The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1908-01-24
DIR WASHINGTON LETTER
WASHINGTON, D. O. JAN. Is, 1908.

WASHINGTON, D. O. JAN. IS, 1908.
Mr.. EDIToR:-Of course it is the SOL
emn duty of the Washington CORES
pondent of a Democratic newspaper to
be loyal to the Democrats in Congress.
and that is the constant aim OF your
CO respondent. But there are times
when it is difficult and that your readers
NAV understand how hard it is am go
ing to cut loose this week and tell you
a little bit of inside history. The Aid.
rich financial bill is severely condemn
ed, not only by Democrats but by many
Republicans as a measure which will
make for the Wall Street spectators,
the bankers of the big cities Of the
East, and the.special interests Of that
little crowd which always contributes
SO gen erously to the Republican cam
paign funds. OF course this means that
q splendid opportunity is afforded the
Democrats to make fight in the Sen
ate fer the rights of the people and Of
the entire cou ntry. Senator Stone Of
Missouri saw this opportunity, this
week, and sought to secure concerted
action by the Democrats. So he circu-
lated call for the Democratic caucus
to oppose the bill. Many.of the young
or Democratic Senators signed the call
and all went we'll until he met Senator
Teller. Mr.. Teller, who when he left
the Republican camp and was baptised
a Democrat must have escaped entire
EMERSON, refused positively to sign the
call. He said he knew the Democrats
too we'll, that tn ey could never get to-
gether on anything and would never
stand together and he would not sign
the call or be governed by the decision
of a caucus. Then Senator Bailey was
approached. He jumped on the prepo-
sition hard. He said that Aldrich was
prepared to accept an amendment he,
Bailey, was writing and that he was
quite certain he could amend the AID
rich bill ntil 1t was = very good bill.
This means, Of course, that Aldrich has
so hattered Bailey, by agreeing to &C
cept an unimportsnt amendment, that
he has won the absolute allegiance Of
the Texan. But Bailey and Teller are
both members of tho Finance committee
which Aldrich dominates, and with both
opposed to Democratic CAUCUS and re-
fusing to be bound by one, there was
ne hope Of success and SO the idea was
abandoned and another fine Democratic
opportunity lost. Is it net dishearten-
ing?
Speaking of Bailey. he has been,
though the courtesy Of Senator Culber-
son, his colleague, made chairman Of a
committee, the committee on the Dis
posal Of Useless Paper in the Executive
Departments. OF curse this commit
tee with the long name has nothing to
do but it means that Bailey will have
the privilege of appointing an additional
clerk and that his stationery allowance
will be doubled and SO he is delighted
at the appointment. There were three
other Democrats Of equal length Of SER
vice and to get it for Bailey, Culberson
had to 60 to the other three and beg
them to relinquish their claims, which
they did. Some thought that Bailey,
who is not on good terms with his col
league, would refuse the favor at his
hands, but not so. Bailey said an addi-
tional 400 year job to give out and
an additional $12s year for stationery,
or anything else to which he chose to
devote it, was net to be rejected light
ly, whatever might be its source.
An amusing incident occurred this
week within the dignifsd portals Of tho
Supreme Court chamber. The cham
Der looked liked music store and the
display Of perforated sheet music,
samples Of all mechanical music play
ing devices, ETC., was occasiened BY the
presentation Of test case to determine
whether strict construction Of the copy.
right law would protect the composer
Of music against the appropriation Of
his music by the makers of mechani-
cal music machines. The case has at
traeted wide attention among music
publishers, and in the course Of tho
proceedings the White-Smith Company
selected fer the test two songs on which
they they had copyrights. One was
Little Cotton Dolly" and the other
was t"Kentucky Babe" During the
arguments counsel had stated the facts
in connection with the first song, and
then took up Kentucky Babe" when
Chief Justice Fuller, with twinkle in
his eye, inquired VIII neither or net it was
proper that Justice Harlan, vino is
from Kentucky and is a vigorous young
ster Of some seventy-four. years, should
sit in the case. None of the justices
laughed louder than Justice Harlan.
One Of fhe local papers Of Washing g.
ton has recently completed . poll of
tho Democratic members of the House
Of Representatives, notwithstanding re-
ia