The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1908-12-25
OUR wASHlNGTON LETT iti;

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 10, 1868.
NR EDITOR:
Congress has concluded ia brief, tenn
pestu9us ante holiday session. 1t is not
tired, but will rest for ten dajs -hag is,
if Christmas festivities mean rest Tor
legislators or for auyl ody. Many will
remain in Washington during the holi-
day Those, especially, whose homes
are far away, will endure life at the Cap
ital, because railroad passes, formerly
distributed with such lavish design and
purpose, are no longer available.
Congress, or at least, some Congress
men are as mad as can be. The eitct-
ions are over and an unusually large
percentage of seasoned members ot
Congress has been continued in the
national legislature. Those of the he
publican m&iority have mostly won
their Elace by vociferatipg from many
stunps their unbounded and unqual-
fed faith in the Roosevelt policies,
aims, aspirations, Big Stick and every
thing But they ne Sooner got DECK
to Washington than the Big Stick Is
fiourished over them and poked IN
their ribs. This, of course, is not rice.
1t is true that the President has been
DANG the same thing more or less, III
seven years and three months and that
the county has been so delighted with
it, that it was only prevented by STRAIT
egy from nominating him for third
term
We have entered a new political era.
It is difficult for Speaker Cannon and
for some other much younger men TO
realize the political revolution of the
last seven years. 1t is said shat reTeiu-
lions do not 60 backward. 1t may be
said of this one, the ED is not IN sight,
Seven wears was too short period tc
mature the radical reforms that have
been outlined, but not completed. The
reforms have been bequeathed to sue
cessor selected by the man who orlgi-
mated them, and faith is strong here and
throughout the country that President
elect Taft will be able to carry them TO
a successful accomplishment. He has
profound convictions and it is believed
that he is not the man to surrender
them. One of these convictions is abb
solute loyalty to the Constitution. 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 bis predoces-
sors for the last fifty years. He has had
considerable contact with the South and
is respected and trusted by that section
of the country. While on the Bench,
his circuit included kentucky and
Tennessee. There he met distin guished
men frem all sections of the country
and came to know and appreciate them
as the peers of anybody in the United
States 1t 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 stinguished jurists from
the South. The President-elect had his
birth and rearing within stones throw
of Southern State and OF all the Pres
idents since Lincoln, be is best acquaint
ed 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 aud not, as in
the case of Taft, in temples of justice
and in polite social intercourse.
1t is becoming daily more evident that
there will be much legislation beyond
the appropriation bills during the pre-
sent session, and that means that impor-
tant legislation that has been recon-
mend by the Executive and approved in
the Republican platform, will be deferr
ed for at least a year. The special ses-
sion which is to be called after the
Fourth of March, it is expected, will
confine 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 in
Guiding the drafts of bill for the re-
organization of the Postal Service,
came up before Congress this week.
The joint committee has this report IN
der 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
Postmaster General, will confine his
attention especially to the postal fnan-
ces. 1t is also proposed to do away
with the offices Of the four assistant
postmasters general and to reappoItion
the work under seven separate bureaus.
This, of course, will Tevoiutionize and
1t is hoped. greatly improve the postal
service. 1t is beginning to be generally
recognized that this service in the
Of other civilized countries, especially
Of those of England France and Ger
many. Under the new regime it is pro-
posed to divide the country into postal
districts on administrative not geo.
graphic lines. Fourth-class offices are
are to be placed on salary basis and
postal money order without advice are
recommended for sums of s. and less.
In q Class hIE Thns1aSnluo-