Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-10-21

THE MIND OF WASHINGTON i

From the Washington Letter to the New


From the Washington Letter to the New
York Sun.
A resident Of Washington who is by
way of being a writer of good repute on
request from a magazine editor for an
article on THE Mind of Washington"
He responded that he could not do the
In the sense that he assumed the editor
had in his mind the writer rave a good
enough nsw there seems to be no col
lective mind here. no consensus In ever a
limited circle resulting from a strong mas
ter mind produced by a domination by the
minds Of a group of highly placed off,
Gals.
In this respect, observers say, Washing
ton differs from most European capitals.
1t was so even when the White House
was occupied by a gentleman of very
fixed and determined opinions and no re-
luctance to give them emphatic expression.
This may be so because the Washington
concerning whose mind the editor was
curious is composed Of he minds of in
dividuals influenced by groups widely sep
arated by distance, widely divergent in
interests.
A community supported by the proceeds
of a crop of cotton studies foreign rela-
lions from a different angle than that
describing the viewpoint of a community
of cotton spinners: the wheat farmers are
the bread winners in large cities; the peo-
plies of seaports look with suspicion on
legislation forced by inland folk designed
to shackle shipping. Each of these groups
interests have their representatives here.
They are minded as are those from
whom they came, whom they represent, In
a sense, whatever their offices here may
be.
Nevertheless, beneath the tangle of sur
face opinions there is a solid ground
wherein may be found the mine of WASH
ington. In the tangle the investigator will
trip over as many opinions as there are
states regarding. the effects of executive
nets, &c Of W nothS; 81 1a ws,c Of m anything affgot pe ecu
eign relations, crop prices. money rates or
| party prospects. You hear the voice of
Peace at any price" calling in the tan
| against embargo, big army. little army
| cries, what you will.
But be patient. keep your temper and
| talk with, whatever section Of the coun-
try may ave set its impress on his opin-
ions; let him declare himself on all the
matters less essential, work through the
tangle down to the solid ground Of the
one essential: How about your people,
back home. If war became inevitable?"
/. Then you do find out that Washington
has a mind, a mind rejecting the mind
t"of the country.
The people Of these United States know
that their president does not want war.
to keep at peace with all the world up to
! the point that there is no sacrifice of ma.
tonal honor, dignity or rights. And you
learn hat that is how the people want
; the president to stand.
But II one of those sacrifices must be
! made to preserve peace, the answer are
clearly and soberly given: Eve are back
of the president in his effort to avoid
, war. If he can not avoid it and preserve
our national honor, dignity, rights, we
will back him whatever the alternative
No mistake about 1t. hat is the MIND
OF Washington rejecting the mind of the
country.
If, again, the questioner gets away from
a single mind, il the question Of how the
means, is raised. the. talk axis is in the the ta Mna
again. There will be inventions, says one
which will prevent an invading force
landing anywhere on our soil; we can am
| while an enemy Is getting Its transports
| another says. and so on.
But we'll stand back OF the president
That's the min of Washington. ~accurate
ly rejecting the Ii OF the country