The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-03-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.

may 60 to Venezuela as an agent of this
Government with extraordinary power to
protect American interests there is re-
garded as significant of the none too
friendly relations with that government
at present. The situation in that country
while not regarded yet as menacing is re-
ceiving a good deal of the Presidents at
tentiou though it is said he has admitted
that by the action of the Senate
in refusing to ratify the Santo Do
mingan treaty he would be at loss
to know what can be done by
this government in Venezuela if the
situation called for action on our part.
1t is his opinion that the arrogant attitude
Of the President of Venezuela is the re-
suit of the Senate's failure to stand by
the Administration in the Santo Domingo
affair. Ina conversation with Represen-
tative Babcock he said he believed Prest
Castro had accepted the lack of action on
the part of the Senate with regard to the
treaty to indicate that the government
was divided against itself that the Admin
istration would be found incapable of pro-
tecting the interests of the United States
in the Caribbean Sea region. He makes
no secret of the fact that he feels keenly
the embarrassment to the Government in
the Senate's failure to uphold him in the
Dominican treaty.
~
In Sauto Domingo also the adjourn
inent of the Senate without action is be-
ing felt Belgium, which has been await
ing the ratification of the treaty by which
F, this government was to have administer
ed the customs receipts of the Islands and
have paid off her foreign creditors has
handed in an energetic protest against
further delay, and the other creditor ma
tions will likely follow suit. These
powers seem to take, as final the failure
to ratify the treaty though it's said here
in the State Department that the treaty
will not be abandoned but will be taken
up at the next session of Congress. In
the meantime Secretary Taft now acting
Secretary of State, and Senator Cullom
chairman of the Foreign Relations conf
mittee are arranging for the collection of
information concerning the Islands which
will be presented to the Senate in the
Fall with view to convincing the SEN
ators of the merits of the treaty.
It is hoped that when The Creditor
nations realize that there is yet hope
for the treaty they will be disposed
to defer pressing their claims.
~
In the Government Departments locat-
ed in Washington the energy of a new
clerk is hailed with derision and many
changes are rung on the old saw of the
dirt removing qualities of a new broom
1t is phenomenon that may be observed
with the arrival of each new appointee
that he is assured he will reform the adj
ministration of the Department. The
idleness and indifference of the other
clerks appall him and he determines to
set them an example of industry. He
bears their mockery with stout heart
and an unadulterated conviction that he
is to prove the exception to the rule that
all clerks work hard until they find it
doesn't pay. For awhile he keeps it
up. He works after hours and he takes
work home. But, just as the other clerks
predicted, it doesn't last. Before many
months he realizes that, his position is
secure and life looks so short. In six
months or year, according to this tenn
permanent he has entered into the compe-
tition with the others to see who can do
the least work and make the noisiest de-
uselessness of trying to run business
that was being run just that way some
years before his grandfather was born
and his interest and his enthusiasm alike
vanish There are those who predict
that, the President will be of this sort.
He has come into the Office determined
and announcing that there shall be GER
tain sweeping reforms. Will he stand up
to Congress for them or will he get tired
of his job and give up? He has demanded
legislation on railroad rates; on the
Federal control of corporations; on
supervision of Life Insurance corpora
tons; on the canal commissions; on the
reduction of Philippine duties; and on
arbitration treaties. He has delivered
messages to Congress on the subjects; he
has spoken of them from the rear of
trains and at the banquet table. There
is no doubt but that he is in earnest and
that the subjects lie near his heart. But
has he counted on the snail like move
ment of the Senate? Will his enthusiasm
and his energy survive the dense unre.
sponsiveness of that unwieldy body? AS
the sessions go by aud there is nothing to