The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-07-10
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c.: July 9th.

with the Jewish voters. AS has been al
dent yielded to the opportunities of the
executive committee Of the B'nai Birth
and agreed to forward to Russia a petition
for consideration of the Jews in Besser-
abba. AS soon as the Presidents lnten-
ton became known in St. Petersburg, an
intimation was impaired to the Associated
Press to the effect that under no circum-
stances could Russia consent to receive
any representation or petition regarding
its internal affairs. But the President
was not daunted by this intimation. He
has declared that the United States will
accept no semi. official intimation and that
the petition will be forwarded to the Gar
as soon as it is received in Washington.
Russia's next move in the situation is
awaited with keenest interest.
Republicans in Washington claim to be
iubilant over the result of the Iowa con-
vention. Under the shrewd guidance OF
Senator Allison the obnoxious assertion
that the tariff "sheltered monopolies,'
which has been eliminated or rather re-
placed with IA nondescript plank which is
one of Mr.. Allison's masterpieces IN the
good Lord, good devil line. To the
"stand-patters" there may be some salts
faction in this elimination, but the great
est satisfaction falls to the democrats who
can now point to the fact that even Iowa
has swung into line, afraid to stand by its
convictions, that the tariff is the mother
of trusts and that every republican who
favors a revision of the existing tariff rate
must vote the democratic ticket or stultify
himself. After the adoption of the plat
form Governor Cummins made a speech
in which he reasserted his old time posi-
ton, but in as much as he had first yielded
his position and waived his conviction
that prompt lowering of the duties on
trust-made goods was imperative his sub
seouent statements will be received for
what they are worth.
President Roosevelt and Postmaster
General Payne have between them man
aged to close most Of the avenues by which
news has previously been obtained re-
garding the Postofice investigation and
comparatively little news of Importance
is now getting into print. The most i'm
portant subjects under investigation at
present are the purchase of sheet iron
mail boxes, the painting Of the same with
~ oorfoip patanf najnf and the General
Manifolding Company which sells to the
government $500, 600 worth of manifold
ing paper a year, one half of which is
bought by the Postofice. Almost no in
formation can be obtained regarding the
first investigations aside from the fact
that they are presenting some interesting
and probably important Developments.
With regard to the latter it has been found
that the clerk who buys the manifolding
paper has a son who is receiving $4,000 a
year from the General M%anifolding Com
pany, that Representative Joseph Sibley
is largely interested in the concern and it
is suspected that Speaker-to-be Cannon is
also, although that has not been verified
as the inspectors have not yet gained &C
cess to the stock books.
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow has announced a policy which is
likely to make for improvement of the
postal service if he is sustained in it by
the Postmaster General, unfortunately a
very doubtful condition. Mr.. Bristow
declares that the rural free delivery SER
vice has been seriously hampered by the
establishment of routes as favors to
Congressman, regardless of whether the
conditions attending such routes warrant
ed their establishment. Hereafter he is de-
termined that members of Congress shall
have no voice in this matter, apart from
the presentation of the petitions of their
constituents. He says the inspectors will
be used to ascertain if the circumstances
surrounding a proposed route are such
as to give some ground for believing
that it will eventually bring an adequate
return to the government and that unless
such is found to be the case the routes
will be denied.
The most serious commentary yet
found on the administration of Post
master General Payne is contained in the
statement for the fiscal year just ended
by which is shown a deficit for the year
of 81, 1903, nearly double that of the
previous year. 1t is announced that a
large portion of this deficit is due to the
extension of the free delivery service in
the rural districts, but it is not denied that
had such extension been made on bust
ness lines, instead of for political pur-
poses and to save the districts of weak
congressman, the deficiency would have
been materially lessened. 1t is also true,
of course, that the graft practiced by
the Machen, Beavers crowd, the relics of
the Hanna-Heath administration, also
added it's share to the deficiency. In view
of the fact that the courts have sustained
the Department in it's elimination from
the second class privilege of flake" news
papers the receipts of the Postoffice De-
partment should more closely approxi-
mate the expenses than ever before.
Governor Francis and other members
of the St. Louis Exposition Company
AVE been in Washington to get the
s., 900, 600 appropriated for the EXPOSE
ton by Congress, but payable only when
the Exposition should itself have eXpend