The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-03-25
IN WASHINGTON
Roosevelt Still Winning-The Fight
Against Cannon - Talk About the
Tariff-Our Weekly Letter.
Washington, ID. c.


March %, 90.
IL is three weeks since Roosevelt
retired to private life, yet one of
his greatest achievements as Presi-
dent was accomplished yesterday. A
bill providing that the clerks who are
to take the Census OF 1910 shall be
appointed by competitive examination
and not under the "spoils system"
has been passed by the House and
will become a law undoubtedly. Mr..
Roosevelt's courageous course in veto
ing this bill last month is the cause
of the change. Probably there never
will again be made an attempt TO
have graft" connected with the en-
umeration of the American people.
An important change In our govern
ment system has been made this week
IL the formation of a so-called Bud
getary Commission" which will con-
sist of committees from each house
of Congress to watch the total ex-
penditures of the country in relation
to the total income. Heretofore each
committee has tried to get as much
money for the things in which it is
interested as possible, without regard
to whether there are things which
needed the money more, or whether
Uncle Sam can afford to spend so
much. Each committee has grabbed
all 1t could get, and only the Treasury
Department has known whether we
are spending too much, or whether
too much money goes to certain pro-
jects while others which deserve
more get less. This new Commission
will look over the entire ground, and
decide just about how much each
line of work is entitled to in proper
ton 20 others. England and France
have had such Commissions practi-
cally always. Since this proposal is
made by Congress itself there seems
to be no reason why 1t should not be
carried through. Senator Aldrich is
taking to himself the credit for its
suggestion, but as usual he is only
pushing forward an idea which has
long been advocated by a man with
out Mr.. Aldrich's depostic power,
namely Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa. At
any rate 1t marks a step forward for
our government.
CENTRAL AMERICA CALNIER.
The Central American situation has
Gained down surprisingly. The pesti-
ferrous little tyrants of Nicaragua and
Honduras have acted very much as
fractions school-boy does when the
hickory switch is gotten out. The
United States has so long been in
the habit of putting up with all sorts
of insults and injuries from the dimi
nutive states that they had become
entirely too impudent The prompt
action of Secretary Knox in sending
gun-boats down to patrol their coasts
has caused a panic and a fright. The
Nicaraguan minister at Washington
has kept the path hot between his
embassy and Mr.. Knox's office, carry
ing assurances that President Zelaya
will be good from this time forward
henceforth and forever.
A number of important diplomatic
appointments have been made this
week. The present Governor of tn,
Philippines. Henry Clay Ide. of YER
mont, will become United States
Minister to Spain. A New York
lawyer, C. A. Sheriff., will be Minis
ter to Argentina, which is now con-
sidered one of the really big diplo-
matte posts, since the city of Buenos
Ayres is bigger than Boston, and is
called the Paris of the New World"
j. A. Leishmann, who has been for
many years Americas representa-
tive at the court of the Sultan of
Turkey, is now to be sent to Rome
as Minister to Italy.
QUIET IN SENATE.
In marked contrast to the stormy
appearance of the present House Of
Representatives. are the peaceful
scenes which appears at the Senate
CONTINUED on fourth psge)