Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 January 1908 — WASHINGTON GOSSIP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WASHINGTON GOSSIP

The commissioners appointed bff President Roosevelt to investigate strike conditions |n Nevada and.to id* vise him as to the need of federal troops in, Goldfield to preserve order, has been made pnblic. In connection with it the President gives out his letter to Governor Sparks, in which he calls attention to the- report and the conclusion reached by the commissioners that, If the state and county exercise the powers at’ their disposal, they can maintain satisfactory order te Goldfield; that, so far, those authorities have done nothing, bat are relying upon federal aid, and their attitude is that of expressly refusing to do anything, and desiring to throw thsir own burdens upon the Federal Government for the maintenance of those elementary conditions of order for which they, and they only, are The President states that the troops will be kept at Goldfield until the meeting of the Legislature, when he intimates that they win be withdrawn. In their report, the commissioners say that, in their belief, there was no warrant Whatever for calling upon the President for troops; that there wa# no insurrection against the power of the State, and that nobody supposed there was such an insurrection. Tbtqr say “The action of the mine operators warrants the belief that they had determined upon a reduction in wages and the refusal of employment to tbs Western Federation of^—Miners, but that they feared to take this course of action unless they had the protection of federal troops, and that they accordingly laid a plan to secure such troops, and then put their program into effect.” , Before the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, Chief Engineer Goethals of the Panama Car nal Commission and ex-Senator Bladeburn, governor of the canal zone, explained the present state of the great enterprise. Colonel Goethals said there were now 30,000 men on the roll, and that last month there was for tha first time more men available than could be employed. No Americana are on the laborers’ roll, the list being made up from West Indians and whites from the south of Europe. A Spaniard would do twice as much work as a negro. Although he had formerly Tavored a sea-level canal. Colonel Goethals was now convinced that the lock system was the best The cost of the total work would be about 1250,000,000, exclusive of the modiy paid for the French rights. Blackburn said he bad reduced tbe number of saloons In the zone to tbirty-four, which pay SIOO a month license. A number of lively debates cropped up in tbe House during tbe consideration of tbe bill to codify tbe laws. The civil war was fought over with great heat when the Southern Democrats wanted to have tbe sections paaeed In 1866 and 1870 to compel tbe enforcement of tbe negro amendment! stricken out. To this the majority would uot listen. Then came a warm disco*slon over the campaign contributions of corporations, tbe Democrats —irT-*mg to Increase tbe penalties Imposed under tbe Tillman law upon' bank officials who thus misused their funds, but their proposals were voted down. By direction of tbe President, Seem tary of tbe Navy Metcalf baa an order directing Surgeon Charles F. Stokes te take command of tbe hospital ship Relief. This is the last step in the controversy which resulted In tbe resignation of Rear Admiral Brownson froze tbe office of chief of tbe Bureau of Navigation. In connection with this action the President transmitted to the Secretary a letter defending hie course and citing the precedents in the American and other navies te suck procedure. Tbe Interstate Commerce Oommte slon is preparing plana for a thorough Investigation of Thomas F. Ryan’s manipulation of tbe securities of tbe Seaboard Air Line, which resulted In a receivership. It is understood that this investigation is undertaken at the Inatenre of President Roosevelt and la bigoly pleasing to some of tbe Southern United States Senators, who have been preparing to urge Congress to taka tbe matter up. A bill to estabish a central bank at Washington, to be known as the United States National Bank of America, has been Introduced by Foraes of New York. Tbe bank would hava SIOO,000,000 capital, of which tha government ia te purchase three-fifths from tbe sale of gold bonds and the remainder to he sold to national banka. The President has sent directly te the chairman of the Committee on Military Affaire of the. House of imprint tativee urging tbe Importance of Improving the horsemanship of army officers by establishing remount stations for tbe training of horses for army nos sod suggesting legldaUon for tha mounting of infantry captains, whs may thus be better fitted for the perIM n .... r.- 1 ''» 1 -J*