The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-04-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.

The members of President Taft's cabi.
net have received an order from him
directing that when Congress asks for
specific information relating to the con.
duct of their departments they shall
furnish such information direct, unless
in their opinion the public interest de-
mand that it be withheld. Formerly it
has been the custom, when Congress re-
quested information, for the head of the
department to which the request was ad-
dressed. to collect the information and
submit it to the President who in turn
submitted it to Congress. This system
was much complained of in the Senate on
the ground that it implied limitation of
power of Congress and placed in the
hands of the Executive the power to
withhold any information he might see
fit. President Taft's order requires the
department heads to transmit infor-
nation direct, unless for some especial
reason it is deemed important first to sub.
NIT the matter to him.
*x*
The Secretary of Agriculture is much
besieged these days on the subject of
wheat and makes no secret of the fact
that he expected decline in the price of
wheat, but he hesitates to express the
opinion that the Patten wheat .'corner"
is now broken aud that the country can
look for return to the normal conditions
affecting this product To his visitors
last week he said that he did not know
whether this decline in the price of wheat
is permanent or not. "The cry that there
is scarcity of wheat is absolutely false, I"
he declares, "and those who believe it are
simply being imposed upon by the gang
of ringsters in Chicago. A situation such
as the one Patten has engineered always
results in hardship to the farmer. 1t has
been the inevitable consequence that
when prices rise as high as they are to-
day the farmers Immediately plant an
additional amount of wheat for the next
year, and when the next year comes they
find that the market is glutted and the
price has been practically cut ir half.
| have preached against this for a long
time, but I anticipate that next year will
see repetition of the same practice"
Xxx
An interesting debate in the Senate on
the tariff bill this week brought forth the
fact that two Republicans have been
added to the insurgents" who demanded
downward revision and whose criticism of
the Finance Committees bill was more
pointed than anything said up to date by
Democratic Senators. Senators Nelson
and Dolliver did not spare words in at
lacking the bill and they let it be known
that, in their opinion, it did not meet the
pledges of the Republican party, that it
makes no substantial reduction in duties,
and would afford little, if any, relief to
the great mass OF consumers. The state
ments of the Iowa and Minnesota SEN
ators were not permitted to go un-
challenged by Senator Aldrich, and in
rather pointed language he told Mr..
Dolliver that his speech had a familiar
Democratic twang wholly unlike the
tariff record of Iowa's greatest statesman.
the late Senator Allison, who did not
change his views on the protective policy
on account of political exigencies in
Iowa.
A feature of the debate was Mr.. Aid.
rich's statement that the Republican
party had made no promise to revise the
tariff downward; and he asserted with
emphasis that, taken as whole, the bill
fulfilled the pledge of the Republican
party for honest revision, and answered
the demands of the American people.
49,
The Census Appropriation bill in all
probability will be so amended as to pro.
vide $25,ooo for the travelling expenses
of the President of the United States.
For years this item has been carried in
the Legislative, Executive and Judicial
Appropriation bill. President Taft has
planned trip through the West the
coming summer, the extent of which will
depend upon the action of Congress con-
corning this item for his travelling ex-
penses. 1t is expected that the bill will
be called up on Monday in the House for
consideration.
~
Secretary Meyer, of the Navy, returned
to his desk ON Thursday, and spent much
time consulting with the officers of the