The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-02-03
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Gen
eral Topics from
the Capital.
(From Our Regular Correspondent.)
Washington, January ~, 1911.

Warrington, January u, 1911.
The action of the United States in
generously waiving the indemnity of
| rising in China has borne good ffuit.
China has since regarded this country as
her best friend, and has sought advice
and guidance from US on matters affect
ing her international relations. At the
present time the Chinese government is
defraying the expenses of upwards of one
hundred students every year in American
universities These students as they
graduate, return to China and are scat
tered among the different provinces of
China for the purpose of gradually Amer
icanizing the people and customs of that
country.
The formation of the National Progress
sive Republican League in the fight be-
| tween the insurgents and standpatters to
control the Republican party is exciting
considerable comment. The President
is said to be concerned over the matter
and to regard it as an attempt to contest
his denomination in 1912. He is unde-
| cided whether to appear Indifferent to the
League or to prepare to oppose its activi-
ties. The attitude of Theodore Roose-
velt toward the League is also causing
much speculation. From his utterances
in the Outlook and on the platform, he is
thought to be entirely in accord with the
principles of the new organization, but
whether he indorses its reported inten-
ton of urging the nomination of Senator
LaFollette for president is decided ques-
ton. The principles of the League are
brief. 1t aims TO restore government to
the hands Of the people; to prevent cor
rupt use of money in election of Senators;
to secure direct primaries; to simplify
presidential elections; and to establish
the initiative referendum and recall. This
enunciation of SO called Republican prin-
ciples sounds like a political platform
written by William Jennings Bryan, and
demonstrates how much political lines
have been shifted in recent years.
Politics. foreign relations and ship SUBJ
sides seem to be strangely mixed in the
new and great American Idea" in which
the leaders of the Republican party are
people of the United States. This idea is
to build railway through North, Central
and South America, so it will be possible
to transport merchandise by rail from this
country as far as the Straits of Magellan,
dCSil GU. OlltiIS die llVOlNCO Ill IL
because the leaders of the Republican
party feel that their recent disastrous de-
feat can be retrieved only by some great
project capable of firing the imagination
and patriotism Of the American people.
Perhaps the leaders Of the Republican
party seek to follow the example of Bis
marck who, when the German Empire
was torn with internal dissentions, pre-
Il
to take the eyes Of the German people
from their troubles at home and direct
them toward foreign conquest Foreign
relations are involved in the idea because
the apparent failure of the favorte plans
of President Taft and Secretary Knox to
capture the Far East as an American
market makes it necessary to provide
another outlet for American manufactures.
Ship subsidies are involved because il
American products can be distributed
throughout Central and South America
without ships, the necessity for a subsi
died merchant marine will disappear.
The vastness of the undertaking is real
ized, but the American people are
thought to be capable of carrying it
through.
This question of ship subsidies is being
agltateQ again before congress win the
backing of President Taft. 1t is insisted
that all American business which depends
on ships for the transportation Of either
its raw materials or finished products is
paying to foreign ship owners tax or
tribute greatly in excess of tariff duties
and that a constant stream Of revenue
which should remain in this country to
fill the arteries Of commerce is drawing
off the other countries. The project is
encountering the usual opposition.
What is hailed as the victory of Gov
ernor Wilson, of New Jersey, in defeating
ex-senator Smith for reelection to the
Senate and in securing the election of
James E. MARITIME, is arousing comment
in Washington. 1t was felt that in pre-
ciptating the fight against Smith, Gov
ernor Wilson staked his political future.