Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1911-12-22
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
BY CLYDE II. TAvENNER.

Washington, D. c., December IS, 1911.
By what possibility could the United
States become involved in trouble with
foreign nations by participating in cele-
bration of the discovery of Lake Champlain 7
Or by sending delegates to the International
Congress on Collisions and Salvage Or by
having representative at the meeting of
the International chronological Associa-
ton, which has to do with earthquakes
Congressman Courtney w. Hamlin, of
Missouri, has asked the Republicans of the
House for an answer to these queries. He
has reason.
President Taft and Secretary of State
Knox spent large sums Of money for the
aforementioned purposes, and when Mr.
Hamlin, as chairman of the Committee on
Expenditures in the State Department,
asked how the money was spent he was
denied all information.
I'VE couldn't possibly give you any in
formation as to these expenditures" de-
clared Mr.. Taft and Mr.. Knox, in chorus,
couldn't possibly think of it You see.
these expenditures were made under a
statute which permits us to withhold all
details on the ground that it might involve
us in trouble with foreign nations t.
Mr.. Hamlin said that he found the State
Department spent $l35,000 secretly every
year, and he declared it was ridiculous to
assert that some of the things for which
this money was spent might involve us in
trouble with foreign nations"
I'VE, of course, do not know" said Mr..
Hamlin, whether the $4,000 expendi-
ture. authorized by secret certificate, of
President Taft, for participation in the
celebration of the DiscoVeryof Lake Cham
plain was spent for the purpose appropri-
ated or not, but suspect that in all human
probability this $4,000 was spent in pay
ing railroad fare, hotel bills, automobile
hire, banquetings, wine, etc.
ITO permit any man, even though he
be the President of the United States. to
spend an average of $339.45 of the peo-
pies money each and every day of the
year without compelling him to account to
anybody as to how and for what purpose
he expended this money does not accord
with my idea of properly guarding the
treasury"
WALL STREET Nor In CONTROL.
The Stanley steel investigating commit
tee will continue its probe of the steel trust.
The efforts Of Wall street to bring the in
vestigation to a halt have failed.
1t being obvious that the House will not
heed the command of special privilege to
stop the inquiry, it is doubtful now whether
the proposition of forcing the investigating
committee to abandon its inquiry will even
come up on the floor of the House. But if
the attempt is made, it is certain that the
House will stand by the committee and
order it to proceed with the hearings.
This marks new order of things. In
the past the steel trust has been able to
have bills side-tracked, delayed and finally
chloroformed in committees of the House.
All this is today impossible.
LOOKS LIKE BUSINESS.
An entirely Unprecedented thing occurred
in Washington during the week following
the converting of the present session of
Congress on December 4, although the
country may have been too busy to have
noticed 1t.
The Democratic House met on every one
of the six days following the opening day,
remaining in session throughout each day,
every moment consumed in real work, I'M
ill 1t was time to light the lamps
This policy is in contrast with the Repub-
lican custom of meeting on opening day,
and remaining in session few moments
adjOurning to the second day thereafter;
and upon converting the second day there
after, of adjOurning to the second day after
that, and so on, until two full weeks had
been wasted when adjournment would be
taken for the holidays. In the meantime,
Of course. the congressman pay of $2063
per day. $l56 per week and S625 per
month would 60 merrily on. the people
paying the bill.
The new policy simply means this, that
the Democrats mean business.
Nor A do NOTHING" SESSION
IF anybody thinks this is going to be a
'do-nOthing Congress they are badly mis-
TAKEN was the answer made by Champ
Clark to the proposition that the Demo-
Gratis proposed to devote the present session
to efforts to put the Republicans in
hole" so as to strengthen their own posi-
ton for next year.
THE Democratic party made the definite
promise to give the people relief from condi-
tons which have come to be regarded as
intOlerable." the Speaker continued. THE
best way for us to play politics is to carry
to conclusion, insofar as we are able, the
excellent record we have already made.
The people are looking to us for accom-
plishment, rather than for strategy, and
we need have no fear of the future if we
90 along with our program as we have
started"
Mr. Clark has been telling his co-workers
in the House that if the party goes to dilly-
dallying around, trying to put the Presi-
dent, and the standpatters, and the insur-
gents in deep, dark hole, the result will be
more disastrous to the hole diggers than TO
those whom they might intend to engulf
therein.
Mr.. Clark, in other words, realizes that
the present is his party's opportunity. and
that the best way to take advantage Of IL
is through action, rather than with at
tempts to shift the blame to the other
fellow.
Mr.. NORTON Found"
Somebody wrote to Washington to ask
what had become Of Mr.. Norton, who was
lately secretary to President Taft. The
writer hastens TO answer as follows Mr..
Norton is alright. He has gone the way
of previous secretaries and Is now in one
of Mr.. j. p Morgan's banks. 1t is only a
short jump after all, from White House TO
Wall street. and the path is much Travelled,
both coming and going.
LOOKS THAT WAY.
The Chicago beef barons, charged with
trust to squeeze the people |
on the price Of beef declare they are in
nocent. which would lead one to think they |
would be in q hurry 10 get TO trial |
Query: Have they been battling in one
court after another for nine years just TO
keep the public from finding out that they |
are innocent2
Those Sudden TWiHQeS