The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1910-01-21
Legislative and Cen
eral Topics from
the Capital.
January IS, 1910.

homes from men and women who need
them" Congress can stop this 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
ne lauds Mr.. Roosevelt for calling the
Conference of Governors IN 1908, which
resulted in the National Conservation
Commission, and message from Roose.
yelt transmitting its report to Congress.
1t is now plainly realized that as a free
lance MIR. Pinchot will be no less potent
In National affairs than he was when he
was public officer. 1t is even possible
that his detachment from office has
marked him as the most eminent advo-
cate of National Conservation. and made
him more effective for this cause than he
was before. rhe question is up to
Congress, and the people of the country
Will watch with the greatest interest, not
unmlngled with anxiety the action of
the National Legislature on the great
question for which Clifford Pinchot stood
and stands.
In times ct war promotion is rapid.
Lleutenants 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 a superior officer, but in times
OF peace this is all changed. West Point
and the Naval Academy turns out Lieu
tenants in great numbers, while Colonels
Commodores, Admirals and Generals
live on with provoking persistence, keep
ing the youth waiting too long for the
stars and bars and the emoluments of
higher office. The country also, it is
suspected, suffers from this persist.
ence in longevity, for the history of wars.
as well as of prize fights show that the
aged man is seldom successful except in
planning. Success in all physical under
taklngs, depends more on celerity and
endurance than on anything else There
IS plan before Congress for eliminating
the older officers from the service SO
that IN case OF war the corps of COM
manders, both on land, and at sea, NAV
be available of a younger age and more
vigorous physique than were those who
went to battle in the early DAYS of the
Civil and Spanish American Wars.
Ex-Presldent Roosevelt did all that he
could do to get younger and filter Off
GERS into the Army and Navy. He had
an lll-concealed contempt for the old,
tat and gouty heroes OF past wars,
whom he saw in the Department Bu-
reaus and at the clubs during his official
residence IN Washington and he doubt
less had lively remembrance of the
Falstatflan mountain of flesh that swell
tered in Cuba, while he pretended to
cammand the army. His pushing Gen
eral Wood to the head of the army and
his rapid promotion of other young off
GERS for distinguished service in the Phil
ippines has done more to shock the
gouty heroes even than his insistence
that they shall prove themselves able to
ride and to march. Curious is it not,
that policemen and army officers grow to
be tat and unfit for use so early in life?
There has been considerable excite
ment and discussion in political circles
during the past week. The attitude of
the insurgents and the regulars has been
discussed both pro and con, and at one
time there seemed to be an inevitable
fight to finish. Now an armistice
seems to have been patched up and it is
said that the President has been the me-
diator between the Cannonites on the
one side and the insurgents on the other.
Mr.. Taft, in his efforts to harmonic the
warning factions, is not very successful,
and is losing his popularity with both
wings of his party. Information comes
from all parts of the country that many
Republicans are anything but pleased
with the administration
There are indications that sooner or
later Congress- will take up the subject
of the Parcels Post. Representative
Murdock 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
matter. He calls attention to the Post
master-General's report, showing a de-
ficlt of seventeen millions of dollars last
year, while the Wells Fargo Express
Company declared dividends amounting
to twenty-five million of dollars on a
capitalization of eight millions. The
Murdock resolution calls attention to the
ldct that the department., has for many
years surrendered its right to transport
the packet mail matter and emphasizes
the point that this lack Of thrift in the
Post Office Department is enriching the
express companies
1t has been the hope of thousands Of
people in and out Of Washington that
Congress will change the Inauguration
date from the proverbially bllzzardy
fourth of March to the more genial last
Thursday IN April, the day on which
the first President of the United States
was inaugurated. Representative Henry,
of Connecticut, has introduced such
bill in the House and it was apparently
sailing smoothly toward enactment.
But as is usual, in such an unwieldly he
terogeneous assembly as tine Congress of
the United States, some petty objector
has interfered and the bill will probably
be beaten Notwithstanding the act that
thirty nine Governors of States have ex-
pressed their approval Of the measure, il
being necessary for two.thrds of the
States to approve before it can become
a law even after it has passed the Con,
gress of the Uuited States Mr. Perkins
OF New York, asserted that the agitation
for the change of date for the inaugura.
J ton had come from the City of Wash
| ington. and added that he would be Jus
as willing to amend the CONSTITUTED
, to provide pleasant weather for three
ring circus as to amend it to assure
| Il. Al a.