Catoctin clarion., 1911-03-16
THURSDAY, MARCH is, 1911.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(FRoM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT
.--.-.z-.ulS.I II q NJ Z

WASHINGTON, ID. c., MARCH 10.
During the session of Congress
winch has just closed, there was in
cessant oratorical strife between the
jingoists who sighted or imagined
wars horrid front across the Pacific,
and the peace prophets who predict
ed an era of calm with such sponsors
as the Hague Tribunal and the Car
negie Peace Fund. The war heralds,
of whom Congressman 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 another year.
These who pipe the time OF peace in
sist that this arranged war scare is
mainly in the interest of contractors,
the builders of warships and fortilica-
tions, and the purveyors of munitions
of war.
Congress had barely adjourned
when an army of twenty thousand
men was assembled on the Mexican
border for what exact purpose the
administration has not said. During
the session representative orators Were
slurring the army and magnifylng
our defenscless condition. 1t was
given out that Japan could land a
quarter of amillion of soldiers on the
Pacific coast before we could get ten
thousand there. Well, in less than
week we have assembled a complete
ly equipped army of twenty thousand
men more than half way on its Jour
ney to the Pacific slope and there il
no doubt that with the lines of rail.
road at our disposal we can in two
weeks or less time place forty thouS-
and men in Il position to defend the
three or four sensitive points of at
tack on our western littoral.
The prevailing opinion at present
is that the military demonstration OF
the Rio Grande is for purpose some
what similar to that which prccipi-
tatcd the war with Spain. We can
no more tolerate the pcrpetuation OF
gcurilla war in one Spanish country
than in another on our borders. Tn,
b.nign despotism that has for twenty
five years or more masqucradrd as a
republic in Mexico and which has de-
pended on one man cannot in the
natural order much longer depend,
Diaz's strong hand has plainly lost
its grip. The central government is
nervcless. 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 stratcgically for the
army. The time must come when
we will be- able to send an army from
Laredo, Eagles Pass or FL Paso by
train direct to the ribbon strip that
we own at Panama. Call it mani
fest destiny" or what you will, there
is no getting around the fact that
North America, including 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 confer
ence with the ex-senator who before
the 4th of March was known by the
journalistic profession as the mana
ger of the United States. Senator
Aldrich came up from the southern
resort where he has been for nearly
two months and had a long confer
ence at the White House. 1t cannot
be doubted that the Aldrich financial
bill was the subject of conversation
The enactment of this bill will revo-
lutionize the banking system of the
United States and it is thought by
sound fnanciers establish the Amer
lean 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 doll
ars, and President Taft has just sent
a letter to the Secretary Of the Treas
ury asking him to send to the econ