The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-06-29
WASHINGTON NEWS NOTES.
Capital City Will Entertain Many Not
ables at the Peace Conference.

Washington has been chosen as the
meeting place Of the Russian and
japanese plenipotentiaries and if, as
the President confidently believes
| they will, they negotiate convention
providing for lasting peace in the
far East it will be known as the treaty
Of Washington, taking its place in
history with those international con-
ventions known as the Treaty of
Ghent," the Treaty of Berlin" the
Treaty of Paris and many others.
The selection of Washington as the
meeting place of the commissioners
of the belligerents was the natural
outcome of the difference which had
developed between the two nations.
Japan steadfastly declined to send
representative to any meeting place
in Europe, other than London, fear
ing that they would be more or less
hostile sentiment with which they
would be surrounded in Paris, Gene
va and perhaps even at the Hague.
Russia was on the other hand, entire
ly opposed to a meeting in Asia, and
the United States seemed the natural
ground of compromise, being too,
more nearly half way between the
two nations than any other country
suggested. President Roosevelt, al
though he had personally favored the
Hague, was not loath to have the
conference held here for it must EN-
rhasize the diplomatic Importance of
the capital of the new world"
1t is authoritively stated that if the
climate in Washington proves too
warm for the comfort of the plenipo-
tentiaries every facility will be afford
ed them to meet elsewhere for time.
That is, they may meet md organize
in Washington, then adjourn to some
northern summer resort and return
to the national capital for their clos
ing sessions. If the commissioners
determine to adjourn to some cooler
point the President will place at their
disposal two small naval vessels, pre-
sumablY the Sylph and the Dolphin.
He will himself return from Oyster
Bay to welcome them to America but
expects to remain but a short time,
after which he will again retire to his
summer home.
With the question of a place of
meeting disposed of the President and
the diplomatic representative of the
belligerents have now turned their
attention to the question of the date
for conyening the conference and an
announcement on this subject may be
looked for daily. 1t is recalled that
when commissioners from the United
States and Spain met in Paris it re-
quired from October to December
10 to complete their work, although
the problems which confronted them
were simple by comparison with those
which will confront the Russian and
japanese diplomats.
The President has taken a step
which does not meet with the entire
approval of some members of his cab
met but which is likely to be com
mended by the public at large. He
has appointed committee consisting
of his most trusted friends in the gov
eminent service and placed Charles
H. Keep, Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury, at its head. To this COM
mittee he has confded the duty Of
making a thorough investigation of
the business methods of every execu-
tive department in Washington with
two purposes in view, first to ascer-
tain if lax methods of handling fl
nances exist and if so to make recon-
mendations for their remedy, second,
to discover, if possible, what, if any
methods can be adopted to contribute
to economical administration. Such
oyer hauling of their affairs is not
generally welcomed by the heads of
the various departments but the
President believes that the Postoffice
scandals. which grew out of lax meth
DDS in the Postoffice Department. the
recent defalcation in the Smithsonian
Institute, the recent manifest NAL
administration in the General Land
Office, etc, amply warrant thorough
probing of all executive methods with
special view to preventing further
misappropriations of the govern
ment's fund, lands and privileges.
In the direction of economy the in
vestigators are certain to find them
selves confronted by numerous in
stances where material economy of
administration would lie effected
could Congress be induced to adopt
rational and business like methods in
place of the irrational except from a
''spoilsn standpoint now in vogue.
For instance under the existing stat
utes each executive department is
compelled to compile, at great expense
for compilation and printing, a com
plete statement of every item expend-
ed throughout the year. Nor is this
all, for.members of Congress, fearful