The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1910-04-01
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
Washington, D. c., March 26, 1910

Washington, D. c., March 26, 1910.
Mr.. Editor:
The political situation as viewed
from the standpoint of the national
capital, is much more interesting to
both parties than legislation and exc
cutive matters just now. The election
of Mr.. Foss as Democrat to Congress
in Massachusetts this week by a plur-
ality of $40 in a district which elected
a Republican in 1906 by plurality of
$4,000, is regarded here and throughout
the country as most significant indi-
cation as to popular feeling. Of course
political figurers are hard at work and
will show plausibly special causes for
this remarkable political change. But
crediting the Republicans with all that
they may claim as causes for this sur
prising result, it indicates that the
trend of popular opinion has gone so
far that nothing but a miracle of
Roosevelt can save the House next fall
to the party in power. Let it be said
with whatever emphasis can be brought
to bear, that the party in power is not
responsible for high prices or for unsat-
isfactory business conditions. mas
much as the party in power, Democra-
tic or Republican, always claims credit
for whatever good thing happens, it
must face the responsibility for some
of the bad, even if it should be bad
crops.
So great has been the excitement
over the rebuke of Cannon in the lower
house of congress that the Ballinger-
Pinchot investigation has been to a
great degree forgotten. Mr.. Pinchot,
since he has testified, has started to
Europe and is now well on his way
thither. 1t is reported that he is
going in answer to a cablegram from
ex-President Roosevelt. That one
so near the ex-President as ex-Forest-
er Pinchot should be the first to get
the ear of Mr.. Roosevelt, is subject of
considerable anxiety to the other side,
or at least to certain individuals of the
other side. So far, Roosevelt has
been as silent as the Sphinx which
yester night he saw by moonlight.
Another significant fact is that during
Mr.. Garfeld's residence in the city two
weeks ago he was the guest of Mr.
Pinchet, and he only yesterday made
an address to the Tippe canoe Club in
Cleveland, very temperate address,
but one in which it was plain
to see that his sympathies were with
the insurgents and that his advocacy
was for more enthusiastic support of
the Roosevelt policies than it is pos
sible for President Taft to accomplish,
handicapped as he is by those in the
House and the Senate with whom he
has elected to consort. 1t is curious
situation and unprecedented in our
political history that self-exiled ex-
President is at this moment more
potential in the political affairs of the
country than the genial gentleman in
the White House. What he may say
or do when or before he lands here in
June is matter of keen solicitude to
regulars, insurgents, Democrats and to
everyone interested in current politics.
Mr.. Garfield, in his speech in Cleve
land, made a severe arraignment of
those Republican leaders guilty of a
policy which he thinks is certain to
lead the party to defeat. He insisted
that the average American realized
that present conditions pointed to
something radically wrong. He urged
progressive action and pointed out that
when a party fails to be progressive
it's usefulness has begun to wane. at
is our duty, said Mr.. Garfield, Ito
face the situation and to stand !
up and be counted for the policies that