The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-04-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.

so assailed as during the past year. The |
theory that the Senate was created as the
conservative balance of the legislative
department of our government and was
above and beyond the criticism or disap.
prevail of the people has been rudely
shaken of late. Journalists following the
lead of courts and editorial writers are
filing the magazines with attacks indi-
vidual and collective against the integrity
and honor of the Senate. Since the
beginning of the scandal in which Sen
ators Mitchell and Burton of Oregon and
Kansas were involved the Treason OF
he Senate" has been the theme for mag
zines throue bout tn country, and if one
lalf of what has been written could be
proved many of the most prominent Sen
4tors would go out under blacker cloud
than followed Senator Mitchell. Com.
pared with the accusations against Plat
and Depew Of New York. the charges
against Senators Mitchell and Burton are
or peccadillos.- Where their misdemean-
ors brought them few thousands, Plait
and Depew's have robbed workingmen,
children and widows of millions. But
Depew and Plat are not the only ones
tgainst whom these serious charges have
been brought.
Senators Aldrich, Lodge, German and
,thers have or will come in for their
hare of "exposure. The effect of all
his unpleasant notoriety is very Dispute,
ing TO many Senators Senator Depew is
sick and se1uestered in New York Once
ne good comrade of all successful men
and the most desired of dinner guests he
is now without wife or boon companions
a devoted niece takes care of him while
Mrs Depew, who it is thought to escape
tine scandal. is spending the winter in
Paris. Senator Plati is wrecked in health
and spends his time journeying from san
|itarium to cure but finding as little rest as
Itne Wandering Jew Those Senators
who keep their seats in the Senate and
lwho have come before the public as par.
Iticipants in the Senatorial treason are
Ieither defiant or carefully trying to hedge.
senator Lodge who has fallen under sew
eral hammers of the press and is seized
luled for magazine denunciation, offered
IN amendment to the Dolliver- Hepburn
bill which may have the effect Of soften
ling the heart of the public toward him
His amendment provides for the inclusion
Of pipe lines in the operations of the pro-
Iposed railway rate law authorizing the
Interstate Commerce Commission to fix
the rates of carriers. For many years the
independent oil operators bave been en-
ieavoring to have the government con-
troll the pipe lines but the influence Of
the Standard Oil has of course been
thrown against it and has been so power
full that no progress has thus far been
made. IF this amendment is pushed it
will cause great furry iE the Senate
and the public which has sharp and
cultivated eye for trust representation in
the Senate by this time will have an op
portuuity of seeing just who are the
agents of the Standard Oil in Congress.
Many of the greater newspapers of the
country are not standing with the mag
azines in their censure of the Senate and
believe with Andrew Carnegie that the
senate is still the fortress of the Cover
tnent- But according to the magazines
this is not the question at issue The
Senate, they say, has ideals and tradi-
tons that are above reproach, but it is
with individual Senators who go to make
up the body that they deal When these
are the paid agents of Railroad, Meat,
Insurance, Oil, or other trusts, and are
representing not the people, not the
nation or their state but the interests of
these corporations in Congress they are
fit subjects for exposure and censure, and
the magazines have succeeded no doubt
in giving manv an unpleasant hour to
Aldrich, the Gar of the Senate, German,
Keane, Lodge, Elkins. and several other
wealthy representatives of oppressive and
tyraunous corporate interests.
80
Seven direct charges against former
Consul General McWade of Canton
China. and eighty.two charges against
former Consul General Goodnow at
Shanghai are offered by Secretary Root
of the State Department as an argument
that we should have regular inspection
service of our Consnlates The charges
against McWade include such subjects as
gross drunkenness. the employment of
a felon, the issuance of fraudulent
Chinese certificates; extending the pro
lection of the consulate to Cinnamon as
Americsu citiEeus; persecution Of an