-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
I SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.


| LOOK TO THE NENT CONG Rt.SS.-
The next congress will be confronted
with duties and responsibilities even
more important and delicate than those
/ of the war congress which has just ad-
! journed. Conditions unexpected, even
! hndrcamed of. will certainly follow the
close of the war with Spain, and prob
/ lens more difficult of solution and NOR"
momentous in their probable results, will
| present themselves to the Fifty sixth
| congress for ISOLATION. The great ma
tional need is. therefore, the election to
| the new congress of men of the highest
standard of citizenship and statesman
| ship. Many such there were in the last
congress, and to their influence is large
| ly due the wise legislation which has
enabled the president to carry forward
his policy to such brilliant success. Yet,
while dominated by men of coma ndng
ability, the common place ability and
| negative influence of a great ma jority of
the members of the last congress was
painfully evident to every discerning
visitor at the Capitol. The cause lies in
the nominating conventions for mem
bers of the house, now being held all
'NtI tht country. II is All dl1ldZlnS TACT
that, in selecting our representatives,
the nominating conventions, as a rule,
| do not name the ablest men of their re-
spective districts, but, on the contrary,
in almost a majority of instances. the
choice is of an inferior and inconspicu-
| Gus person, and this, too. when the higher
type of citizen is at the call of every
congressional convention. The System
! which not only permits this, but liter
ally compelS it. is, of course. responsible
for this dcplUrable miscarriage of the
popular will. That system is a scheme of
pohtiCaI or partisan cOntrO-a prear-
ranged assumption of authority by Sc
lect few who direct party policy and ma
, nipulate the conventions. To these man
aging men the higher. stronger, best
equipped type Of citizen might not be
srhscrvient, nor make his congressional
career contribute to particular interests
which the nomnators represent. 1t is
tremendous mistake and one which will
lie made humiliatingy apparent when
the next congress meets, if the petty
bosses in the congressional districts and
the bigger bosses higher up shall be able
to nominate men of doubtful or medic
/ ~.
The people themselves can make these
nominations, and not a cotcrie of poll
ticians. If they will bcstir themselves
and work diligently for the nomination
of the most representative man in each
congressional district, irrespective Of
rotation" or of deals between politi-
clans or localities.
ONE RESULT OF THE WAR.--Ore
result of The war with Spain will he to
enhance the value of American citizen
ship in the eyes of the world. Here
after the American flag and the Ameri-
can citizen will be respected abroad as
they have never been before. Among all
but the best educated and the most tray
oled classes we have always had the rep
utation of being a nation of shopkeep-
crS. shrcwd, boastful, vulgar. but of lit
Tie account outside of commercial trans
actions. They know better now. The
extraordinary, almost miraculous, sue
tesses of our navy have riveted the eyes
of the world in admiration or in fear.
The rapidity with which we have evolved
an army of a quarter of a million men
from state of unpreparcdness has also
fierce fighting of our raw levics before
Santiago has been officially reported to
every great power of Europe in words of
unstinted praise. With the news of the
terrible effectiveness of our navy and
army have gone also tho reports of tn.
ease with which a great government
loan has been placed in sums less than
$.O0O with five Times the amount of the
loan offered, but not accepted More than
all, the nations have been impressed
with our masninimity and the generous
treatment of our prisoners. The Amnri-
can citizen will hereafter when traveine
abroad. be treated with a degree of cour-
tcsy and respect that he has never before
known.
AN INTERESTING LADY-It has
lately been brought to public attention
that former mistress of the White
House, the lady known there as Harriet
Lane, is still living in England. Miss
Lane was the niece of President Ru-
chanan. President Buchanan was Il
bachelor, and when he came into the
presidency he brought Miss Lane with
him to assist i'm discharging the social
honors of his position. She fascinated
everybody she met by her fine presence
and perfect manners: indeed, she was
one of the most celebrated women who
ever adorned her station. She WAS mar
Iied in it 1888 to Henry T.. Johnston, aud
subsequently lived in England. Miss
Lane had previously been presented tn
Queen Victoria, while she had accom-
panied her uncle as minister tn England
during President Picrces term in office.
The queen shared i'm tho general ad-
mration for her and she became IL ia
vcl itc with her ma ieSty. Mrs. Johnston
is now a widow She has recently met
Queen Victoria at Windsor castle, the |
latter having continued her courtcsics |
to this American lady up to the present
-"r'nd. Mrs. Johnston is, of course, well
advanced in life. and has been long sep
,IHt,u from her country, but the tradi- !
IL ns Of her social success in the White
House are still frequently referred to
n, re.
EocSE,NELT'S SFiTI-R E.--Thc see |
rotary Of war wants Theodore Roosc- |
welt to he continued in the army. lie |
thinks he cannot be spared there, and
becomes particularly eftusiyc in di'at-
ing upon Colonel RooseNclt's galantry |
in the field. There Is no difference of |
opinion on the latter point, and politi- !
clans of certain class are fully agreed
upon the other as we'll. Tho Brooklyn |
Eagle truly remarks that Roosevelt lis !
perfectly satisfactory to Platt as |
Rough Rider" But suppose there is no |
rough riding in the war field left for |
Roosevelt? Suppose he should come |
home prepared to do a little rough riding |
in the field Of politics. Colonel Hn"S"-
welt is almost as gallant rider against !
the internal foes OF the nation as he is |,
AGAINST those that come from an out side |
quarter If the war should be brought |
to an end, the nation clearly would not |
need him where he Is. 1t Is much to be |
feared that he would create embarrass-