Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1908-12-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Rrom Our Regular Correspondent,

Of international importance. The
first was the placing Of over fifteen
thousand post-masters Of the fourth
class under the aegis OF Civil Service
rules. The other was the signing
OF an agreement between japan and
the United States, by Secretary Root
and the japanese Ambassador 70 the
United States. Calling 10 On agree
ment", or as same call 10 q "declara.
ton, was polite way OF sidestep-
ping the Senate, because the Senate.
as past experience has demonstrst-
ed is rsbid on treaties and very
jealous OF its prerogative. The way
some OF those fellows In the Senate
have torn to tatters treaties bet~ cen
the United States and Great Britain
and other countries. prepared by
Secretary Root aud his predecessors
has given notice TO the country that
the Senate Ia treaty unmsking
branch Of the government. This
declaration" not being o treaty"
will not 60 to the Senate and IL 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. IL
he shall be reelected In 1912.
The declaration Is very short and
consists of Eve brief articles couched
in plain language, but these five
articles may bestiil further condens-
ed as follows;
/. II is the wish OF the United
States and Japan to live In peace.
2. They accept the statusquo with
the policy Of the open door.
3 They recognize the meaning OF
meum and tuum as applied to the
islands Of the Pacific.
4. They are for unmutilated Chi
nese territory and the square deal
in that country for all powers.
B. II necessary. they will put
their shoulders together to enforce
the aforesaid.
Il has been suggested that the
President did not consult Speaker
Cannon. Senator Hale. Senator PEN
rose. or any Of those people in the
House or the Senate who are always
carrying knife up their sleeves for
Civil Service Reform. when he issued
the order placing fifteen thousand
fourth-class postmastsrs beyond the
fear or favor of sheir members of
Congress. The order, il is under
stood. is experimental and does not
effect the standing OF postmasters
east OF the Mississippi and north of
the Ohio Rivers. The movement is
so incontestably right that IL is not
likely TO be changed by any future
administration, certainly not by the
Immediately coming administration.
II will not only cut down the patron
age OF Congress, but 10 will do much
TO improve the quality of legislative
service as will as the postal service.
1t Is expected that in few months.
the reform will be extended to other
states.
The recently appointed new Se-
cretary Of the Navy has announced
bis method for reforming the bureau
system which naval critics hold re-
sponsible for the inc effectiveness
and clumsiness noted by them in the
designing OF warships aud the de
fects alleged by them to exist in
vessels Of very recent construction
The way in which the Secretary ia
expecting 70 provide himself with n
board equivalent to general staff
or admiralty, is by Q Departmental
order creating a general board, of
which the Admiral of the Navy. the
Chief OF the Bureau OF Navigation
and she President OF the Naval War
College shall be ex-officio members.
This board will be enlarged hv tho
appointment Of such other officers"
as the Secretary may designate
Secretary Newberry will no doub.
appoint q board OF the aggressive
critics OF the Bureau System: also
young and progressive officers of
the line. II is proposed to bring
the Departmental Bureaus into close
relations with this board, by de-
signaling as members n sui,ahl.
contingent OF staff officers. ipclpd
Ing members OF the construction
board. The reorganization pronos.
cd, IL is thought, will TEND 10 tho
promotion OF unity Of purpose tina,
mas been lacking In the administra.
sion OF that branch OF the service
which has 70 do with building and
equippinR warships. u in wall
known in naval circles that Senator