The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-11-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Just now politicians OF whom there are
many in Washington, some of them dis
itiuguished, are engaged in speculations
with reference to the outcome of tariff
Itinkering, eleciing United States Senators
from New York, Ohio, Iowa aud other
States. They are also trying their hands
at Cabinet making for the President elect
1t is predicated that Myron P. Herrick.
former Governor of Ohio will be nonii-
aated for the Secretaryship of the Treas
ury. 1t is believed that Mr.. Garfield will
remain in his present position as Secre-
tary of the Interior. In such case there
would be two Cabinet Ministers from Ohio
but there is recent precedent for such an
arrangement for has not President Roose.
Evelt three Cabinet officers all from the
State of New York in Root, Cortelyou
aud Straus. The old idea that Cabinet
Ministers must be picked on. with deli
cate consideration for Geography might
as we'll be abandoned. When the right
man is willing TO serve for ten thousand
dollars year and such fame mingled
with reprobation as the place may afford
him and his wife he ought to be nou,i
mated by the President and confirmed by
the Senate whether he halls from Nevada
or Rhode Island or any intermediate
state. 1t is pretty we'll understood thai
Secretary Root will be sent to the Senate
from New York after March the fourth
next as successor to Senator Plat, presi
dent OF the United States Express Com.
pany on the floor Of the Senate and
opposer Of the parcels post and any pro
gram in the postal service that will in any
way interfere with the exot bitant and
| oppressive profits of the express com,
panies. Postmaster General Meyer has
just completed his yearly report from the
Post Office Department from which i,
appears that this department is nearly
seventeen millions in arrears A more
huniliating and disgraceful condition
cannot be shown in Russia, China or any
country on the face OF the Earth The
| Postmaster General is in no way re
sponsible for this condition. He has
again and again besought Congress as q
body aud Congressmen as individuals to
enact measure which will not only make
the Postal Establishment self support
| ing institution but will make it source
of revenue TO the Government. There
are over thirty thousand rural route et-
ployes tramping the country with small
packages of letters and papers. This ear
few dollars added to the salary Of each
will increase the expense OF rural mail
delivery about three millions of dollars
Il as the Postmaster General has urged
liver parcels weighing FROM one to eleven
pounds at cost of few cents each il
would wipe out the deficit of fifteen mil
lions or more and make the postal service
self sustaining as is the Patent Office 1,
is disgrace to this government that this
has not long since been done and that
agents of the Express Companies on the
floor of the Senate and the House OF
Representatives with the abbrevia,ion
Hon. prefxed to their names have stood
in the way Of such saluiary and necessary
legislation. All European countries have
long enjoyed and profited by the benefits
OF the parcels post. it is working beant
fully in what some consider the hall
civilized countries Of the Orient, but
owing to the superior power Of the Ex
press companies lobbyists in the Wanted
freest and best Government in the world
the American citizen is denied its benefits
When Secretary Root instead of Plat
shall represent the wealthiest and mos
populous state in the Union ii may BE-
predicted that there will. be something
doing. He is not military man but
during his service as Secretary of War be
succeeded in having legislation enacted
in the teeth OF the old fogy generals that
was not short of revolutionary. Since he
has been Secretary of State the Con-
sular Service has felt his vitalizing aud
purifying touch aud the Department of
State, which was cobwebbed with red
tape and clogged with hum drum fogy-
ism, has been placed on an effective.
rational working basis. 1t is impossible
that such a man in the Senate can be
quescent or useless. much less venal and
obstructive like the man he is expected
to succeed. There has been a wonderful
change in politics and politicians during
the seven years of the Rooseveltan reform
era. There are others to carry on the
work and it will not be arrested by the
departure of the President for Africa