West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-09-24
OUR washington LETTER.
The Farmers of the Vest No Longer
HOODWINKED on the Tariff.
Another Ofileiai Report Pavoring the
Army Canteen.
FIom our regular correspondent.

Reports from the Northwest are to
the effect that the people of that
section, Republicans and Demo
Gratis alike are anxious for tariff re-
form and one Republican Congress
man, now in Washington, admits
that were the Democrats to nomin-
ate a safe man, sound OF. the money
question and with conservative
tariff reform ideas he could give
Mr.. Roosevelt very close run in
Minnesota. 1t appears that the peo-
pie of that section have at last
awakened TO the fact that the tariff
on wheat was imposed merely to
hoodwink the farmers and really
does no one pennys worth of
good, while it prevents the Minnea-
polls mills from grinding the thou
sands of bushels OF wheat harvested
in British Columbia and deprives
the northwestern railroads of the
benefit of hauling both the wheat
and the -four. The coopers would
also be benefited could this wheat
find its way to Minneapolis as they
would supply the -four barrels, the
lumbermen would supply the MAJ
terial for the barrels and SO on, I'M
til a large number OF northwestern
interests would benefit directly or
indirectly from free wheat. 1t is
also desired that general recipro-
city treaty with Canada be effected.
OF course such treaty would be
emphatically opposed by the East
ern Republicans. but that very
fact may augment the disaffection of
those in the northwest.
III
Postmaster General Payne is un-
derstood to have demanded a de-
Tense of his action in removing
Miss Todd, the Delaware postmas-
ter, at the behest of Alice, the Ad-
dicks Senator, which will enable
the President to approve Payne's
course and avoid any rupture with
Payne or Addicks. Although the
Postmaster General told Miss Todd
that she was removed because she
was personally obnoxious to Senator
Alice, and although in the first in
terviews he gave on the subject he
plainly showed that he believed the
agreement entered into between the
Delaware senator's, whereby each
was to control half of the federal
patronage and use il to reward
faithful henchmen, was ample rea
son for his having removed Miss
Todd and replaced her with an Ad-
dicks politician; after the press of
the country manifested unqualified
disapproval of his action Mr.. Payne
bethought himself of the advisabili-
~ of alleging that Miss Todd was
guilty of "offensive partisanship"
and alleged that reason in his re-
port to the President. OF course,
Mr.. Roosevelt is too ardent a civil
service reformer to tolerate federal
employees who was guilty of taking
sides, even though she be a woman,
without vote, and even though
she took sides against a notorious
corruptionist who had brought dis
grace on her state. Consequently,
according to all reports, Miss Todd
will remain removed by order of the
President, and Payne will once
more escape the consequence of
his acts.
TT
General Frank ID. Baldwin, com
handing the department of the
Colorado, has just made an interest
ing report to the War Department
in which he deals another blow at
the anti-canteen movement Cen
eral Baldwin says, "From a some
what extensive observation as In
spector General and as a Com
mander of Troops, have been
deeply impressed by the very mark
ed difference in discipline and gen.
eral contentment among the enlist
ed men since the abolition of the
canteen feature Of the postexchange.
II men are unable to get glass of
beer in decent and orderly man
ner in the garrison, they will resort
to the vile brothels which cluster
around the borders of the reserya-
ton, where they drink all manner
of alcoholic beverages and often
sink into debauchery and ruin" In
conclusion, the General quotes and
endorses the words Of his predeces.
sor, General Funston, who said,
"The recent legislation by Con-
gress, 50 far as this department is
concerned, has had no effect except
to lower the discipline of The army
ruin scores Of good soldiers and fiji
the pockets of lot of saloonkeep-
ers, gamblers and prostitutes.
I ! !
The names Of the persons indict-
ed last week in connection with the
Postoffice scandals have finally
come out. In addition to Beavers
and Machen, they include Eugene
D. Scheble of Toledo, Ohio, las.
w. Erwin, Assistant Superintend-
ent of Free Delivery for the terri
tory west of the Rocky Mountains,
Isaac S. Mcclellan and George w.
Hnnfinafnn Of the Cnlnnnhin c..