The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1909-03-19
OUc WASHINGTON LETTER

itself have been well illustrated dur
ing the past week when a body Of brave
INSURGENTS" havy been eXerting every
effort to overthrow the tyranny which
now dominates the lower House Of Con
gress Through his able, and scrupu-
lous, henchman, Representative
Watson, of Indiana, Mr.. Cannon has
been gradually communicating to the
various members of the House, not ex-
GLIDING the Democrats, the dire fate
which awaits them should they join the
the insurrectfon against the House
rules and he re elected Speaker. Mr..
Watson for instance, has pointed out
to the Southern members that they have
educated their constituents to great
interest in the deep waterway move
ments and to expect adequate appropria
tions for river and haIbor improvement
cot course you realize" says Mr.. Wat
son, ''that if you join The fight against
the Speaker, you cannot expect him to
permit any measure appropriating
funds for the improvement of rivers
and harbors in your district to pass
the House.
Under the existing rules the Speaker
mas authority to appoint all the mem
bers of the House committees. AS a
matter of custom and courtesy, the
minority leader has been permitted to
select in the past the minority member
ship, but Mr.. Cannon does not hesitate
to instruct his henchmen to threaten a
withdrawal of this privilege. Accord
ing1Y, Mr.. Watson is going to those
Democrats who now hold good positions
and saying, "Of course you realize that
your fate rests with the Speaker. Ifyou
oppose him he will certainly oppose
your appointment to any committee
worth having. Do you think it worth
while to join the insurgents and thus
risk the good place you have long en-
joyed on the Appropriation committee
This argument has been used, and it is
un derstood with good effect, on Repre-
sentative Livingston of Georgia who
has long held an important place on tie
committee named.
Finally, the tariff is being used to
perpetuate Cannon-ism. Surprising as
it may seem, there are many protection
Democrats n Congress, many who feel
that their .olitical life depends on the
amount Of pr election they can secure
for certain Southern industries. To
these men, Watson and his cohorts say,
mo doubt you have taken into consi-
Iteration the the fact that the new tariff
bill will contain no protection Tor
Louisiana rice, or Florida pineapples,
or A ALBANIA iron, or Virginia tobacco,
if you join the insurgents and oppose
either the re election of Mr.. Cannon
or the re-adoption of the House rules.
Under circumstances it is hardly sur
prising that the Democrats are dis
traught and find it hard to decide be-
tween their duty to their party and the
people and their own self-preservatien.
The officers of President Taft's cabi
net will be given every cement
by the President to travel and acquaint
themselves with every detail of the
work over which they have control.
Secretary Ballinger of the Interior De-
partment intends to go to Alaska this
summer and tour the territory with
especical reference to the coal lands,
which it is claimed are valuable, and to
Investigate the pos sibilities of reclama-
ton. The President. also, wishes
Secretary Dickinson of thu War De-
partment to go to the Isthmus at the ear
Hest opportunity So that he may
familiarize himself with the details Of
the work there and become thoroughly
posted in direct way on the affairs of
this gigantic undertaking.
Secretary Wilson of the Department
CT Agriculture is in receipt of nearly a
hundred letters from millers and kind
red interests asking him to refer the
question of bleached -four which the de-
partment has branded as adulterated,
to the referee board Of the department
which recently permitted the nse of
bepzoate of soda previously condemn
ed by DR.. Wiley, and clamored for by
many of the food packers, To all of
these lettere the Secretary has replied
that the matter would not be so refer
red. Great pressure is being brought
to bear, however, and some weeks ago
the manufacturers Of the -four bic &C hin e
apparatus brought suit in the District
Court for a man damus to prevent the
Secretary from continuing distribu-
ton of the pure food decision in which
bleached fOar is classed as adulterated
food. The case has not yet come to
trial and in the meantime under the ban
Though Congress has declined to in,
clude, in the appropriations for the
War Department., the $500, 900 asked
for aerial experiment and the purchase
of aeroplances and dirigible balloons,
nevertheless the inventors of airships
in the country are to receive every en-
cOuragement by the department. In
the general appropriation bill for the
army there is an amount available for
the general purpose of ordnance and
Notifications and of this sum the de-
partment has set aside SAG, 600 to pay
for the Wright and Herring airships,
provided they cCme uPto specifications
at the trials, and for both Of which they
have contract with the Inventors
The time for the official trials or these
machines is now fixed for not later
than the last day of June.
GA s. TT @ RIA.
Bears the n1hs Kind You Have A.Mats BOqg8
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