Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1908-03-27
Our Washington
Letter.
Special Correspond enee,
W ashington, DC, March Il

in doubt, though | think the Senate
will pass the A.dfich bill, after il has
been furt her amended. The Fowler bill,
which provides for radical reform OF
banking aud currency has been gain
ing friends in the House of Eepresen-
tatives, but Speaker Cannon and other
leaders are supposed 10 favor the pas
sage OF the Aldrich bill, whenit comes
from the Senate.
Though the Republican leaders are
anxious TO appear ready and willing
to pass reform legislation, they, in fact,
have determ ined to th.ow every obsta-
Gle in the way of bills that would in
tensify new issues in the campaign.
What they desiIe is to pass the appre-
priation bills, with show of economy,
and adjourn.
The exposure of alleged corruption
in Indian affairs, which threatens to
|implicate the chairman of the Repub-
liean state committee of North Caro-
lima and other Taft boomers, and per-
haps involve Secretary Garfield, is
alarming the Republican managers.
The submarine boat scandal has
reached the stage where a committee
has been appointed by Speaker Can
non to investigate, but the general
|opinien is that the committee is so
constituted that withdrawing re-
port will follow. 1t will be remember
ed there was Holland Submarine
boat scandal in 1908, which resulted
in a whitewash, although the reputa-
tions of some leading republicans We're
SO smirchsd that it resulted in their
politiealsundoing.
The Government Printing ONCE
scandal is still on the tapis. The cleo
trio lamp patent scandal is resting UNI
til the court trial takes place, when in
teresting exposures result. Then there
lie a fresh Naval scandal which has
resulted from the criticism of defects
in the construction of warshIps and
the evident intention of the construc-
ton department of the navy to thro W
all the obstacles possible in the way of
witnesses who have testified to condi-
tions which appear to impair the eff
cheney and security of our warship.
But the chief scandal, one involving
President Roosevelt is about the cleo
ton of delegates to the Republican ma
tioral convention. 1t is charged that
federal offioeholders, especially in the
Southern states, are ohnoxiously ac-
tive, and that the pins have been set
L up by Assistant Postmaster General
Hitchcock who has. since been allowed
to resign, with the approval of the
President, to continue the work OF
packing the Republican convention
with federal officehelders. President
| Roosevelt has thrown Civil Service
Reform to the Winds in his great de-
sire to control the Republican national
convention. Former Republican presi
dents hays done the same, but the re-
suit has been to disorganize their own
party and help the opposition.
The Republican brethren are having
Isuch strenuous times those days that
1.-THE wisest of them are in the darl
labout the outcome. The platte rm adopt
ed by the Ohio Republicans indicates
how loath they are TO make specifi
declarations of policies, although tina
Iplatferm 10 repnted 10 have been re
yised At the White House. 1t declare
flor tariff revision after election, bu
Ithele is nothing in the plank on tina
su bject to prevent revising the tariff
higher If the Republicans elect ma
!jority of the next Congress. Then ther
la an equally vague and evasive finan
tcial plank that means nothing 0
Everything. Get copy of that plat
tform and read it, and it might bottle
ia strenuous Republican neighbor t.
ask him TO interpret what it. reall
lmeans,
There does not appear to be one spo
where there is Republican harmony
not even in Massachusetts,. Hear wha
Colonel Sid Bigney of Attleboro ha
to say to those who evidently lntsnc
TO refuse him the small political fave
of being one of the state delegates t
the convention: 81 will not stand TO
lGeveruor Long or a Senator of th'
| United States interfering in this fight
If | am licked and, mind you, / vii
not admit that there is a probahilit,
Iof 1.-THE doors Of the deed Will hay
Occasion to remember 1t.
Colonel Sid would rather fight thar
ieat; and that he means business is eyi
Ident; for he says; remember, if the.
lick nae il will open up wounds Tina
will net be healed for many years.
4 II. l.. - "a