The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-01-22
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D, c., January 10Th.

WAsH1Nar TON, D. c.. January 10th.
MIR. EDITOR People at district from
Washin gton are likely to be in adequately
informed as to the functions and decis
ons of the national Board on Geographic
names. 1t has 50 far reformed the geo.
graphy of the American continent as to
deprive all names of their possessive case
by dropping the apostrophe and S. Hence
forth we say Baffln Bay. St. John River
Prince Edward island, Prince William
Land, Smith Sound, Prince George
County, and other designations to cor
respond. The Board is now rerspiring
over Panama, and directing its intellectual
activities to the invention of euphonious
and necessary derivatives. Authority
is urgently needed to supersede mere
blind taste and preference. We must
know whether to call the people of our
new INDEPENDENCE Panamanians Pana-
mans, or Panamaians, and whether the
grown males are to be called Panmen
and their wives Panamatrons. The latest
dictionary gives US the word "Panamlst'
applying it to one of the millions of
Frenchmen who sank their hard savings
in the corrupt Panama canal company.
How about Panamaniacs to describe the
present dupes? And why are not the
French, Spanish, Indians, Chinese and
negroes on the isthmus Panamericans'
Panama by the way is an Indian word
and means rain all-the-while. This is
of course, hyperbole, for it rains there
only about $50 days in the the year.
The last three days have been field days
in the Senate-subject, Panama. The
chief actors have been Carmack Tenn
Spooner (Wis.), Teller (Col.) and Francis
G.. Newlands New. The latter has made
what is little less than sensation in
what was virtually his maiden speech in
the Senate, in which he withstood the
combined attack of Senators Spo"ner,
Platt, Conn., Allison Ua }. and Deliver,
(Ia), and emerged undoubted victor. His
central allegation was that, in prevent
ing Colombia from landing troops on her
own Territory to put down an alleged in
surrection there President Roosevelt not
only nominally and technically but act
ually waged war on that republic and
therein violated international law, the
comfy of nations, the treaty with Colon
bia (of 1846) and the constitution of the
United States The Presidents hackers
denied this in loud tones but were put
to flight by the presentation of kilograms
| from the administration to the naval COM
manders in Panama to prevent the land
ing of any Colombian troops.
There are good many men on beth
siles of the House ready to give the civil
service law kick whenever there is q
chance. They denounce it as frand
and humbug; they declare that it pro-
notes mediocrity by encouraging lazi-
ness and inefficiency; that while called
| competitive" it really prevents whole
some rivalry and abolishes ambition. A
good many members of both parties deny
that the "merit system" has any real
merit, and insist that the victorious party
bearing the responsibility, ought to have
the offices. suppose this opinion is held
by majority of members of both houses
but they think the people believed in the
system and when it comes to roll-call,
they are afraid to abolish it. General
Grosvenor told your correspondent, Eau
thority goes with responsibility. This
whole opera bouffe will be swept away in
time; and it won't take long time either.
Why should republican rejoice in &C.
cepting the bronze statue of one of the
most arbitrary and despotic Of kings !?
President Roosevelt has informed the
German ambassador that our country will
gladly accept statue of Frederick the
Great for this city, and that he has "de-
cided that the statue should have the most
prominent, best adapted site in the en-
tire War College grounds. 1t will stand
on the esplanade near the entrance to the