The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-12-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Congress has adjourned and Washing.
ton is in great part deserted by Represen-
tatives and Senators who have gone to
their respective home for the holidays.
In two weeks they will have returned,
many of them bringing with them for
The first time this season their families
and then what is known as the gay and
social season at the national capital will
be inaugurated. The social season is
formally opened on New Years day
when the President officially re-
Years day when the President officially
receives the Judges of the Supreme
Court, the members of the Cabinet, the
Diplomatic corps, the officers of the army
and navy the chiefs of bureaus and other
public fnnctionaries and finally great
crowds Of citizens. This has been the
custom here for nearly century and tits
spectacle the like of which cannot be seen
elsewhere in the world for no head of a
great nation is so democratic theoretically
and practically as the President
of the United States. The social
season this year will be short and
sharp. 1t will embrace the inaugura-
ton ceremony and will end with Lent.
The inaugural festivities promise to be
remarkable both as to the procession and
the inaugural ball. The Lentan season
is always seriously observed in Washing
ton, or at least the fair observers imagine
themselves to be very serious. Ballroom
and operate amusement are discontinued
but they manage to pass the time with
quase charitable entertainments which
are no doubt quite as amusing and enter
tanning as dancing and theatre going
When Congress resumes its sessions it
will have not more than about forty days
until the 4th of March and during this
time the appropriation bills must be pass
ed and there is urgent legislation relating
to postal matters, the Panama Canal and
various other subjects
It is not improbable that bill will be
passed reducing the members of the
Isthmian Canal Commission from to g.
The general impression is that seven
members is too unweilding body for
effective work, moreover. it does not ap-
pear to be practicable to keep the men
now composing the commission on the
ground. The most strenuous duty of
these commissioners appear to be to draw
their salaries while they spend their time
in Washington with occasional visits to
Panama.
Mr.. Wallace the chief engineer init
mated to members of Congress who went
to Panama last month that he was dis
satisfied with the limitations of his
authority. He thinks that his power Of
management should be equal to his great
responsibility. He wishes to be able to
select men of his own choosing and does
not wish to be hampered by civil service
rules.and examinations. Seven engineer
commissioners are doubtless too many for
by forming cliques they are able to veto
the plans made by those who are respon-
sible for the success of the work.
The young Secretary of the Navy, Mr..
Morton. wants II3, 600, 900 of dollars for
the navy during the coming year and
there is no doubt that in this estimate he
has the approval of the President. The
Naval programme win be opposed not
only by the Democrats in Congress but
by some Republicans. 1t is urged how
ever by the advocates Of big navy that
so long as we turn our backs on an ALI.
ance with the strongest naval power in
the world. proper regard for our own
safety must suggest the necessity of hav-
ing navy large enough to meet posi-
BILE alliance of the next two largest navies
in the world, England excepted, or in
other words, a navy large enough TO
meet that of France and Germany COM
bined. It would be more economical
doubtless to form such an alliance as
Great Britain has with Japan the SUBJ
stance of which is that neither of the
parties to the alliance will enactively
permit the combination of any two pow
ers against the other, but an alliance
with Great Britain appears to be ever SO
repugnaut to certain political elements in
this country that it would appear useless
to seriously consider it. There is there
fore no other alternative but to make
ourselves strong upon the seas.
There is much interest expressed just
now in what is called President Roose-
velts southern policy though there is
some difficulty to find in what its novelty
consists. He has in the last three years
appointed number of Democrats to
office in the South and there is nothing
novel in his appointment of grand
son of Stonewall Jackson and a son
of General Jeb Stewart, the famous
confederate cavalry leader in the Civil
war.