Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1909-05-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENCE.

| oUR hE1OLftn coNNASoA oANAS''-''
WASHINGTON, d. c., MAY 22ND.
The Senate leaders are far from
satisfied with the progress being made
on the tariff bill, and with a desire
to call a halt on speeches for home
consumption and to have the tariff
debate confined to the specific qucs-
ton under consideration, they in
tend to do everything in their power
to limit the scope of the discussion.
! Hereafter the tariff orators are to be
held within bounds and will not be
pcrmittcd to discuss the fundamrnt-
ais or free trade and protection. the
trust question, the political situation,
freight rates and other economic sub
rcts. On Thursday of this week,
after a long debate in almost every
thing except the pending amendment
was discussed, senator Tillman sug-
yrstcd that the time had come when
something ought to he don" to put
an end to this useless wranglc" and
said he was weary of sitting in the
Senate with nothing to do except list
en- to professions of political faith by
Republicans and Democrats, and in
this he voiced the sentiments of many
others. Senator Aldrich, chairman
of the Finance Committee, intends
at an early date, to invoke a rule that
no Senator shall speak more than
twice on any one question in debate
on the same day without the permis-
siCn of the Senate, and he intends,
also. to insist that the Senate con-
fine itself to consideration OF the par
agraphs under consideration. 1t is
hoped, in this way, to dispose of the
bill before the summer is over.
Since the Sperry board made its
report on changes in the navy rcgu-
lations Secretary Meyer has been APP
plying himself industriously to the
subject, and he has decided, practi-
cally, to formulate plan of his own
for navy yard reorganization, found
ed on the basic principle that the
highest possible degree of efficiency
ahoat shall he the controlling purpose
of every change and of his entire adj
ministration. Brief as has been his
experience at the head of the Navy
Department, Mr.. Meyer has graspcd
already this basic proposition that
the efficiency of the fleet is the great
essential and that all else must bend
to that end. While efficiency and
economy will he promoted in the
navy yards, they are to be recognized
as of secondary importance.
In the days of the Roosevelt adj
ministration visitors to the Senate
galleries were always sure to get a
glimpse of Vice President Fairbanks,
| hear his sOnorouS tones, and view the
dignity of micn with which he pre-
sided over that body. He was al
ways in his scat and seemed to be-
lieve that it was the duty of the Vice
President to remain near the Senate.
Vice President Sherman takes an
other view, and believes that the
Vice President should have the same
leisure as any other member OF the
Senate. He knows there are many
capable hands in which to trust the
gavel and he has taken several after
moons off to play golf and has made
several trips to his home on business.
He calls Senator Frye to the chalr
whenever it is possible, knowing that
he is entrusting the business of the
Senale to one of the most exact and
capable officers who ever presided
over the Upper House of Congress.
When Senator Frye is absent Mr..
Sherman calls ON any one who hap
pens to catch his eye. One day this
week four different Senators alternat-
ed in the chair. The consensus OF
| opinion is that Mr.. Sherman is right
in escaping at times from the bonn
bardment of oratorical periods.
| A