The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-08-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Tariff, prosperity, labor, wages and
prices, trusts, the Panama Canal, Cuba
and Cuban reciprocity, expansion and its
results, the Investigations of the postal
and land frauds and punishments of Of
tenders, rural free delivery, irrigation,
the record of the republican party and
the record of Theodore Roosevelt are the
leading subjects discussed by the Repnb-
lican Campaign Textbook of 1904, which
is just about to be issued.
**x
Shall negro, possible descendant Of
one of Andrew Jackson's old slaves, be
appointed postmaster at the Hermitage,
the former home of the "Hero of New
Orleans" near Nashville, Tenn? This is
a question which is troubling Mr.. Bris-
tow, the Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General, party leaders and incidentally
the President.
A few weeks ago the postmaster at the
Hermitage died, leaving the Office in
charge of members of his family. The
negroes we're prompt to see their oppor-
tunity and swift to grasp it. They inn
mediately began the circulation of pc
tition for the appointment of one of the
two negro voters in the precinct.
The question is rapidly reaching what
might be called the acute stage. The
negroes are clamoring for recognition"
Their leaders say it would be ''party
JUSTICE if Mr.. Roosevelt would appoint
descendant of one of his former slaves
to be postmaster at what was once the
home of President Jackson. They insist
that that Office under the rules that gov
ern distribution of Federal patronage
should be given to negro, that the case
is not dissimilar from that of Crum at
Charleston, and that if the President is
determined to keep "the door of hope"
open for the black man this is an excel
lent opportunity.
~
Because any other course would have
bad political effect, as we'll as because
the department feels that the question of
who was in command at the battle of
Santiago has been sufficiently discussed,
the navy department will, without doubt,
ignore the story of the battle as written
and published in the Saturday Evening
Post over the name of Rear Admiral
Schley.
To reprimand him, a privilege of the
President, or to order him before board
of inquiry would only reopen painful
and troublesome controversy. Friends
of the late Rear Admiral Sampson,
among whom Rear Admiral Chadwick is
prominently numbered, are exceedingly
disturbed by the article, but it is more
than doubtful that any of them will go so
far as to make actual complaint.
Had Admiral Schley written the article
before the death OF Admiral Sampson,
there would have been little question as
to court martial. Schley's arraignment
of Admiral SIMPSONS conduct, after the
battle, alone would have been sufficient
to cause his trial under the regulation
which forbids one naval officer to criticize
another. The fact that Admiral Schley
is retired officer would make no differ.
ence. as he is still amenable to navy
discipline.
After prolonged pourparlers and con-
siderable haggliug on the part of the
Turks, satisfactory solution of the
American financial question has been
arrived at. This matter, which is the
most important of the American demands,
was settled by extending to American
schools the same treatment as that &C.
corded to schools under the protection of
other powers.
A settlement of other matters affecting
American interests in Turkey, of second
airy importance, has also been effected.
The main object of the naval demonstra-
ton, which was to obtain from the Sui
tan positive pledge of the most favored
nation treatment for our schools in Tur-
key, having been accomplished, the pres
ence of the feet under Admiral Jewell is
no longer necessary and orders have been
given for its withdrawal.
*x*
1t is probable that this government in
view of its initiative that resulted in an
agreement among the great powers that
the field of hostilities should be confined
to Manchuria and Korea will feel called
upon to invite the Powers to take cog.
nizance of the action of the Japanese tor
pedro boat destroyers in taking the Rus
sian dismantled destroyer Ryeshitelni
out of Chefoo.
Japan was a party to the agreement
that the operations of the belligerent
forces should be so conducted as to main
tain and guarantee the neutrality of
China. The capture of Ryeshitelni was,
therefore, not only an assault on the SOW