The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1911-03-17
DIR WASHINGTON LETTER

Washington, D. c., March 10, 1911
Mr. Editor:
During the session of Congress which
has Just closed, there was incessant or
atorical strife between the jingolsts
who sighted or imagined wars horrld
front across the Pacific, and the peace
prophets who predicted an ara of calm
with such sponsors as the Hague
Tribunal and the Carnegie Peace Fund.
The war heralds, of whom Congress
man Hobson is the arch-type, believe
that we are on the verge of war with
Japan, and Hon. Hobson even predicts
that it will be precipitated before an
other year. Those who pipe the time
of peace insist that this arranged war
scare is mainly in the interest of con-
tractors, the builders of warships and
Notifications, and the purveyors of mu-
nitions of war.
Congress had barely adjourned when
an army of twenty thousand men was
| what exact purpose the administration
| has not said. During the session rep
resentative orators were slurring the
army and magnifying our defenseless
condition 1t was given out that Japan
could land quarter of a million of SOL
diers on the Pacific coast before we
| could get ten thousand there. Well, in
! less than a week we have assembled a
| completely equipped army of twenty
thousand men more than half way on
its journey to the Pacific slope, and
there is no doubt that with the lines of
railroad at our disposal we can in two
| weeks or less time place forty thousand
men in a position to defend the three
or four sensitive points of attack On
our western ,litoral.
The prevailing opinion at present is
that the military demonstration of the
Rio Grande is for purpose somewhat
similar to that which precipitated the
war with Spain. We can no more
tolerate the perpetuation of geurilla
war in one Spanish country than in an
other on our borders. The benign de-
spotism that has for INVENTIVE years
or more masquerade as republic in
Mexico and which has depended on one
man cannot in the natural order much
longer depend, Diaz's strong hand has
plainly los its grip. The central gov
eminent is nerveless. Mexico is nearer
to Us than Cuba, as near to us, in: fact
as Canada. We have interests in that
country amounting to nearly two
billions of dollars. The Rio Grande is
good place strategically for the army.
The time must come when we will be
able to send an army from Laredo,
Eagles Pass or Ell Paso by train direct
to the ribbon strip that we own at
Panama. Call it Manifest Destiny"
or what you will, there is no getting
around the fact that North America, in
Guiding Canada with Great Britain
behind her, must protect for her own
safety and for the benefit of each and
all, the Western Hemisphere.
The day before President Taft left
for the South he had long conference
with the ex-senator who before the
4th of March was known by the
journalistic profession as the manager
of the United States. Senator Aldrich
came up from the southern resort
where he has been for nearly two
months and had a long conference at
the white House. 1t cannot be doubted
that the Aldrich financial bill was the
subject of conversation. The enact
ment of this bill will revolutionize the
banking system of the United and it
is thought by sound financiers establish
the American banking industry on a
high plane and solid foundation, making
it the leading financial country of the
world
The travelling expenses of govern
ment officers and employees last year
amounted to twelve millions of dollars,
and President Taft has just sent a
letter to the Secretary of the Treasury
asking him to send to the economy
commission all travel records for the
last fiscal year for the purpose of
tabulation and revision with a view to
reduction and economy.