Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 July 1905 — WASHINGTON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON LETTER.

Political and General Gossip of the National Capitol. Special Correspondence to The Democrat: Political observers in tbe national capitol believe they see signs on tbe horizon of the candidacy of William H. Taft for the presidency, to be launched with the personal endorsement of the President. There are many straws which the political prognosticators interpret to support their theory and it is undoubtedly true that Mr. Taft is one of the largest men in the Republican party of to-day. It is a grave question, however, as to whether the standpatters would ever be willing that tbe nomination should go to tbe man who was responsible for the Panama purchase order, which was done so much to enlighten the public as to the iniquities of tbe Dingley tariff schedules. t t t If Mr. Taft were nominated it would be without the delegations of a good many Republican states. For instance, the State of Connecticut would never sanction the nomination of a man who is bo “insanely enamored of the Philippines, ” as they put it, that he wants to establish free trade between the Islands and the United Ststee. They are afraid of the competition of Philippine tobacco and when, last fall, Secretary Taft took the stump in that State and advocated the abolition of all tariff duties between the Philippines and this country they became very angry. Colorado would not permit its delegation to vote for Taft for the same reason. He wants to take the tariff off of Philippine sugar, and the best sugar growers of that State are up in arms at the proposition. In fact, it has been chiefly the opposition of the Colorado Senators which has prevented this change, which has been strongly advocated by the President, from being made before now. It is, in fact, a question whether any of the radical protectionist Republicans would be willing to have Mr. Taft made tbe party nominee and unless be could attain such a popularity as Theodore Roosevelt’s which compelled tbe Republican convention to nominate him nolens volens, be would be unlikely to poll a majority of the delegates. ttt

Charles J. Bonaparte took the oath of office Saturday and those who know the eccentric scion of a great family will watch with exceeding great interest his conduct of the important Department of which he has assumed the headship. There is no question but that he possesses considerable ability as a lawyer but those who know him best declare that he is utterly lacking in tact and predict that be will quarrel with his bureau chiefs almost before tbe suu goes down on hie first days’ administration. He called at the Department yesterday and was introduced by tbe retiring Secretary to the various heads of bureaus. When he met Admiral Mason, Chief of Ordinance, he asked tbe Admiral if he was the man who bad turned a deaf ear to the plans of so pany meritorious investors who had patent weapons, and methods of destruction guaranteed to wipe any enemy out of existence. Admiral Mason admitted that be was the man, beyond a doubt ttt That this is a day of specialists cannot escape the reflections of anyone who considers the mauy positions which are being offered to young men with special educations, For instance there are numerous opportunities offering every day to men who are graduates of college of forestry. Both the States and large private lumber concerns are offering fine

salaries to men of this class. The Navy and tbe Army are both looking for young surgeons. Tbe Panama Canal Commission is looking daily for large numbers of men who have ability and energy in almost any line and if they have a special education such for instance as drawing, engineering, stenographing, etc., they can command almost their own figure. Tbe young man who starts out in life without some special training is however, seriously As the use of specialists increases, the supply of “just plain clerks” grows gretear in proportion to the demand and the result is that this class of them are receiving poorer pay than ever, while the necessities of life are constantly increasing in price, despite the glowing arguments to the contrary which Labor Commissioner Carroll D. Wright was able to compile “for campaign purposes only.” ttt The resignation of Chief Engineer Wallace of the Panama Canal Commission has not worked to the serious injury of tbe government, as his place has been promply filled. Nethertheless, it was an unjust proceeding. So far, he has spent practically his entire time acquiring a knowledge of the problems with which he was preparing to deal and his services in any other respect have not been worth any material proportion of his salary. Having acquired this knowledge and now being ready to perfect his engineering organization, be might in tbe next year have proved of invaluable service to the government, whereas, as it is, a new man must be broken in and must spend many months in acquiring the same knowledge which Mr. Wallace has, presumably, acquired during the year just ended. ttt People who know the new Chief Engineer, John F. Stevens, predict great thing for him. That he is an able engineer and an exceptionally able administrator seems to be a fact beyond all question and as he is not to be made a member of the comission, at least until time has served to demonstrate whether or not he will prove congenial to Chairman Shontsand Governor Magoon, there does not seem to be much prospect of friction in the commission in the near future. It is generally admitted that Secretary Taft was entirely warranted in tbe scathing diatribe which he delivered to Mr. Wallace, the retiring engineer and which he later made public.