The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-01-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WAOulNQlUN LII Lib
\ The most conspicuous event or at leas
the most spectacular since my last lette
was the New Years reception at tn.
White House. The many ambassadors
chiefs of legation, as well as our owr
gorgeous Army and Navy officers, make
this event one of unusual splendor. The
President shook hands with over sever
thousand persons, actual count, the grea'
majority of them common, untitled citi
zens of Washington or visitors sojourning
here. None were refused admittance.
There Is strong sentiment against the
continuance of this function. 1t dates
from the time of Jefferson when the city
had population of perhaps ten thousand.
1t now has 100000. Then there was no
way of reaching Washington from the
sparsely settled states except by horse or
wagon over muddy roads. Now the city
| is only forty minutes from Baltimore
three hours from Philadelphia; less than
Eve hours from New York and cores
pondingly close to the rest Of the world.
AS result the President of the United
States be he ever so democratic land there
never was President more democratic
than Roosevelt) has very different hand
shaking proposition before him from that
which Jefferson and Old Hickory had to
f,,o TIE Exr,ooror of a rctro1;o ouce q
year washes the feet of dozen beggars
to remind himself and the world that he
is but human. 1t might be well for us to
transfer this exotic to Washington and
substitute it for the annual New Years
stunt. It would be easier and safer for
the President.
Outside official circles New Years call
ing was little observed. Formerly the
Washington papers published two or three
sheets of announcements of those who
would be at home on New Years, but at
this time, column and half was suf-
icient to make the announcements and
among them, believe, there was not a
single fashionable or wealthy family.
They were confined to the southeastern
section of the city. The custom is evi
IDENTIFY obsolescent.
~
There can be no Washington letter now
alavs without considerable of Theodore
Roosevelt in it, not that he is usurper
of prominence, but his positive and ag-
gressive personality and his interest in
everything that pertains to public affairs
continually brings him to the front and
to the footlights. He appears to be ready
to express himself on every subject and is
always able to make himself understood
This week there has been Forestry Con-
gress held in Washington. 1t was open
ed by the Secretary of Agriculture and on
the second day of the Congress the Presi
dent addressed it from the stage in the
National Theatre. The theatre of cource
was crowded until after the Presidents
address when he left and subsequent
speakers, including the French Ambassa
dor, spoke to many empty seats. It ap-
peared that the country is at last aroused
to the imminent peril of forest annihila-
ton in North America, and the conse-
quent dangers that are even now upon US.
Both federal and state action to prevent
other wastage of trees is urgent.
~
Me- xr,I1s
tial recommendation up in Congress
where as someone suggests, it is most
needed. A bill to utilize it for wife
heaters has been introduced by Mr..
Adams of Pennsylvania, who it transpires
has no wife, and as member of Congress
suggested in the debate is therefore i'm
mune. Another member suggested its
use for any man who would strike a
woman but failed to offer an amendment
Recommending its use for any woman
who would beat her husband. During
the debate. someone asked Mr.. Adams if
he was backing the whipping post because
he was bachelor and safe from its con-
sequences. Adams replied that the only
men able to introduce such a bill were
single men, because they did not belong
to the married mems trust. There can be
no doubt that the whipping post is in the
air. 1t will be saving to the tax payers
and good from an economic point of view.
Under the present law. welded rufians
are sent to prison or rather to the hotels
called prisons, where tax payers support
them in idleness and are frequently COM