The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1909-12-03
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
Washington, D. c., November 27, 1909

MR. EDITOR:
In these few days before the begin
ming OF. the first regular session of Con-
gress of President Taft's administra-
ton there is considerable wild talk of
disagreement between this Administration
and the preceding one. There is no
historical fact better fixed in the minds
of the people than that President Taft
was elected Oh platform to carry out
the Roosevelt polices. That the people
of the country aud the press are jealous
ly and critically watchful that this con-
tract 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 President
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 Plnchot-Bal-
| nger 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 unappropriated min
eral and water resources of the county.
1t is not unnatural that he should de-
sire as far as possible to stand by his
recently chosen Cabinet officer while
he is under fire or until the charges
against him are proved. II they shall
be proved the President will, doubtless,
be given an opportunity to accept his
resignation. Journalism in America is
nothing if not sensational. Sensation
alism is its distinguishing char acteristic
over the journalism of the older count
tries and it is not unnatural that Mr..
Waterson, of the Louisville Courier
Journal, returning from tour in
Europe, should on landing predict and
wager that 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 his wager. Stranger things have
happened in the happiest of political
families but, at present, the political
bond is calmer than it looks.
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
recommendation of Mr.. Loeb than the
Presidents 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, Parr, five years ago suspect
ed. There has since been under con-
slant surveillance and suspicion and
the recent exposures long silently pur-
sued
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 of controlling
not only the railroads of the country
but also of the telegraphic and
telephone wires. They are
all Interstate common carriers,
whether of freight or of intelligence,
and it is quite as necessary that the ma
tion control these for the universal ben
eft of all the people as that it should
control and direct the mails. There is no
socialism in this. 1t is simply broad
Nationalism such as is practiced advan-
tageously both for the State and for the
State and for the people in the more
experienced and settled governments i
of the Old world. The people of |
America are entitled to what the people |
of other countries eDjoy-the ability to
send messages at minimum expense
and the bringing of the power of com
throughout the country
within the economical reach of every
citizen The telegraph service is closely
similar to the mail service and it ought
to be no more difficult to send a tele-
gram than letter. 1t is probable that
at an early day correspondence may be