Amador ledger., 1908-01-03
LETTER FROM
WASHTNGTON

The great event of the week was the
sailing from Hampton roads of the
big battleship feet which is to pro-
ceed by way of the Straits of Magellan
to San Francisco. There we're six
teen huge battleships ranging in size
from IL ,525 to $1,000 tons, two supply
ships, a repair ship and a tender.
The departure of such naval force
to the Pacific, where the United
States has had heretofore a very
small force, has excited comment all,
over the world, and speculation as
to the object of the voyage has been
rife. From the many opinions ex-
| pressed through the foreign press, it
is gathered that the prevailing belief
is that the claim of the president that
it is merely practice cruise must
tie taken in Pickwickian sense
But, if nothing more is accomplished,
the assembling of such n fleet has
made a worldwide impression, and
If the voyage is made without mis-
hap, American seamanship Will be
universally acknowledged second to
none. There has been only ono COM
ment on the fighting strength of the
vessels and the fighting qualities of
the men, and that by the London
"Daily News" which says that the
fleet would be crumpled up by the
Japanese with the ease with which
they disposed of the Russian armada.
All OF which is, of course, taken for
what it is worth. The fleet is due off
California next April, and it is the
intention of the navy department to
have it call at San Diego, San Pedro,
and Redondo or Santa Barbara, the
port to be determined later. Already
requests have come from Redondo
and other ports to have orders issued
to the fleet to stop there, but no
action will be taken until the vessels
reach Magdalena bay. Reports by
wireless telegraph from the fleet when
three days out stated that admiral
Evans has announced to the COM
manders under him that the vessels
would make the circle of the earth,
coming back to the Atlantic coast by
way of SueZ. This statement, how
ever, as 1t comes from over the sea,
is considered by many to be simply a
sea-yarn for the benefit of the mar
ines.
Ut is probable that there will be nc
more legislation by executive order,
as it were, as the senate has made it
clear that there must be restored the
old and orderly custom of having
proposed Legislation introduced in
the senate by member, and by him
referred to a committee. There has
recently grown up a habit among
heads of executive departments of
sending communications to the SEN
ate, suggesting legislation of differ
ent kinds, which have been referred
to committees and there sserved as a
basis of action. And, indeed, the
practice has gone so far as to send
suggested legislation direct to COM
mittee. This is usurping the legis.
iative powers with vengeance, and
the senate has not too soon put its
foot down. Senator Knox said that,
while cabinet officer, he never felt
that he could properly suggest legis-
lation to congress, unless he had
been invite to do so. Not many of
the other cabinet officers or high
officials have taken this eminentIy
patriotic view of the case. The
tendency has been to use congress as
a registering bureau for others with
eSalted views of their Importance.
President Roosevelt, according 90
the published statement of mayor
Dahlman of Omaha, accepts RESPONSE
bility for the recent panic, the ulti-
mate effects of which are not yet felt.
The financial community long ago
fixed the blame on his shoulders. and
the mercantile and manufacturing
world is thinking similar thoughts as
business diminishes. When the
effects of the upheaval strike wage,
as it is believed they will, the labor
ing classes will doubtless find little
reason to rejoice in the propaganda
which has been put forth by him
whom ex-governor Black refers to as
the man Un the barrel head. 1t is
true that in some manufacturing
centers even thus early goods are
being stored in warehouses as there
is no sale for Them