The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1910-04-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.

has become so desperate that Postmaster
General Hitchcock has been detached
from duty, practically, as head Of the
Post Office Department and has been
assigned to take charge of the coming
Congressional campaign.
Whether this will lead to his resigna-
ton from the Cabinet depends upon
whether the public will stand for Cab
met member moving his office to New
York and Chicago for six months while
he is supposed to be running depart
ment. 1t is Mr.. Hitchcock's ambition to
make record as Postmaster General,
and he had announced that he would
take no part in the campaign, but the
President has put the job up to him.
# choice becomes necessary Mr..
Hitchcock willsresign his Cabinet posi-
ton to carry on the fight that the Presi-
dent himself has admitted is losing one.
Within a few day Mr.. Hitchcock will
cease even pretense of supervising
affairs at the department and will devote
all his time to the campaign.
~
With President Taft speaking in the
East and Attorney General Wickersham
in the West, the Republican Congress
sional campaign wassopened with 'key
notes" pitched in the strictest harmony.
Bells never chimed in truer consonance
than did the keynote speeches of Taft in
Washington and Wickersham in Chicago,
revealing care in composition and re.
hearsal in variation upon common
theme-defense of the Administration.
Defense" indeed, was the subdom-
inant intent that the campaign TO be
opened by the speeches was to be an
aggressive one. both speeches revealed
the Republican party and the Taft Ad-
ministration definitely on the defensive.
Speaking on "Republicanism,' before
the League of Republican Clubs, Presi-
dent Taft told what Republican properly
is, and defined what constitutes Repub-
licanism.
In Chicago, before the Hamilton Club,
Attorney General Wickersham aimed
many Of his words directly at the pro.
gressives of Indiana and Iowa, and the
first answer will come from the Iowa
State convention in few weeks
~
For the first time in 20 years Represen-
tative Dalzell, of Pittsburg, finds it neces-
sary to absent himself from his place in
the House in the midst of a session and
60 home to make fight for denomination.
He has left Washington for Pittsburg and
will devote several days to an attempt 10
stem the tide that seems to be running
strong in the thirtieth district for former
Mayer Robert J. Black, of McKeesport,
as the Republican candidate for Congress
this fall.
It is novel experience for Mr. Dalzell
to be compelled to make a fight Of this
kind. Since entering public life he has
been sort of political potted plant whose
well-being has been carefully and steadily
looked after By the friendly manufactur-
ing industries of his district that he has
served so diligently and successfully at
each recurring revision of the tariff. 1t
has not been necessary in the past for Mr.,
Delzell TO make any campaign either for
denomination or reelection. All that
was looked after by his friends back
home. 1t was his custom for many years
merely to be in Pittsburg the day the
nominating convention was held, and
makea speech of thanks to the delegates.
But these conditions no longer exist.
The change has been produced partly by
the adoption Of the primary system Of
nominating candidates for Office, and
partly by the disintegratiou of the old
Pittsburg machine Now Mr. Dalzell is
compelled to go home and fight for his
political life with the outcome by no
means certain.
Two years ago DR.. Black made pre-.
liminary try for the nomination. and
caused Mr.. Dalzell to sit up and take
notice. Now he has opened systematic
and determined campaign and owing to
the generally demoralized conditions in
Pittsburg and the widespread unrest
among Republicans, he is said to have a
good chance of beating the chairman of
the House Committee on Rules for
denomination. There is no doubt be has
Mr.. Dalzell worried.
-.
A fresh trounciaS by the insurgent Re-
publicans and minority combined Mon
day dashed Speaker Cannon into such
frenzy of rage that he took tie floor to
vent his fury on his tormentors. The
incident that provoked the ever-ready