Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-10-20
Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. II, g


how one feels more their interest in tn
nation and more impressed that the
are part of the government from thes
personal sights of the executive ant
other high officials. It is human nature
that it raises ones idea of their self
Importance to touch the hand, look int,
the eye and hear the voice of the maj
we have chosen to manage the affairs o
our nation, and somehow we better real
ize that we have voice in this choice
There is more noticeable regard for tn,
president in his official capacity in THU
city than there is in any section of the
country. Not that we are lacking il
that respect which is due the office, bu
here proximity gives better understand
ing of what it really is to be President
of the United States. There is none OF
the familiarity that breeds contempt Sc
far as the president is concerned. The
man might deserve criticism or censure
but the President of the United States
OF America is respected at all times.
This no doubt comes from the full and
complete knowledge of what it means to
be president, and from the fact that GEN.
tering here the vastness of our empire is
better grasped and the multitude of
duties and responsibilities resting on the
shoulders of the chief executive better
understood
L. G. Dawson, of Council Bluffs,
recently passed through this city on his
way home for short vacation from his
duties as secretary of legation to Brazil.
Mr.. Dawson has greatly pleased the
state department and won good stand
ing as diplomat by the way he con-
Quoted negotiations for the purchase of
the two warships we acquired from
Brazil just prior to our war with Spain.
1t so happened that he was in full charge
OF the legation and acting as minister at
this important time and measured fully
up to the demands of the occasion He
was here but short time, but received
warm congratulations on the record he
has made for himself, from his numer-
Gus friends in diplomatic and admins
tration circles who have knowledge Of
his actions as an official.
One day before he started on his west
ern tour, the president reviewed the 10th
q. S. Cavalry in the White Lot. This is
a colored regiment and one of those
which took part in the fighting around
Santiago. They were in the fight in
which the Rough Riders" we're so con-
spicuous and lost heavily. The men of
the 10th are fine soldierly looking lot
Of fellows and their behavior on the
streets of the city has been without
criticism. That they did not suffer from
the enemy's fire as greatly as their white
comrades is probably due to the fact
that they knew better how to fight from
longer training and past experience.
That they were accorded the honor of a
personal review by the president would
indicate a realization of the value of
their services. In fact, it is sort of an
open secret that but for their presence
and support, Teddy's Terrors would have
been terribly trounced and had to turn
tail and mako tracks for tall timber.
You couldn't get a man or an officer of
the regiment to say anything like this
they are too we'll trained as soldiers. All
they will say is, that they were in the
fight and have good cause to feel that
they did their duty and acquitted them
selves well. Others have told the story
more to their credit and circumstances
corroborate it. White volunteers would
have had friends and newspapers to
exploit their deeds. Being black regu-
lars they have lost the top of column
next to reading matter notices and know
full we'll the meaning of the saying that
virtue is its own reward
1t is an open question whether it
would prove Of future advantage to their
party for the democrats to secure a
majority in the 56th congress. To start
with, there would be fight for the
speakership. Bailey might or might not
win, but great dealiof bitterness would
be engendered and bad feeling stirred
up that would cause trouble. There is
already very determined opposition to
him within his party, which could only
be made more stubborn and morose by
going through speakership contest.
The democratic members of the present
House are badly divided on public ques-
tions and indications are that the splits
will be more numerous in the coming
congress. There is scarcely an important
public question on which they could be
expected to act in unity and harmony
and these differences could not help be-
ing carried into the country among the
voters and to the most remote ramifica-
tions of their organizations. This would
all have peculiarly telling effect upon
democracy for in that political organiza-