Catoctin clarion., 1911-05-04
THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1911.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(FRoM OUR REGUI AR CORRESPONDENT

WASHINGTON, ID. e., MAY |
An all summer congressional ses-
ssion with great activity in the House
of Representatives and with charact-
eristic inactivity in the Senate is fore
eshadowed. The Senate is not yet
organized. The House promptly
completed its organiza ton, passed
the Canadian reciprocity bill, and
has presented and partially debated
the so-called farmers free list bill. AS
il well known, there are complications
and side issues. The presidential
question, the nomination coming of
next year, has much influence in
politics and in legislation 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 Il"
indicate on the Democratic side Il
turning in favor OF Gov. Woodrow
Wilson of New Jersey. The only
apparent active opposition to Pre-
sident Taft is from the adherents OF
Senator La Toilette. The friends OF
the Senator are active and aggres sive
and there is of course no telling
what the next twelve months may
bring forth. Gov. Harmon and
Champ Clark, the Speaker of the
House, and of course the quadrennial
Bryan are always Democratic ptss
Utilities, But Gov. Wilson of New
Jersey has appealed to the int'llig nee
of the public in a remarkable way.
Last week at banquet in New York,
a toast was. proposed to the governor
New Jersey and the futur" president
of the United States. Gov. Wilson
interrupt, d and said, THAT, oi
course, means Gov. Diz". Mo-.
replied Mr.. Fri"linghuys'n, IA Rrpnh
liran, THAT means yourself Gov
Wilson has apparently converted "A
flinty, Democratic, ust-strangl led
stat, to the doctrine of progressive
politics, and he has apparently dom
it by the force of his character and
his will almost unaided and alone
He had long been known as a gentle
man, a scholar and a statesman, but
only recently has he been brougi,
before the public as a brilliant and
practical politician. His speeches
are no less remarkable for their
trevity than for their inclusivrncss,
their felicity and their common sense.
For matter, tcrscness and condensa-
tion they are in remarkable contrast
with much contemporary American
oratory.
1t ought to be a matter Of great
satisfaction to millions of p 'ople in
the United States that the p)sta
deficit has been wiped out. Postmas-
ter General Hitchcock deserves the
highest credit and bronze monu-
ments with more metal in it than
there is in some of the equestrian
monuments in Washington. To
have wipadsout a deficit of nearly
eighteen millions of dollars in two
years is a splendid ACHIEVEMENT.
With the cooperation of Congress
(and the people ought to see that lie
has it, he can accomplish more. He
has one cent postage in view and it
would be easy if 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
certainly be brought up in the reglar
SESSION. The p. NJ. General will con-
tinue to urge the increase of rates on
second class matter from one to four
cents a pound. 1t is refreshing to
to know that the wiping out of this
eighteen million deficit has been
reached without the least impairing
postal facilities. The service has act
ually been extended along desirable
lines. Over three thousand new post
office have been established, delivery
by letter carriers has been extended
to one hundred and forty two thou
sand new rural rout y covering over
fifty thousand miles in length have
Deen aut,.urizc,l.
.Inything that concerns the capital !
Of the United States ought to be of
interest to every citizen of the United