The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-04-07
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Gem
eral Topics from
the Capital.
CFrom Our Regular Correspondents,


The national Congress is again in ses-
sion-the second extra session Of the
present administration. Speculation as
to what Congress will do is varied. 1t Is
thought that the administration would be
more than pleased if the Congress would
ratify the reciprocity agreement with
Canada and adjourn, but the Democrats
who now control the lower house have a
much more ambitious program and in.
deed there are tariff reforms that cannot
be enacted too soon. The period between
the adjournment on the 4th of March and
the 4th Of April has been full of interest.
The sudden mobilization of the army and
its establishment on the Mexican border
has been the subject of discussion
throughout the length and breadth of the
land The ultimate purpose of the adj
ministration is not known, but prepara-
ton for any emergency is the highest
wisdom in national affairs 1t is reported
that large contingent of the force now
on the Mexican border will sail in few
days for Honolulu. 1t is known that
American interests in Mexico demand a
strong American force near that perturbed
territory.
There is again discussion of peace
pact between Great Britain and the
United States and between France and
the United States. With reciprocity with
Canada and peace agreements with Great
Britain and France, there would be little
reason for the continuous expensive
naval preparation of the last decade; but
there is no assurance that the Senate will
ratify such peace agreements as the two
gfeat Anglo Saxon governments may
arrange with each other There are
some Senators that are very jealous of
their Constitutional privileges to vote
separately and distinctly in every matter
of international relation. Still, the world
moves. Civil service reform was looked
upon as Utopian thirty years ago, and
many measures looking toward the puri-
| fication of governmental and commercial
relations have been accomplished even in
! the last ten years.
1t is expected that there will be no little
presidential electioneering and maneuver-
ing in Washington during the present
extra session. II is4significant that the
| Bryan influence has been considerably
strengthened in both houses of Congress,
| both by elimination and addition since
March 4th. Many of his friends have
been added to both the House and the
| Senate, while some who are opposed to
! him are no longer in power in Washing
ton. 1t is not thought that Mr.. Bryan
expects to do more than influence the
! nomination of a Democratic candidate
1t is thought that he favors Wilson, of
| New Jersey. 1t is known that he does
not favor Harmon, of Ohio. Champ
Clark, the Democratic speaker. has been
ill - i'll l,,t
he has talked so much himself and so
imprudently in his long and mediocre
political career that it is doubtful if he
will be considered as an available candi-
date by those of the party with whom
judgment prevails. La Toilette, of Wis
consin, is much talked of as the probable
Republican nominee for the presidency,
and the race now is supposed to lie be-
tween him, Taft and Roosevelt Senator
La Toilette is conspicuous for his criti
cism of the transfer of the army to the
Mexican border. He denounces it as
unnecessary and as an extravagant waste
of public funds, but it is probable that
the figures will demonstrate that the
army can be as easily maintained along
the Rio Grande as at the various stations
from which it was entrained, and surely
the experience of mobilization and the
exercise of camp life cannot do otherwise
than improve the efficiency and esprit-du-
corps of force doubtless enervated by
long inactivity. There was the same
! necessity for moving the army that there
was in the last year of Roosevet's adj
ministration to send the navy to sea and
around the world, and possibly other
reasons that Senator La Toilette and
some others have not yet found out.
There is much speculation with refer
ence to coming legislation and to the
length Of time that Congress will be in
extra session. 1t may be that there will
not be an adjournment until late in the
summer. The situation is full of interest
and expectation is on tiptoe awaiting
| events.