The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-12-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.

In these few days before the beginning
of the first regular session of Congress of
President Taft's administration there is
considerable wild talk of disagreement
between this administration and the pre-
ceding one. There is no historical fact
better fixed in the minds of the people
than that President Taft was elected on a
platform to carry out the Roosevelt
policies. That the people of the country
and the press are jealousy and critically
watchful that this contract shall be lived
up to is known by everyone interested in
public affairs. There is no evidence that
there is any real disagreement between
the Ex-President in Africa and the Presi-
dent in America. There is, of course, a
great deal of talk by men and writing
by journalists, famous or notorious as the
case may be, but there has not yet come
to surface evidence of divergence in policy
or in aim. The Pinchot- Ballinger episode
is, of course, conspicuous but there is
reason to believe that President Taft is
sincerely determined to push the policy
of forest preservation and to secure for
the benefit of the whole people the I'M
appropriated mineral and water resources
of the country. 1t is not unnatural that
he should desire as far as possible to
stand by his recently chosen Cabinet
officers while he is under fire or until the
charges against him are proved If they
shall be proved the President will, doubt
less, be given an opportunity to accept
his resignation. Journalism in America
is nothing if not sensational. Sensational
ism is its distinguishing characteristic
over the journalism of the older countries
and it is not unnatural that Mr.. Water
SON, of the Louisville Courier Journal, re-
turning from tour in Europe, should on
landing predict and wager that Mr.. Taft
and Roosevelt will be at dagger's point
by the time of Mr.. Roosevelt's return in
February. Possibly, the Kentucky editor
may win bis wager. Strange things have
happened in the happiest of political
families bat, at present. the political pond
is calmer than it looks.
*x*
The sugar frauds prosecutions which
are being vigorously pushed by the
present administration are really nothing
new. 1t may be said that they were
begun in 1904, for at that time Richard
Parr received an appointment by the
then President Roosevelt on the recon.
mendation of Mr.. Loeb, then the Presi.
dents secretary, and he was sent to New
York and installed in the Custom House
for the express purpose of detecting the
sugar weighing frauds which he, Psrr,
five. years ago suspected. There has since
been change of administration but the
sugar weighing frauds have been under
constant surveillance and suspicion and
the recent exposures are nothing more
than the elimination of the investigations
long silently pursued.
~
The United States Government through
the Department of Justice is carefully
watching the Development of the Western
Union Telegraph Company and the
American Telephone trust combination
and The country will, doubtless, hear
further during the coming Congressional
session of the plans of the Government
for controlling not only the railroads of
the country but also of the Geographic
and telephone wires. They are all inter
state common carriers, whether of freight
or of intelligence, and it is quite as
necessary that the Nation control these
for the universal benefit of all the people
as that it should control and direct the
malls. There is no socialism in this. 1t
is simply broad Natioualism, snch as is
practiced advantageonsly both for the |
State and for the people in the more ex