Catoctin clarion., 1911-04-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT J
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| (FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENTS.
WASHINGTON. D. c., APRIL 3.
The national Congress is again in
session-the second extra session OF
the present administration. Specu-
lation as to what Congress will do is
varied. 1t is thought that the aC-
ministration would be more than pie
ased if the Congress would ratify the
reciprocity agreement with Canada
and adjourn, but the Democrats who
now control the lower house have Il
much more ambitious pr gram and
indeed there are tariff reforms that
cannot he enacted too soon. The
period between the adjournment on
the 4th of March and the 4th OF
April has been full of interest. Tie
sudden mobilization of the army and
its establishment on the Mexican
border has been the suhj'ct of discus
sion throughout he enl tn .n'. bea 'th
of land. The ultimate purpose of
the administration is not known, but
preparation for any cmcrg 'ncy is the
highest wisdom in national afflirs.
it is reported that II large conting mt
of the force now on the Mexican bor-
der will sail in few days for II N
oululu. 1t is known that American
interests in Mexico demand ii strong
American force near that perturbod
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 bc little reason for the con-
,lu Us ,xp.nsivr naval preparation
Of the last ducau'; but thrrt is no
.,surance that the Senate viii ratify
sucl, p, ace agreements as the two
g!>at .N.glu-SaXrn governments may
arrang' with each olirr. There are
some Senators that are very jealous
ui IL. i! Culsttut nal privileges to
votes plratcly anu di>Li"c,iy IN every
matter of international relation. Still,
Ia. world moves. Civil service reform
Was looked upon as utopian thirty
years ago, and many measures look
j toward the pnrificaticn Of govern
.u u.Al II commercial r.,I1.ons have
brr.i accomplished even ll the last
ten years.
ltls cxpe d that there will be on
little pr III nlal Il ctloleerlag and
;.ancu>, ring in Washington during
the p. Sc .l extra session.. 1t Is
Significant that the Bryan influence
has ueen considerably strengthened
ia 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
Washington. 1t is not thought that
Mr.. Bryan expects to do more tina n
influence the nomination of Dem
ocratic 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 talked
of as presidential possibility, but
he has talked SO much himself and
so imprudently in his long aud med
iocre political career that it is doubt
full if he will be considered as an
available candidate by those of the
party with whom judgment prevails.
La Toilette of Wisconsin is much
talked of as the probable Republican
nominee for the presidency, and the
race now is supposed to lie between
him, Taft and Roosevelt Senator
La Toilette is conspicuous for his
criticism 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 prob
able that the figures will demonstrate
that the army can be as easily main
tanned along the Rio Grande as at the
various stations from which it was
entrained, 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 rea-
son for moving the army that there
was in the last year of Roosevelt's S
administration to send the navy to
sea and around the world, and pos