Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1909-12-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.
nrom our ReruIar oorresspondent.

The first week OF the Compensation
81 session has been uneventful Both
Houses have adjourned from day 10
day and next to no business Of Leg
islative character has been transact
ed. The fact that two large con-
ventions, one the Southern CONNER
eial and Industrial Congress and
the other the Waterways Congress
have been In session 10 Washington
has detracted from the national Con-
gress by drawing to its sessions.
Members and Senator's. Cabinet
Ministers. and the President him
self, who made a speech at the opens
ing Ut this convention. President
Taft spoke diseouragingly with re-
ference 10 the scheme for the issue
OF United States Bonds to theamouns
Of half billion dollars to DO used
for the Improvement OF the Naviga-
BILE water ways of the United States.
This phase Of the question however
is SO dear TO the three or frur thou
sand delegatesof the convention who
are now In Washington and Is urged
with so much force and earnestness
by distinguished men throughout
the sountry that II Is difficult TO un-
derstand how the bond issue can be
successfully opposed. The present
generation can scarcely expect TO
see the completion of 40 enterprise
so vast. The enjoyment Of the ad-
vantages Of the improvements In the
waterways, undertaken now. must
be mainly by posterity, q posterity
that will be as much weather. and
ADLER to pay the half million Of dol.
lars as the United States OF today is
Weather and ablsr than il was be-
fore the Civil War.
In the Presidents message 70
Congress and In the Departmental
reports Of the various Cabinet on
GERS much stress and emphasis has
been given 70 the subject OF economy.
Economy is no doubt good in nation
al affairs as II doubtless Is In house
hold management. but IL Is more
beautiful as theory than as q prac.
tice. Every one remembers how
recently the cant Of the Simple Life
was on the lips of everyone. IL
was promulgated from the White
House; but Mr.. Rooseveit In the In
terest Of peace urged the building
OF Dreadnoughts at the cost OF many
millions Of dollars. So IL has been
with past Congresses and doubtless
will be with the present, that when
the budget IL finally made up In
Juno, July or August next the bill
lion dollar mark will have been pas
sed.
The Secretary oithe Navy is max
Ing most commendsble efforts to i'm
prove conditions la the Department
over which he presides and IL Is
given out that the young and bril-
liant Naval Officers who have graced
the ball rooms and salons and stubs
in Washington. New York, Bosom
and other Naval Stations must 40.
faulty go 10 sea. Naval statistlcians
have just discovered that Germany
has taken second placeamonR the nav.
81 powers and that this place world o
which We appeared TO hold year
Of eighteen months ago when our
great heet encircled the globe, is
ours no longer. tits further shown
that although we spend many more
millions than Germany in the build
Ing and maintenance OF our navy
that Of Germany is stronger In ships
and guns and men than Is ours.
These are not pleasant facts but
they are stubborn ones and We
would better face them now than az.
ter II will be TO late.
-
With the information that the
Panama Canal will be finished in
probably less than Ave years arises
the importance Of its proper defense.
Military engineers have recently
reported that it's protection will not
be difficult. II will not be- neces-
sary to build Notifications on the
island or breakwaters extending 81
one end into the Pacific and at the
osherintothe Atlantic. tits thought
that IL will DO only necessary to
dredRe the approaches TO the Canal
SO thai they will be narrow, not
more than ave hundred feet Ia
width, permitting the approach Of