Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-12-11
LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondents


importance. The first was the placing
of fifteen thousand postmasters of the
fourth class under the aegis of civil.
service rules. The other was the sign
ing of an agreement between Japan and
the United States, by Secretary Root
and the Japanese Ambassador to the
United States. Calling 1t an ''agree-
ment, y or as some Scall it a ''declsra-
on was polite way of sidestepping
the Senate, because the Senate, as past
experience has demonstrated, is rabid
ON treaties and very jealous OF its pre-
rogative. The way some OF those fel-
lows in the Senate have torn to tatters
treaties between the United States and
Great Britain and other countries, pre-
pared by Secretary Root and his pre-
decessors has given notice to the coun-
try that the Senate is treaty unmak-
ing branch Of the government.
This declaration" not being a
"treatyu will not go to the Senate and
it may be with certainty assumed that
it insures peace and good understand
ing for at least four years during the
incumbency of the President-elect and
for eight years at least, if he shall be
reelected in 1912.
The declaration is very short and
consists of five brief articles couehed in
plain language, but these five articles
may be still further condensed as fol-
lows:
l. 1t is the wish of the United States
and Japan to live in peace.
q They accept the status quo with
the policy of the open door.
g. They recognize the meaning OF
meum and tuum as applied to the is
lands of the Pacific.
4. They are for unmutilated Chinese
territory and the square deal in that
country for all powers.
). If necessary, they will put their
shoulders together to enforce the afore.
said.
1t has been suggested that the Presi'
dent did not consult Speaker Cannon
Senator Hale, Senator Penrose, or any
of those people in the House or thu
Senate who are always carrying
knife up their sleeves for civil servic'
reform, when he issued the order plac
ing fifteen thousand fourth-class post
masters beyond the fear or favor o
their members of Congress, or in othe
words, snatched this patronage from
the hands of Congress. The order, i
is understood, is experimental and doe
not affect the standing Of postmaster
east of the Mississippi and north OF tn
Ohio Rivers. The movement is so in
contestably right that it is not likel
to be changed by any future admins
tration, certainly not by the immed
ately coming administration. 1t wi
not only cut down the patronage
Congress, but it will do much to IN
= prove the quality Of legislative servi'
I'm as we'll as the postal service. 1t is g.
f. pected that in a few months, the reforl
re- will be extended to other states.
of The recently appointed new Seer
he tary of the Navy has announced b
method for reforming the bureau sy
TEN which naval critics hold responi
ne BILE for the insffectiveness and clun
lg- ness noted by them in the designing
Der warships and the defects alleged
them to exist in vessels of very rece
. construction. The way in which
Secretary is expecting to provide hill
self with board equivalent to genel
staff or admiralty, is by Departmer
al order creating general board,
which the Admiral Of the Navy, t
Chief of the Bureau of Navigation al
the President of the Naval War G
lege shall be ex-officio members. III
board will be enlarged by the appoil
ment of "such other officers" as
secretary may designate. Secreta
Newberry will no doubt appoint
board of the aggressive critics of
Bureau System; also young and progr
siye officers OF the line. 1t is propof
to bring the departmental bureaus il
close relations with this board, by
fascinating as members suitable G.
tingent of staff officers, including me
beers of the construction board. The
. organization proposed, it is thong
will tend to the promotion OF un
| of purpose that has been lacking in
Il administration of that branch OF
service which has to do with build
/ and coupling warships. 1t is
known in naval circles that Sena
Hale of Maine, who is the chairman
the Committee on Naval Affairs in
Senate, is an insurmOuntable obsts
TO the improvement of the navy.
has been opposed to large ships ant
is significant that large number
= the small ships have been built at sfl
wards IN his state, where owing to
shalloWness of the water, only sn
ships can be launched. His inf1ue
. is paramount in naval affairs and
been paralizing to the navy and
expensive to the country.
The tariff committee has announ
a further continuance OF its hearln
y. There is no telling just what kind
> tariff bill will be presented, much
what kind of bill will be passed
- it has been debated and amended,
!. there is strong hope among tariff re
mers that there will be large additi
mr. TO the free list in the way of raw m
VI rial, such as wool, hides, lumber
~. coal. 1t is well known that we can
H. have the best wooden fabrics mad
this country because the finest fe
of Australia and South America 60
the looms of England and Germ
and France, while American manu-
For turers on account of high tariff,
io' obliged to exc out their scanty SUI
of wool with cottan and shoddy.