The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-02-17
fNGTON LETTER.

Congress. The vote on the bill was al
most unanimous, but seventeen members,
eleven of whom were Republicans and
six Democrats, voting against it. 1t is
rare indeed that bill of such sweeping
importance has been passed by such an
overwhelming majority and it is thought
by many here to be prognostic of very
important legislation relating to trusts
and combinations. If it is proper for the
United States Government to interfere
with a combination of railroads, why
may it not be equally proper 10 take
under consideration combinations such as
the six express companies through which
the people of the United States are out
rageously taxed and to which the Govern
ment itself pays hundreds of thousands of
dollars annually, Notwithstanding these
express companies, through legislation
that has been secured by them, are the
rivals of the Government in the postal
business? John Wanau,aker, who was the
best Postmaster General this country has
eyer had, said that there were four reasons
why the people of this country could not
have penny postage, parcels post
and other cheap postal facilities that
are enjoyed by the civilized countries
of Europe These four reasons were
the four express companies. Now
there are six of them and Senator Plat of
New York is the President of the COM
bination and their special representative
and attorney on the floor of the Senate,
where, backed by the State of New York
and the City of New York whose inhabit
ants own majority of the stock of these
companies, he YIELDS unequaled influence.
There are other trusts including the
Labor Trust that will probably, in the
next four years, come under the consider
alton of the Government and Congress.
*x*
The political atmosphere is throbbing
with reform and if the Senate does not
pass the Railroad Rate Bill at this session,
it is thought special spring session may
be called. III the short interim between
the Fourth of March aud such session,
Senators and Members will learn from
their homes how urgent and determined
the country is for the passage of these
measures, and it is certain that the Con-
gress which will assemble in extra SEES
sion, many of whose members came in
with the tidal wave that elected Roose-
welt will not be less earnest for the passage
of wholesome and trust repressive law
than the present Congress has been.
~
In political and diplomatic circles here
there is seen in the late San Dominican
episode, a tendency to widen the scope Of
the Monroe Doctrine and to insure.to the
incapable so-called republics" of this
hemisphere, domestic peace as we'll as
immunity from European aggression.
There are South American Republics that
like San Domingo are really perpetual or
intermittant anarchies. To these little
quarrelsome sham governments, we bear
the relation of powerful neighbor and
may not shirk the benefcient interference
our power implies. We do not want to
annex them We would not have them
at any price. Porto Rico and the Phillip.
pines are enough, or too much. But we
can and must make them behave them
selves aud keep the peace and surpass
their eternal riotstermed revolutions -
The Senate of the United States, through
its joint treaty making power with the
Executive, is deliberative body-very
deliberative and is frequently, much in
the way Of that prompt and decisive,
initiative and action necessary in national
as in individual affairs. Moreover, there
are certain Senators who are more con.
cerued about Senatorial perogatives and
dignity than about the business of the
country, national or international, and
since they have the right to object TO
everything and speak against time can
block measures, until the opportune
moment for their enactment has passed.
~
One of the interesting week end events
has been the final announcement of the
selection of the ambassadors to foreign
courts. The contemplated plans do not
differ materially from the announcements
that have been made for few weeks but
they include changes in our most i'm
portant diplomatic Offices. Great salts
faction is felt at the appointment of Mr..
Whitelaw Reid to succeed Ambassador
Choate at the Court of St. James. The
country can produce no higher type of
statesman, scholar and gentleman than
Mr.. Reid. He has also large private
fortune that will make it possible for him
to maintain an impressive establishment
in London. Mr.. Mccormick, at present
ambassador to Russia will succeed Gerer-
al Porter as ambassador at Paris, Geo. V.