The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1910-01-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.

servation programme and calls upon the
plain people of the country to protect
their interests and insists there is i'm.
mediate danger that water powers will be
absorbed He says that the enemies Of
conservation in Congress, through the
Tawuey amendment stop the work of
conservation. He says, "those who steal
public lands steal homes from men and
women who need them" Congress can
stop the pillage or Congress can let it go
on. He does not refer to his dismissal
from Office and he does not criticise
President Taft but he lauds Mr.. Roosevelt
in calling the conference of Governors in
1908 which resulted in the National Con.
servation Commission AID a message
from Roosevelt transmitting its report to
Congress. It is now plainly realized that
as a. free lance Mr.. Pinchot will be no
less potent in national affairs than be
was when public officer. 1t is even
possible that his detachment from Office
has marked him as the most eminent
advocate of national conservation and
made him more effective for this cause
than he was before. The question is MP
to Congress, and the people of the country
will watch with interest, not unrningled
with anxiety, the action of the national
legislature on the great question for
which Clifford Pinchot stood and stands.
~
In time of war promotion is rapid.
Lieutenants and privates, who went into
the Civil War and were fortunate enough
to live through it, came out in many cases
as Colonels and Generals. The Army
and Navy is always ready to fight,
realizing if not expressing, the feeling
that promotion is certain through the
death of superior officer; but in peace
all this is changed. West Point and the
Naval Academy turn out Lieutenants in
great numbers while Colonies, CON-
modores, Admirals and Generals live on
with provoking persistence, keeping the
youth waiting too long for stars and bars
and the emoluments of higher Office.
The country also, it is suspected, suffers
from this persistence in longevity. for the
history of war as well as of prize fights,
show that the aged man is seldom sue
cessful except in planning. Success in
all physical undertakings depends more
on celebrity and endurance than on any
thing else. There is a plan before Con-
gress for eliminating the older officers
from the service so that in case of war the
corps of Commanders, both on land and
at sea, may be available of younger age
and more vigorous physique than were
those who went TO battle in the early days
ofthe civil and Spanish wars.
Ex.President Roosevelt did all he
could to get younger and filter officers
into the Army and Navy. He had an
III concealed contempt for the old, fal
and equity heroes of past wars whom he
saw in the Department Bureaus and at
the clubs during his long official resi-.
dence in Washington md he doubtless
had lively remembrance Of the
falstafian mountain of flesh tina; sweltered
in Cuba while he pretended to Command
the Army. His pushing General Wood
TO the head of the Army and his rapid
promotion of other young officers for dis
tingnished service in the Philippines has
done more to shock the equity heroes
even than his insistence that they shall
prove themselves able to ride and march.
Curious isn't it that policemen and army
officers grow to be fat and unfit for use
SO early in lifel
~
There has been considerable excite
ment and discussion in political circles
during the week. The attitude of the in
surgents and regulars has been discussed
and at one time there seemed to be an
inevitable fight TO the finish. Now an
armistice appears to have been patched
up aud it is said that the President is the
mediator between the Cannouites on one
side and tBe insurgents on the other.
Mr.. Taft. il his efforts to harmonic, is
not very successful and is losing in popu-
larity with both wings of his party. In.
formation ZONES from all parts of the
country that many Republicans are any
thing but leased with the administration.
-
There are indications that sooner or
later Congress will take up the subject
of the Parcels Post. Representative MUIR
dock is seeking data relative to the
package mail business and wants to know
why the Post Office Department does not
maintain its RIGHT to carry this class of