The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-03-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.

The Santo Domingo treaty with its
amendments was presented to the Senate
yesterday by the foreign relations COM
mittee and the struggle for its ratification
will now begin. The treaty in its amend
ed form would scarcely be recommended
by its author but the committee is highly
pleased with its work of revising and
amending the measure. 1t appears now
that the Republicans will vote almost
solidly for the amended treaty and the ef-
fort now will be to get enough Democratic
votes to make a two.thirds majority.
Fifty-eight votes are required to ratify
the treaty and as the Senate stands now
there are fifty-six Republicans and thirty
one Democrats with vacancies in several
ofthe states.
1t is said that the President is pleased
with the treaty as it has been amended
and that in reality it comedies with his
views better than the original which caus-
ed all the embarrassment. As it happen
ed when that treaty was prepared Mr..
Hay the Secretary of State and one of the
most successful and thoroughly accom-
plished Of diplomatists was i'll and away
from the State Department An assistant
Secretary who has had a necessarily limit
ed experience in treaty work prepared
the treaty and sent it to the President,
who in the rush merely glanced at 1T be-
fore signing it and forwarding it to the
Senate. That careful body on examin-
ing It found its weaku esses and the treaty
as it now reads stands for the very things
that the President desired but failed to
get in the original.
~
There is but one Senator each to three
States now represented in the Senate
These lame states are Delaware, Missouri
aud Wisconsin. In the two former states
there are deadlocks in the legislatures
and Governor Lafollette of Wisconsin
has not yet qualified. 1t is not likely that
he will take his seat in the Senate during
this extra session and it is probable that
he will continue as Governor until the
next session of Congress.
~
The triennial Congress Of Mothers is
now in session in Washington and twenty
states are represented by the national
delegates. Since its last meeting here
the society has more than doubled in
number and an interesting program for
the entertainment and instruction of the
delegates and visitors has been arranged.
President Roosevelt spoke to the Con-
gress Monday evening next week taking
for his subject race suicide. Prof. Stan
ley Hall, the author Of the now famous
work adolescence" will also deliver an
address and there are number of other
speakers of national reputation as educa.
tors and charitable workers whose names
are on the program. There will be a
model kindergarten and nursery, the
latter under the supervision of Mrs
Dubois, wife of Senator Dubois of Idaho
Mrs. Roosevelt has arranged reception
for the delegates and they will be enter
tanned by. other prominent ladies OF
the Capital.
Ambassador White in lecture at the
National Museum last night made some
suggestions for the reform of the diplo-
matte service which everyone interested
in the service must agree are worthy Of
adoption. He recommended especially
that the United States should own its leg
alton buildings in all the capitals to
which we send ENJOYS and in support Of
his suggestion instanced the situation in
Coustantinople where, although we are
under the necessity of protecting the lives
of citizens and missionaries on occasions
the legation building is unsafe and is
openly ridiculed by the natives on &C
count Of its mean appearance and snr
roundings. He also recommended that
the salary of the service of the Ambassa
dors should be raised to $2S. 900 and Other
grades in the service proportionately.
~
Rumors Of the engagement of Miss
Alice Roosevelt, eldest daughter of the
President and one of the richest young
men in the country are again rife. To
ward the end of last season il was said
that these two would undoubtedly be
married In the White House before the
Inauguration but GOODNESS sprung ur
between Miss Roosevelt and the young
man and the report was denied. of late
however the invitation lists which have
been submitted to Miss Roosevelt
and which have contained his name
have been returned unscratched and
White House wedding next winter
may be the result. The first Presidential