The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-05-05
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Gem
eral Topics from
the Capital.
(From Our Regular Correspondent
Washington. April IS. 1911


An all summer congressional session
with great activity in the House of Rep
resentatlves and with characteristic mac.
tivlty in the Senate is foreshadowed. The
Senate is not yet organized. The House
promptly completed its organization,
passed the Canadian reciprocitv bill, and
has presented and partially debated the
so-called farmers free list bill. AS is
well known, there are complications and
side issues. The presidential question,
the nomination coming off next year, has
much influence in politics and in legisla-
ton at the Capitol. There appears as yet
but little opposition to the nomination OF
President Taft by the Republicans for a
second term. Straws appear to indicate
on the Democratic side turning in favor
of Governor Woodrow Wilson of New
Jersey. The only apparent active oppo-
sltion to President Taft is from the ad-
herentS of Senator LaFollette. Friends
OF the Senator are active and aggressive
and there IS of course no telling what the
next twelve months may bring forth
Governor Harmon and Champ Clark, the
Speaker of the House, and of course the
quadrennial Bryan are always Democratic
possibilities. But Governor Wilson of
New Jersey has appealed to the ntelli-
gence OF the public in a remarkable way
Last week at a banquet in New York a
toast was proposed to the Governor of
New Jersey and the future President of
the United States. Governor Wilson in
terrupted and said, That, of course,
means Gov. Dix" NO" replied Mr..
Freilinghuysen, Republican, that
means Yourself" Gov. Wilson has ap-
parently converted flinty, Democratic.
trust strangled state to the doctrine of
progressive politics, and he has appar-
emily done ii by the force of his character
and his will almost unaided and alone.
He had long been known as gentleman,
scholar and a statesman, but only re-
Gently has he been brought before the
public as brilliant and practical poiti-
clan. His speeches are no less remarka-
BILE for their brevity than for their inclus-
iveness. their felicity and their common
sense. For matter, terseness and conden-
sation they are in remarkable contrast
with much contemporary American ora
tory.
1t ought TO be matter OF great salts
faction to millions of people in the United
States that the postal deficit has been
wiped out. Postmaster General Hitch
cock deserves the highest credit and a
bronze monument with more metal in it
than there is in some of the equestrian
monuments in Washington, To have
wiped out deficit of nearly eighteen mil
lions of dollars in two years is a splendid
achievement. With the cooperation OF
Congress land the people ought to see
that he has it) he can accomplish more.
He has one cent postage in view and it
would be easy of attainment if a parcels
post were established or if certain other
reforms advocated by the Postmaster
General were carried out. A bill for one
cent postage backed by the administra-
ton may be introduced in the present
extra session and if not it will almost GER
tainly be brought up in the regular ses-
sion. The Postmaster General will con-
tinue to urge the increase of rates on
second class matter from one to four cents
pound. 1t is refreshing to know that
the wiping out Of this eighteen million de-
fict has been reached without in the least
impairing postal facilities. The service
has actually been extended along desira.
BILE lines. Over three thousand new post
offices have been established, delivery by
letter carriers has been extended to one
hundred and forty-two thousand new ru-
raj routes covering over fifty thousand
miles in length have been authorized.
Anything that concerns the capital o
the United States ought to be of interest
to every citizen of the United States, bui
the citizen is as much absorbed in the
politics of his hamlet or his metropolis
that he gives not much attention to Wash.
ington affairs. Victor Berger, the only
Socialist member in Congress, has beer
made member of the District of Coum
bia Committee and it is said has taker
upon himself TO reform the Constitution
OF the United States and "Willow Tree
Alley" in Washington. "Willow Tree
Alley" is a capital slum section. Mrs
Victor Berger finds the Washington pub
lie schools field for reform, and no
without reason. Washington has long
been the dumping ground of inefficient
teachers and poor text books such as are
compiled to sell by callow educators
These books could not be foisted on +;
community that had the privilege of vot
ing. But Washington is disfranchiseC
district governed by an ever shifting Con
gress, Congress without responsible,
to the citizens of Washington.