Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-09-14
Thursday, Sept. IA, 1905.
washington Letter.
iFpoM Our REGULAR CoRREsPoNDENT)
Saturday. September 9, 1909

Saturday, September y, l9oo'
The date for the meeting OF Con-
gress is drawing near rapidly and the
chances are that among the questions
that will come up for serious consider
alton is that of tariff revision whether
the leaders IN the House and Senate
wish it or not. The talk Of revision is
in the air and it is quite possible that
the wishes of the President i'll this re-
gard will be forced on Congress after
the standpatters had thought the sub
iect more than half dead and were
making preparations for the funeral.
One thing that has given impetus to
the talk is the detection of the Pitts
burg Gazette, an old and tried Penn
sylvania Republican organ. The pa
per in question is felt to represent Il
large and growing sentiment both east
and west and it is possible that the de-
voices of high protective tariff would
rather see the question OF REVISION
brought mp under such men as Canon'
PAYNE. Grosvenor and DaIzell than TO
wait little longer and have the qnes
ton broached in the camp Of the enemy
So "Roosevelt luck may favor the
President as usual and the matter that
is very near his EearJ may stand chance
of accomplishment, If ii is considered
at all by the presens House and Senate
the result probably will not be FULLY
satisfactory to the country at large.
But the discussion in the present Cam
gress Is likely to be an opening wedge
for more effective action in the future.
In the same connection, the return
Of the Taft party from China and the
Philippines is awaited here with great
interest. Nearly all the members OF
the party expressed themselves satisfied
while in the islands that closer and
more generous trade relations with the
United States were desirable and the
Filipinos were certainly led to believe
that something would be done in this
direction when the party returned TO
the United States. When they get
hack it is an even chance that some at
least of the party will either discover
that they were misquoted as to their
views on Philippine trade or they VIII
lay their tempory alteration to change
Of air. 1t is not likely that the islands,
rosing as they do great crop, OF to-
bacco and sugar will be given any bet
ter show than they now have at the
United States markets, if the tobacco
trust and the sugar trust can prevent
It. The mere fact that such action
would be highly beneficial to the whole
people Of the United States as we'll as
to the islanders will of course not figure
in the discussion. Local and selfish In
terests prevent broad consideration OF
many questions.
There has in fact been a strong pro-
paganda abroad in favor Of dlsposln9
OF the islands altogether The idea of
having a two years tour of duty in the
Philippines is not pleasant to a great
many army officers and such as do not
see ANY benift to their health 10 this
direction would like to have the United
States dispose of the Philippines IN any
way it can. 1t has been suggested that
Japan would be ready purchaser and
that the Filipinos would prefer Japan
csc rule to that of the United States
OF course there is some question as to
where the money would come from IN
Japan's present financial condition. 1t
is possible that she might be willing to
hypothecate her camphor monopoly
in EOrmosa as that ls ABOUT Inc Only
unpledged asset she has left. But the
cry Just now for perhaps small but
certainly a noisy faction, is to dispose
Of the islands in some way Oh the score
that they are not worth keeping and
will be AL expense to the United States
for many years to come.
The mystery Of the past few days at
the State Department has been the
coming mission to Europe with which
Judge Penfeld was charged by the
President. This has been exploited as
"secret mission" and considerable
mystery made OF it. The whole matter
has now been disposed OF by the Presi-
dent who explains that Judge Pen
fields mission is not to Europe but to
South America, though possibly his
work may take him to Europe eyentu-
ally for a short time. He is to help