Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-05-24
Washington Letter.
(FRoM Our REGULAR CoRREt PoNDENT.)
q ~. 10 lQQG

Odluludy, May 10 AoOo'
The real railroad rate issue has been
temporarily obscured this week by the
scandal by Senator 'rilman in his charge
of bad faith against the President
Grave discussion of coDstitutlonality OF
the bill gave way to noisy harapgues in
which "liar" and "you're another have
been the pyrotechnlcs. Senator Lodge
posing as the handy friend of Mr..
Roosevelt precipitated an awkward EN-.
broglio by his illconsidered action in
calling up the White House by phone
and getting the President to reply with
out time for thought that Senator Till.
mans charge that he had criticized
senators Knox, Spooner and Foraker
was unqualifedly false. Seldom in our
history has there been time when it
would better become all high officials
to apply to themselves the we'll worn
principle that there is so much good in
the worst cf US and 20 much bad IN the
best of us that it's hardly worth while
for any of the pots to call the kettles
black. The President has no worse
enemy in the country than his effrenata
lingua and that he is so little ayerse
to using his tongue is his greatest in
convenience. AS matter of fact how.
ever, in this instance he has come out
with his usual luck and the charge of
Senator Tillman has acted as boomer.
arg. The President still stands before
the country as the ardent advocate of
rate legislation and any indiscretons
lie may have committed in forcing it
through the senate are generally con-
doned by the public as having at least
for their object, the greatest good to the
greatest number. Mr.. Tillman on The
on the other hand has displayed him
self AS the tool OF the republicans, the
traitor Of his party, the dnpe of the
President and toggle-jointed blunder'
buss Senator Bailey's quarrel is in
teresting but not impressive. Some
newspaper correspondents have accus-
ed him Of something not agreeable to
him and be has been hurting ansthemas
at the administration for several days,
but the expletives lies and Glars
have been 80 common in the senate of
late that they have lost their sting.
The whole affair is much like a quarrel
among chorus glrla and the leading
lady, and the public is e1cusahle for
not getting into perspiration about it.
The Beef Trust is getting 1t from
every SIDE All the world is reading
aud believing The Jungle" story by
Upton Sinclair, the jungle being the
stock yards about Chicago and the meat
slaughteripg factories there. The au-
thor openly charges that cattle arriving
on the trains mutulated, dead, dying
and suffering from contagious diseases
pass the inadequate or corrupt inspect.
ing force Of the government and reach
our tables and dinner pals in various
DISCUSSES under taking trade names.
Few people will eat Trust beef after
reading this book without gastric
qualms, and, to make the criticlsm
more deadly, it is confirmed by writer
who is an ex-government inspector, in
a recent article in "The Worlds Work
Magazine" who gives statistics and de-
tails and who says that the only rene.
dy is to divide up and scatter over the
country nearer the sources of cattle pro.
duction, the great fetid slaughter house
excresences in Chicago, Kansas City,
Omaha and other congested meat pack
ing centers. If this is done another
outrageous evil will be remedied that
of unspeakable cruelty to millions of
animals by transportation without food.
water, or rest, in half dying condition
over thousands of miles of railroad.
Now is the time of all other for the
people of the country to let Congress
know and feel that the public eye is
upon it and is watching the vote Of
each member and senator. Congress
car pass the pure food and pure drug
bill if it will, but there is a powerful
and desperate lobby trying especially
III -a