Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1905-07-01
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER


THE President not content with having
] instituted negotiations which promise
to bring about peace between Russia and
Japan, is now trying diligently t.
arrange an armistice between the oppos
ing armies. OF course the subject par
taking as it does of a military character
is most delicate one and the Presiden
could not urge the arrangement on eithe
mower unless he were in position Il
offer some guarantee with regard to th,
attitude Of the other, which he obviousl,
cannot do. He is, nevertheless, present
ing in the strongest possible light tn,
humane side Of the proposition and til,
pity OF it if more lives should be lost at
time when permanent peace seems to b,
in sight.
~
At present there seems to be liltl'
likelihood that the Presidents human.
efforts will prove successful because o
the insistence by Japan that she canno
risk loss of the strategic advantages sht
now enjoys in Manchuria without some
more definite and frank indication from
Russia that she desires peace than tina
Nation has thus far given, even in hel
somewhat equiyocal response to the
Presidents identical note. Russia or
the other hand, pursuing her time
honored policy Of avoiding every sem
bance Of frankness in her diplomacy
positively refuses to comit herself
Japan, somewhat naturally, assumes thai
Russia will be compelled to adopt more
reasonable attitude when the battle fol
which Oyama is now preparing has beer
fought. This view is generally shared il
the diplomatic corps in Washington but
there is, naturally, deep regret that the
battle which must inevitably result III
fearful loss of life, cannot be prevented.
There are few diplomats of more san.
guine temperament who insist that il
may be possible for President to succeed
in his humane negotiations even where
any other man would fail.
~
Tile President and Secretary TAFT have
I,,+,roo,, thar, hro,,rl,f tba r comic pa,ro,,
case to close after very thorough in
vestigation of every phase OF the affair
and the exonoration Of Secretary Loomis,
OF dishonesty although Secretary Taft
was compelled to censure the Mr.. LOOMS
for his indiscretion in engaging in enter
prises which might have placed him in a
position between his duty
as Minister and his personal interests.
The President sent to Secretary Taft a
scathing letter Of rebuke to Bowen, con-
Guiding with an order that Mr.. Bowen be
dismissed. Reading between the lines Of
the Presidents letter it is obvious that
his indignation against Bowen was
chiefly due to the fact that Bowen, in
pursuance Ola hobby regarding Secretary
LOOMS lack of dishonesty, was guilty OF
a thorough lack Of loyalty. Secretary
Loomis on the other hand, while guilty
Of indiscretion in some directions las
always been noted for his loyalty to the
and to the United States
Secretary Taft, who conducted the in
yestigation is still convinced Of Bowen's
entire honesty, although he is equally
that he is almost monoma-
MAC on the subject Of Mr.. LOOMS char
acter.
~
By standing by his friend, Paul Nor
ton, Secretary Of the Navy, the President
has incurred severe criticism but the
President is himself possessed OF too
much red blood to look at many matters
from purely judicial standpoint, and he
i in this instance completely convinced
that Secretary Morton was wholly and
absolutely innocent Of any responsibility
for the illegal rebates granted by the
5ante Fe The President moreover gives
great credit to Mr.. Morton for the frank
and manly stand lie took before the Inter
state Commerce Commission and attri-
butes to Mr. Morton's testimony large
share of the success Of the Government
ii putting stop to the practice Of rail-
road rebates.
-
1t is, OF course, for the editor rather
than for the correspondent, to judge Of
the equities Of the Presidents course,
but it is prediction which your cores
pondent has no fear Of making, that both
and the Morton cases will
prove fruitful subjects of attack OIL the
when Congress meets
next Winter. The President will lie
charged with lack of consistency and
with favorism to friend, and Rel ub c m
editors may find themselves hard pressed.
however firm may be their conviction OF
he Presidents sincerity, and no one
who really knows him doubts that, to
lefend his course in relation to the
Loomis and Morton cases against the
bitter attacks OF the opposition press.
~
Examinations are now taking place III
Washington and San Francisco for posi-
ions as naval paymasters which are
open to tile public and which are com
handing unusual attention The ex-
are severe and many Of those
who were designated to appear before
he examining boards have fallen out, SO
many, in fact, that it is SUSPECTED that
till further examinations will be held
alter on III order to fill the thirty five
,acancies which now exist. Originally
here were 200 applications Of which
number 100 were designated to appear
before the examining boards. Seventy
i've appeared but only fifty-nine passed
he physical examinations. Flfty-slx OF