The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-09-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.

as the silly season., Dut IL mas never
been more deserving Of the title than in
the past two days when the talk of
third term for President Roosevelt has
been revived on the strength of the con-
CALCULATIONS that are pouring in on him
from crowned heads and from all quarters
of the globe for the work that he did in
bringing the Japanese and Russian peace
ENJOYS together. The talk has been
started in two quarters, namely among
the SO called friends OF the President, and
among those who are anything but his
friends and who are afraid that if he
were again nominated he would again
sweep the country. But all that is
necessary to still this talk is to turn to
the Presidents positive statement made
after the returns came from the election
last November. He said at that time in
as unmistakable English as man can use,
that he intended to regard the substance
and not the letter of the unwritten law
which restricted President 10 two terms,
and that he would under no circum-
stances be candidate for reelection. 1t
would be breaking his word which is
thing no one either friend or enemy
would expect of him, to go back on that
statement. And so the SILLY season"
story may be laid at rest.
x*x
There is general movement on foot
however, to give the President great
welcome back to Washington when he
comes home. This will be merely an in
formal affair and consist in crowd of
citizens, which probably will include
nearly all the residents of Washington,
meeting him at the depot and escorting
him to the White House. 1t is thor
oughly democratic, and spontaneous sort
of welcome, but it is one that President
Roosevelt is the man to appreciate. 1t
was learned at the State Department
today that Edward Russ, the depart
ment's chief penman, had started for
Portsmouth with supply of pens, ink
and parchment such as are used in en-
crossing all treaties. This is taken to
mean that the work of signing the treaty
as we'll as engrossing it will be done
either at Portsmouth or Oyster Bay. So
it may be known to history as the Treaty
of Portsmouth or the Treaty of Sag
amore Hill but it is not likely to be
known as the Treaty of Washington as
was originally intended. If this is so,
it will not be much out of like with pre-
cedent, for Utrech, Client, Tilsit and sew
eral other places where important trea-
ties were signed. where as little known to
the outside world when they became
famous through their treaties as was
Portsmouth, N. H., when the ENJOYS met
there.
nv
A very important meeting has been
held in Washington in connection with
the Panama Canal. 1t will be remem-
bered that the question of sea level or
lock has been left unsettled from the
beginning of the work. Also the Presi-
dent some time ago decided on the ap-
pointment of board of consulting en-
gineers who should pass on important
questions in the canals construction
This board includes some of the most
noted names in the world, engineers Of
the United States Army, the consulting
engineer of the Suez Canal and engineers
appointed at the request of the United
States government by the governments of
England, France, Germany and the
Netherlands. This board has not yet
done anything definite but ii is expected
to have report ready for transmission to
Congress by the time that body meets
that will settle definitely the question of
: lock or sea-level waterway.
Nv
1t is thought full time that this impor-
tant question should be settled, as it will
make difference of several years in the
completion of the canal. Up to the pres
emit practically no work has been done
and the mere question of feeding and
housing the immense force of laborers on
the ground has received little attention.
That is to say, it has received good deal
of attention, but little has been done.
And in this connection a very sensational
letter has been made public from Gov
ernor Magoon of the Canal Zone to Don
Ricardo Arias of this city. The letter
was called forth by the protests of the
local merchants over the opening OF
stores for the benefit of the canal work
men by this government. Gov. Magoon
states that the crops have very largely
failed in Central America and quaran-
tine restrictions make it hard to get in
food supplies from South American ports.
The local store keepers have been taking
advantage of the situation and in the
words of late American railroad mag.
nate have been Charging all the traffic
would bear" The result has been that