The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-26

Senator Henry Cabot Lodge has at heart great reform which he will wig orousIy press in the next congress, and which he thinks will materially add to his own fame and the glory of the ad- mlnistration of his friend, the President. who. he declared some time ago, in a burst of oratorical enthusiasm, is a wonder" It is the reform of the con sular service. His bill on the subject, if 1t becomes a law, and 1t will if the Pres ident has any influence with congress, will take that branch of the government entirely out of politics, and practically put it on the same plane as the army and navy. Young men will be educated and trained for 1t, and, once in, they cannot be turned out except for inefhciency and dereliction of duty. Hack politicians will have no chance of obtaining a place in the corps as reward for partisan ser vice. and a regular system of promotion will be established. This is practically the British system and it has the full approval of the President
 The unwisdom of the democratic lead CTS, who, in the last congressional cam paign advised against making an ener- getic fight for the control of the house of representatives on the ground that If the republicans were. placed in minority the democratic party would become re- sponsible for legislation and could do nothing with the President and senate holding the whip hand, is now apparent. MT. German of Maryland, was one of the men who took that view at the time, and to that extent dispirited the party. The republicans had their usual good luck in retaining a small working majority, and they are now congratulating themselves that they will be able to minimize the effect of any investigation which may be made into the government departments A democratic house could turn the lights on full. But, as 1t is the republicans will regulate machinery and put them out altogether if they so decide. Thus has been lost a splendid chance to ex- pose republican venality on the eve of national campaign.
 It Is a question whether the secretary of the navy has not been guilty of violation of the law in giving govern ment vessel the Dolphin, to a lot of gen. tlemen who happened to belong to the house naval committee of the last con- gress for the ostensible purpose of what
 
 in reality that they may have luxurious summer cruise at the expense of the peo- pie. The contention is that these jun keters have nothing whatever to do with the navy at the present time. Their con. nection with 1t in legislative capacity came to an end on the fourth of last March, and, if the speaker of the new house should so decide, not one of them may be on the same comittee in the next of will be paid by the department, and the bill will run into thousands of dollars.
 Mr Roosevelt Is the first republican President who has had nothing to do with the civil war. Grant, Hayes Gar field, Harrison and Mckinley were all in active service while Arthur was charged with the task of seeing that the New York troops were thoroughly equipped before they went to the front. It Is not improbable that this fact will not be without effect in the coming presidential elections, for 1t Is well known that thousands of democrats belonging to the Grand Army voted for the republican candidates on account of their war records Again, there is anoth- CT point to be taken into consideration, namely, that because of age and disa- bilty very few of the old veterans are now fit to hold office and seldom get one. Private Dalzell wrote an indignant letter to newspaper here not long ago in which he bitterly complained that. under the present administration. neither the old soldier nor anyone else, unless young college graduate, had a chance of getting anything.
 In the postoffice rascalities many will escape punishment through political in- fluence. Others will get off because the trail leading to guilt will not be followed to the end lest it should injure the party.