Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-06-08
Washington Letter.
(FKoM OUR REG uLAR CORRESPONDENT,

The President has finally ylelded 10
the urgent representations OF the lead
ers III Congress and has promised not
to call Congress in special session until
after the fall election, presumably on
the following Monday, November Is.
The opponents of the Presidents two
important policies, extension of federal
control of the railways and a readjust.
ment of those tariff schedules which, in
his estimation, require change now de-
clare that they won a great victory and
they predict that ultimately the Presi-
dent will abandon the special session
idea entirely and that the next Congress
will not reset until the day prescribed
by law, December 4.
Having persuaded the President to
abandon his purpose Of calling Congress
in special session on October Is, the OPP
ponents of any extraordinary session
will now represent to the President that
under no circumstances will the Con-
press consent to remain in continuous
session until December 4, because that
would mean, in the light of past exper'
lence, the forfeiture of the special mile
age which every little member of Con-
gress regard as the special benefit OF an
extraordinary session of Congress. Or
course the leaders will insist that they
have no desire for this mileage but that
they will be entirely unable to control
the little fellows, the rank and file, and
80, of course, the special session will
have to adjourn at least week IN ad.
vance of December 4. That means
that the special session would last only
two weeks. But even at that the cost
for extra mileage would amount to just
as much, that is to $4,000. Will the
President feel warranted therefore in
putting the nation to an extra expense
of $4,000 in order to secure the con-
vening of Congress two weeks earlier
than usual, while the additional two
weeks could easily be added at the end
of the session without any additional
cost to the country, at least for mileage.
1t is probable that the President will
not and that IN the end he will aban-
don all idea of special session with as
close an app roach to sinking heart as
he ever experienced.
Charles J. Bonaparte Of Maryland
has been selected to succeed Paul Nor
ton as Secretary of the Navy, to the
amazement of the general public and
the dismay Of majority of the poiti-
clans. Mr.. Bonaparte Is a confirmed
reformer and has never been willing to
"stand for the methods of the average
professional politician, nor has he hesl
tated to denounce those methods en-
tirely irrespective of the party athlia.
tions of the men who practiced them.
He has long been an ardent advocate
of civil service reform and served as a
member OF the Civil Service Commits
sion with Roosevelt, since which time
there has existed the heartiest sympa-
thy between two men. When, there
fore, the anxious politician calls at the
Navy Department to explain to the
New Secretary that so andso must be
promoted or he, the politician, will
never be able to hold the machine to-
gether he will meet with anything bat
a pleasant reception and it is the fare
knowledge of this which makes the ap-
pointment so unwelcome to the average
politician. On the other hand, Mr.. Bon
aparte is man OF exceptional ability
and energy and in addition to making
a good Secretary of the Navy will
doubtless add to the strength of the
cabinet as an advisory body. direction
in which the cabinet needs materially
10 be strengthened.
In making the announcement that
Mr.. Bonaparte would, on July l, sue
coed Secretary Morton, the President
said that he anticipated no further
changes in the cabinet before the re-
tirement of Secretary Shaw which will
occur when the latter has completed
his four years service in the cabinet. on
February l, 1906. Attorney General
Moody has consented to remain in the
cabinet until July l, 1906. 1t is pract.
ically assured, however, that after that
date, possibly some time after it. there
will be number of cabinet changes.
1t Is by no means unlikely that Mr.
Bonaparte will then succeed Mr.. Moody
at the head Of the Department of Just
ice, and the President hopes to promote
James r. Garfield, now Commissioner
of Corporations to the post of Secretary
of Commerce and Labor before his term
in the White House expires. 1t is also
on the slate for Francis E. Luepp, now