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.

w asilugtOn, Aprll 20, 1911.
An all summer congressional session
with great activity in the House of Rep
resentatves 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 reciprocity 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 vet
but little opposition to the nomination of
President Taft by the Republicans for a
second term. Straws appear to indicate
on the Democratic side a turning in favor
of Governor Woodrow Wilson of New
Jersey. The only apparent active oppo-
Sltion to President Taft is from the adj
herents of Senator LaFolette 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 inteli-
gence of the public in remarkable way.
Last week at 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" mo, replied Mr..
Freilinghuysen, a Republican, THAT
means Yourself" Gov. Wilson has APP
parently converted hinty Democratic,
trust strangled state to the doctrine of
progressive politics, and he has appar-
emily done it by the force of his character
and his will almost unaided and alone.
He had long been known as gentleman,
a scholar and a statesman, but only re-
Gently has he been brought before the
public as brilliant and practical politi-
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
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 mill
lions of dollars in two years is 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
a pound. 1t is refreshing to know that
the wping out of this eighteen million de-
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
uullulCO dlu lOIlf-lWO tUOuSdIlQ new Iu-
raj routes covering over fifty thousand
miles in length have been authorized.
Anything that concerns the capital of
the United States ought to be of interest
to every citizen of the United States, but
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 been
made a member of the District of Column.
bia Committee and it is said has taken
upon himself to reform the Constitution
OF the United States and 'Willow Tree
Alley" in Washington. Willow Tree
Alley" is a capital Stun section. Mrs.
Victor Berger finds the Washington pub
lie schools field for reform, and not
without reason. Washington has long
been the dumping ground Of inefficient
teachers and poor text books such as are
compiled to sell by calow educators.
These books could not be foisted on a
community that had the privilege of vot-
ing. But Washington is DISTINGUISHED
district governed by an ever shifting Con
gress, a Congress without responsibility
TO the citizens of Washington.