Middletown transcript., 1910-04-30
WASHINGTON LETTER


tTHE past week has furnished nothing
starting from a legislative or al
executive point OF view at the capital o
the United States. But there is not the
slightest abatement OF interest in the
political situation which is seriously dis
cussed wherever men of information and
prominence in political affairs come to.
gether. The election of Havens, Demo
crat in New York, to succeed Perkins,
Republican, deceased, and this election
reversing q 10000 Republican majority
by 5000 Democratic majority, practic-
ally changing Is, 900 votes, is regarded as
extremely significant of general dissatis-
faction with the national political situa-
ton and program. As far as can be dis.
cerned, the dissatisfaction is mainly with
the tariff bill OF the special session and
the Presidents persistent approval Of it.
1t seems TO be in vain that Senator
Aldrich and Representative Payne and
the President point to the fact that the
revenues Of the government are increas-
ing and that there's fair prosperity under
tile present tariff The election in New
York coming SO quickly upon the heels
of Foss's victory ia Massachusetts,, is
regarded as indicative Of a nationwide
movement which some say only Roose-
welt eau stem. Others ask, "Will Roose-
velt be able to stem IL? Will he not
rather joint it2 Time alone can tell.
1t is certain that the country is following
the triumphant procession of Roosevelt
in Europe more closely than the stand
pat attitude Of the President in Washing
ton.
During the week the episode OF the
visit of tile editor of the New York
American, William Randolph Heart, to
Washington, his long interview with the
President and his subsequent eulogy Of
Tait given out to the press, has been
much commented on. He was received
at the Capital by members and Senators
with it appears almost as much enthusiasm
as was Bryan few days before. There
are those who say t.iat Mr.. Hearst is
playing for the presidentioal nomination
in 1912.
~
Much interest and significance is at
tached to the announcement by Senators
AIdrich snd Hale that their Senatorial
terms will by their own volition end on
the 4th of March next. These Senators
are the head of the little coterie in the
Senate that has very completely ruled iu
shat highest legislative body for long
term of years. Mr.. Hale, believe, is
seventy-four years old and Mr.. Aldrich
sixty-eiRht. They belong rather TO
past political era than that Of the pres
ent. They are both in degree proyin.
cial, ''doWn-East" statesmen and are not
in accord with the broader, more modern
and more progressive sentiment of the
nation. The oncoming younger class of
statesmen as represented by Cummins,
Beveridge, LsFolette and Dolliver, more
nearly represent the feeling of the nation
with reference to domestic and foreign
policies.
w.
There continues to be considerable in |
terest in the question OF an international
exposition to celebrate the completion Of
the interoceanic canal at Panama. New
Orleans, San Diego, San Francisco, Los
Angeles and Washington are all reaching
out for the exposition. Considerable
rivalry is already apparent and these five
cities are looking toward Congress for
money. Congress has had much exper-
fence with expositions at Philadelphia,
Chicago, st. Louis, Buffalo, New Orleans
aud Seattle. All these were in sense
provincial expositions. It is time and
meet that weshould have a distinctively
National exposition The city OF Wash
ington has reached that degree of expan-
sion and prominence that even if it were
not the capital Of the country, it would
be entitled to celebrate an event SO
emphatically national It is time that
the European and Asiatic world, and |
may say the American world also, should |
learn that there is capital of the United |
States. The government at the capital
should celebrate the most stupendous |
accomplishment in the completion of the |
greatest work ever undertaken by man.
There is but one logical place for such a |
celebration. 1t can be held at Washing
ton at one-half the expense, not only to |
the nation, bat to the hundreds of thcus.
ands that will visit it, as compared with |
the other cities mentioned. The foreign |
countries that will send exhibits of art
and manufactures to the Exposition can
do it more effectively and economically |
By laDding theaaakp Washington than BY
sending them across the continent to San
Francisco or Los Angeles, or by the Gulf
to New Orleans.