The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-02-27
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Corr of THE REPUBLICAN,
Washington D. c., Feb. 20, 1918.


Washington D. c., Feb. 20, 1913
President Taft has held series of
special Cabinet meetings over the Mexi-
can situation; and.it is announced that
the administration believes in having
troops ready for an emergency. in case
Congress decides that hostile invasions
of Mexico is necessary. But the pres
ident.is determined that no such step
shall be taken unless absolutely..neces
sarv.
Appropriate services in memory of
those who lost their lives fifteenyyears
ago by the destruction of the.s maine
were held last week in Arlington
Cemetery, over the graves of those
buried there.
1t now seems that thei getting to-
gether process of metropolitan party
will not be from the top, but from the
bottom. Not the leaders, but the rank
and file will be the agents to work the
cementing of the party organization.
A dinner in honor of Uncle Joe Cannon,
retiring Speaker of the House, was one
of the greatest poIitico- social Functions
of the season. From far and near poll
tlcians. who have served or;fought him,
gathered to do him honor, and fairly
buried him under an avalanche of praise,
congratulations and farewell blessings
President Taft was presentEand made
an address. The Chief Justice of the
United States also made short speech
and, by doing so, broke.an age-old GUS
tom observed by former Chief Justices
of not speaking at political gatherings.
The address of President! Taft in the
Senate last Saturday. in.memorysof the
late Vice President, James S..Sherman,
marks the first time a President has
spoken in that chamber since the days
of Washington.
A record of trust busting" has been
established by Attorney General!Wick-
ersham who, following his notable
victories in the bathtub and cotton
corner cases, has just filed four more
antitrust suits. He has filed. during
his four years service 81 suits against
trusts; nineteen more than all .hls.!pre-
decessors together.
President-elect Wilson s'new book on
the New Freedom" has just made its
appearance on the news stands. In it he
scathinglY arraigns big business, severe
ly critics. the principles of.the Roose-
welt party, and reiteratesj his! intention
of pruning the tariff; but scouts the
idea that he is for free trade. The
Womens Democratic Study Club, COM
posed of forty or fifty fair politicians
and wives of prominent statesmen, will
study Mr.. Wilson's great. book THE
State" during the next month.
At the close of one of thei most sue
cessful automobile shows ever held in
Washington, the agent of a leading
manufacturer declared that, if the in
dustry issssto succeed, manufactures
must seek to ''sell satisfaction" instead
of trying to make big profits by con-
stantly changing the style of machines.
According to DR.. Kebler, United
States drug expert, more than $50, 900
ounces of cocaine are annually consumed
in this country, over ten times the
amount actually needed for medical
purposes. The drug habit, he says, is
no respector of persons, and is today
one of the greatest perils this coun-
try faces.
With the many dinners and entertain
ments being given daily in honor of Mr..
Taft and other outgoing officials, social
Washington is fully awake, and the
season, which had a fitful beginning,
promises to eclipse all previous dinner
giving records. The arrival of Lent
has made no appreciate difference IN
the social world, although the events
are quieter and less formal than earlier
in the season.