The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-12-25
WASHINGTON LETTER.


Congress has concluded its brief, tenn
pestuous ante-holiday session. 1t is NOT
tired, but it will rest for ten days, that is
If Christmas festivities mean rest for leg
islators or for anybody. Many will remain
IN Washington during the holidays.
Those, especially, whose homes are far
away, will endure life at the Capital,
because railroad passes. formerly distrib.
uted with such lavish design and purpose,
are no longer available.
Congress. or at least, some Congress-
men, are as mad as can be. The cleo
tons are over and an unusually large per
centage of seasoned members of Congress
has been continued in the national legis-
lature. Those of the Republican major.
.ity have mostly won their places by
vociferating from many stumps their
unbounded and unqualified faith in the
Roosevelt policies, aims, aspirations, Big
Stick and everything. But they no
sooner got back to Washington than the
Big Stick is Aourished 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 that the country has been so delight
ed with it, that it was only prevented by
strategy from nomination him for third
term.
We have entered new political era. II
Is difficult for Speaker Cannon aud for
some other much younger men to realize
the political revolution of the last seven
years. It is said that revolutions do not
go backward. 1t may be said of this one,
the end is not in sight Seven years were
to short period to mature the radical
reforms that have been outlined. but not
completed. The reforms have been be-
queathed to successor selected by the
man who originated them, and faith is
strong here and throughout the country
that President-elec Taft will be able to
carry them to successful accomplish
ment. He has profound convictions and
1t is believed that he is not the man 10
them. One of these convic-
tons is absolute loyalty to the Constitu.
ton. No other President has had more
varied training for the high 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 con-
siderable contact with the South and is
respected aud trusted by that section of
the country. While on the Bench, his
circuit included Kentucky and Tennessee.
There he met distinguished men from all
sections of the country and came to know
and appreciate them as the peers of any
body 10 the United States II is more
than probable that he will bestow some
of the vacancies on the Supreme Bench,
which are almost sure to occur during his
presidency, on one or more distinguished
jurists from the South. The President
elect had his birth and rearing within
stones throw of Southern State and of
all the Presidents since Lincoln, he is best
acquainted with southern character. He
knows the South better than Grant,
Hayes, Garfield, Harrison or Mckinley
did, for their acquaintance with the
South was made amid clash of arms and
not, as in the case of Taft, in temples Of
justice and in polite social intercourse.
-
tits becoming daily more evident that
there will not be much legislation beyond
the appropriation bills during the present
session, and that means that important
legislation that has been recommended
by the Executive and approved in the
Republican platform, will be deferred for
at least year. The special session which
Is to be called after the fourth of March,
it is expected. will coufine its attention
strictly TO tariff revision.
The report of the joint committee on
the business methods of the Post Office
Department, recommending an admins
trative head for that Department under
the title of director of Posts" and
including the draft Of bill for the reor.
ganization of the Postal Service, came up
before Congress last week. The joint
COMMITTEES has had this report under
consideration for the past two years. The
Committee recommends Director of
Posts to be given the general manage
ment of the postal service. while the
cabinet minister now known as the Post.
master General, will con6ne his attention
especially to the postal finances. 1t is