The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-12-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.

tour of the world The Secretary was
we'll received everywhere abroad and
would have been entertained royalty and
made welcome by all the powers oil
Europe had he elected to make a longer
stay. But he felt that he had been away
from the United States as long as was
wise, considering that he is nursing a
very well developed presidential boom
and that there are good many people
at home who would be only too glad to
strew tacks on the track aud leave it to
make the running on punctured tire.
Just now it does not look as though these
amiable plans OF the opposition would be
carried out. Secretary Taft is going to
have hard fight in Ohio where he is
lined up against Senator Foraker, one OF
the oldest and most austere politicians in
the business. But the outlook now is for
him to capture the New York delegation
and this will put him we'll forward in the
running.
At the meeting of the New York Re-
publican Commute last week a blow was
administered to the Hughes boomers. 1t
had been decided to launch boom for
Hughes in good shape and the State Com
mittee was to take the initiative by pass
ing resolution Reimbursement. But the
plan went awry somehow. The Hughes
resolution was side tracked aud the most
formidable opponent Of Secretary Taft in
the state was relegated TO obscurity for
the time being at least This does not
mean that Gov. Hughes has been elimi-
mated as a presidential factor by any
means. But he has so resolutely refused
to take any hand in booming himself that
anything in the way of a set back must
have an appreciate effect on his friends.
Secretary Taft on his return to this
country hurried straight to Washington,
ostensibly to look after things in the War
Department but of course to have talk
with the President both about his own
affairs and about how he has found things
abroad. The Secretary naturally refused
to talk politics just after landing, saying
that he had been out of touch with
American affairs too long to talk profit
ably on what was going on locally. But
he did assure the interviewers that he
had found things very peaceful and salts
factory in Japan, and while he did not
say so, he gave the Impression that his
reception in St. Petersburg was equally
satisfactory.
~
There has been the first fight of the
session in Congress. John Shorp Viii
liams. the minority leader and Repre-.
sentative De Almond of Missouri, were
the ones to mix it up. The minority
leader according to custom is recognized
by the Speaker in making the assign
meut of the minority members to COM
mittees. There was some discussion
between Mr.. Williams and Mr.. De
Almond about appointments among the
Missouri delegation, and Mr. De Almond,
getting peevish, remarked that either
Mr., Williams Twas liar or else had a
ID poor memory" That was enough to
start the ball rolling, and the members
were separated after both had been
facially dis6gured to some extent There
is no particular moral to this recital 1t
is merely piece of local history and
shows, if it shows anythiag, that there
are riffs in the Democratic lutte over small
committee appointments. just as there
are in the Republican over the larger
question of the presidential nomination
~
The Navy Department is very we'll
plea led with the showing made this week
by the New Hampshire, one of the new
battleships that was given her speed trial
just after the big battleship squadron had
sailed for the Pacific The New Hamp.
shire did IS 70 knots in her best run over
the measured mile. This was consider
ably in excess of her contract speed and
better time than was made either by the
Kansas or the Vermont, her sister ships
now completed.
~
The Navy Department is taking con-
siderable interest also in the gyroscope
Experiments that are being made in Ger.
many and England TO prevent the rolling
of vessels at sea. The gyroscope is one
ofthe very old mechanical devices but up
to the tune of its application to the auto.
matte steering gear OF a torpedo was
always looked upon simply as chil1's
toy. 1t is merely heavy wheel revolv-
ing at high rate of speed, and when il
is going fast i; has tendency always to
stay in the same plane. 1t was used in
the torpedo to keep the Eudder adjusted