The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1909-05-07
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
Washington, D. c., May 1st, 1909
Mr.. Editor -

Mr.. Editor -
Were the Republican leaders in
Washington seeking deliberately to
verify the predictions made by proml-
nent Democrats in the last campaign
they could hardly pursue any different
policy than that which actuates them
in their preparation of the tariff bill.
So insistent are the representatives of
the special interests in Congress that
no fraction of the protection enjoyed
by their favorite proteges shall be
curtained that even the Republican
press has been aroused to vigorous pro-
test against a mock revision OF the
tariff mere re-enactment of the Ding
ley schedules with few changes so
immaterial as to be wholly incense
ouential. The President himself is
permitting it to become known that he
has been betrayed by the firm of AL
drich, Cannon, Hale and Co.. and
while he has not yet arrived at point
where he is moved to describe the
Payne Aldrich tariff bill as a measure
of 'perfdy and dishonor" he makes no
secret of the fact that he stands aghast
at the willingness of the party leaders
to stultify the party pledge and rem
der him their standard bearer, ridicu-
lous inthe eyes of the millions of voters
to whom he promised genuine tariff re-
vision.
Carefully analysed, the maximum
and minimum plan of Mr.. Aldrich is
merely scheme whereby twenty-five
per cent additional duty may be added
to suppositious tariff rate by any Presi-
dent who deems his own reelection OF
more Importance than the interests OF
the people and considers his standing
with the protected interests paramount
to the welfare of the great of consum-
ers. An earnest effort will be made by
the Democratic members of the Sen
ate, to prevent the adoption of the
Aldrich maximum proposition, but so
few are they In number that theirs is
a hopeless task and their superiority
and ability cannot be expected to make
up for their woeful deficiency in num-
bers. A notable feature of the debate
on the Democratic side OF the Senate
has been the entire reputation by
Southern Senators Of that plank in the
Democratic platform which demanded
free lumber. The Democrats, perceiv-
ing that the producers Of lumber were
to be compelled tn 'ough the Republi-
can tariff to pay exerbitant prices for
all their machinery and other supplies,
have made up their minds that the Ding
ley rate of two dollars per thousand
feet is essential to the continued pros
perity of the lumber industry.
Naval officers in Washington are Of
opinion that permanent naval squad
ron will be established in European
waters. The vessels in these waters
were Withdrawn, nearly twenty years
age, because of the unpopularity among
naval officers of the European station,
due largely to the expense involved in
serving on ships which visited the
various continental ports. The off,
GERS were compelled to accept and re-
turn entertainment at their own ex-
pense. Later if became the policy of
the government to send naval vessels
to European waters only upon occas-
ions of special ceremony and as a
courtesy to foreign governments, but
since the distur Dances in the Ottoman
Empire several ships have been dis
patched to the Mediterranean waters.
President Taft is in such thorough
sympathy with the policy of his prede-
cessor on the conservation of natural
resources that he purposes to incorporate
in his first annual message to Congress
q forceful recommendation of legisla-
ton which will make it possible for the
administration to do far more in that
direction than it has been able to accom-
plish in the past. Certain superficial
observers have been misled by the care
full and deliberate methods Of the pre-.
sent administration and have asserted
that President Taft is not sincerely in
sympathy with the conservation OF
those natural resources and espec.
tally with the preservation of those
natural power sites which have been in
to private ownership in the last few
years and, in too many instances, have
passed under the control of large cor.
porations whose abundant capital unable
them to procure title almost as soon as
it passes to private hands. President
Taft is entirely unwilling that the ad'
ministr alton shall exceed their consti-
tutional and statutory powers in the
effort to prevent the monnpolization OF
water power sites, and it has constant
determination to act within the law
that has given rise to the erroneous
impression that the administration il
hostile to the conservation policy
Practically ever since the advent of the
Taft administration an investigation OF
the broader questions involved in the
administration of the policy has been
il progress, and it has been found that
the Geological Survey has both funds
and men which may be legally devoted
to such field investigations as the sit
uation demands. The President has in
Dictated his purpose to lay the exact
situation before Congress, and to urge
the enactment of such legislation az
may be required properly to conserve
these resources.