The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1910-04-29
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER

The past week has furnished nothing
startling from a legislative or an
point of view at the capital
of the United States. But there is
not the slightest abatement of interest
in the political situation which is
seriously discussed wherever men OF
information and prominence in political
affairs come together. The election Of
Ravens, Democrat in New York, to
succeed Perkins, Republican, deceased,
and this election reversing a 10000
Republican majority by 5000 Dem
ocratic majority, practically changing
Is, 900 votes, is regarded as extremely
significant of general dissatisfaction
with the national political situation
and program. AS far as can be dis
cerned, the dissatisfaction is mainly
with the tariff bill of the special ses-
sion and the Presidents persistent
approval of it. 1t seems to be in vain
that Senator Aldrich and Representa-
tive Payne and the President point to
the fact that the revenues of the gov
eminent are increasing and that there
is fair prosperity under the present
tariff. The election in New York
coming so quickly upon the heels of
Foss's victory in Massachusetts, is re-
garded as indicative of nationwide
movement which some say only
Roosevelt can stem. Others ask,
''Will Roosevelt be able to stem it?
Will he not rather joint it"?. 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 Washington.
During the week the episode Of the
visit of the editor of the New York
American, William Randolph Hearst,
to Washington, his long interview
with the President and his subsequent
euiogy of Taft given out to the press,
has been much commented on. He
was received at the Capitol by members
and Senators with it appears almost as
much enthusiasm as was Bryan a few
days before. There are those who say
that Mr.. Hearst is playing for the pres
idential nomination in 1912.
Much interest and significance is at
tached to the announcement by Senators
Aldrich and 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
in that highest legislative body for a
long term of years. Mr.. Hale, l be-
lieve, is seventy-four years old and Mr..
Aldrich sixty-eight. They belong
rather to a past political era than that
of the present. They are both in a
degree provincial, "down-East" states
men and are not in accord with the
broader, more modern and more pro-
gressive sentiment of the nation.
The oncoming younger class of states
men as represented by Cummins,
Beverage, LaFollette and Dolliver,
more nearly represent the feeling OF
the nation with reference to domestic
and foreign policies.
There continues to be considerable
interest in the question of an inter
national exposition to celebrate the
completion of the interoceanic canal al
Panama. New Orleans, San Diego,
San Francisco, Los Angeles and Wash
ington are all out for the exposition.
Considerable rivalry is already apparent
and these five cities are looking toward
Congress for money. Congress has
had much experience with expositions
at Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis
Buffalo, New Orleans and Seattle. AL
these were in sense provincial ex-
positions. 1t is time and meet that
we should have distinctively National
exposition. The city of Washington
has reached that degree of the expan'
sion and prominence that even if il
were HUI IiIc SdplIoi VI Vic SOuASAy, ~
would be entitled to celebrate an event
SO emphatically national. 1t is time
that the European and Asiatic world
and may say the American world al.
80, should learn that there is capita
of the United States. The govern
ment 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 celebration.
1t can be held at Washington at one.
half the expense, not only to the nation
but to the hundreds of thousands 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 landing them at Wash
ington than by sending them across
the continent to San Francisco or Los
Angeles, or by the Gulf to New Orleans.