The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1908-12-25
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Gen.
eral Topics from
the Capital.
December 10. zoos.

lot ten days. that is, if Christmas
festivities mean rest for legisla
tors or for anybody. Many will
remain in Washington during the
holidays. Those, especially, " hose
homes are far away. will endure
life at the Capital, because rail
road passes. formerly distributed
with such lavish design and pur
pose, are no longer available.
Congress, or at least. some Con-
gressmen are as mad as can be.
The elections are over and an un
usaily large percentage of season
Ell members of Congress has been
continued in the national legisla
ture. Those of the Republican
majority have mostly won their
places by vocifsrating from many
stumps their unbounded and un.
qualified faith in the Roosevelt
policies, aims, aspirations. Big
Stick and everything. But they
no sooner got back to ashing
ton than the Big Stick is flourish
ed over Them and poked in their
ribs. This, of course, is not nice.
1t is true that the President has
been doing the same thing more
or less, for seven years and three
months and thai the country has
been so delighted with il, that it
was only prevented hy strategy
from nominating him for third
term.
We have entered new politi
cal era. 1t is difficnlt for Speaker
Cannon and tOrsOme other much
Younger men to realize the pOliti-
cal revolution of the last seven
Years. 1t Is said that revolutions
do not go backward. 1t may be
said Of this one. he end il not in
sight. Seven years was TOO short
period To mature the radical re-
forms that have been outlined.
hut not completed. The reforms
have been bequealhed to sue
cessOr selected by the man who
originated them, aud faith Is
strong here and through ut the
country that President elect TAFT
will be- able 10 carry them to a
successful accomplishment. He
has profound convictions and it is
believed that he is not he man to
surrender them. One OF these con
victions is absolutely loyalt,, to
the Constitution. No other Pres
idrnt has had = more varied train
ing Tor he hig h station To which
the people have chosen him than
has Mr.. Taft.
In one respect the President
elect has an advantage over any
of his predecessors for the last
fifty Years. He has had consider
a lie contact with the South and
is respected and trusted by that
section OF the country. While on
I he Bench, his circuit included
Kentucky and Tennessee. There
he met distinguish, d men from all
sect ions of the country and came
tn know and appreciate them as
the peers of any III The United
States. 1t is moe than probable
that he will bestUw some of the
/ varancies on The Supreme Bench,
which are almost sure TO occur
during his presidency. on one or
more distinguished jurists from
the South. The Pre-ident-rlect
had his birth aud rearing within
"A stones throw of Southern
State aud of all the Presidents
since Llnc"ln, he il best acquaint-
d.wIth southern character. He
knows the Sout h better than(iIant.
Hayes. Garfield. Harrison or Me
Klnley did. FIR their acquaintance
with the South was made amid
clash of arms aud not. as il the
Case of Taft, in temples of justice
and in polite social intercourse
1t is becoming daily more evi
dent that there will not he muct
Legislation beyond the appropria
ton bills durlng the present SEES
Sion, and mat means that impOr
tanI legislation thar has been rec
commended by The Executive ant
approved in the Republican plat
form, will be deferred for at lras
year. The special session which
is to he called after the fourth o
March, il is expected. will contiu.
its attention strictly 10 tailff re
VISION.
The report of the joint commit
tee on the business methods o
the Post Office Department, rec
Ommeuding an administrative
head Tor that Department under
the ii lie Of ..Diitctor OF Posts,
aud Including The draft OF u bill
Tor the reorganization OF the Pos
tai Service, came up before Con
gless this week. The joint com
inittee has had this report under
consideration for the past tvs
years. The committre recon
nends q Director OF Posts 10 Dr
given the general management OF
the pOStal service. while the cab