Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1892-08-25

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a settlemen Of the question that he d.
rected the Secretary of State to make
public the proclamation. 1t is the i'm
y, ession here that the proclamation will
soon be rescinded because it is believed
that the Canadian Government will
now when it can no longer escape 40
the right thing by American shippers
There is Il little stir IN the depart
ment of justice over letter received
there Saturday. The letter Was from
Mr.. J. w. Hayes, General Secretary Of
the knights Of Labor, and its subject
the inhuman treatment of the United
States prisoners at Boise City, Idaho
who are awaiting trial for completely In
the recent Labor riots in the mining
districts. Mr.. Hayes said in his letter
that a prisoner named Peter Green had
been particular victim of the cruelty
of the United States marshal. The act
ing attorney general-all the depart
ments have acting heads, these days
wired Mr.. Hayes that the matter would
be Immediately investigated. He also
wired a special agent of the department
already III Idaho, to 90 to Boise City
investigate the charge and report al
once: also to see that no cruelty OF
abuses are practiced on any U. S. Pris-
oners there. Mr.. Hayes charge is re-
garded at the department as being as
it is unusual.
1t is positively refreshing to meet a
politician who neither knows it all OF
claims it all. Representative Bynum
of Indiana, fresh from New York, was
caught on the fly by your correspond
emit, and asked for some political news
He surprised me by saying "lt Is i'm
possible for any one not familiar with
New York politics to judge of the sit
uation in that State, whether he stays
there two weeks or two months. | can
not attempt to say what the situation
is. New York democrats say things
are all right do not know In the
last four words-"I do not know Mr.
Bynum, said what every man must say
who conscientiously speaks the truth as
to his actual knowledge of the national
political situation. Your correspond
ent has been writing of national politics
for many years, but he has never known
a campaign when within ten weeks OF
election day there was so little to base
anything bearing even IL semblance Of
an authentic prediction upon as at the
present time. Democrats and rerub!i-
cans alike when talking for publication
make the usual sweeping claims, but
they will afterwards tell you, prefacing
it with the newspaper mans dreaded
don't print this" that everything is in
doubt.
The eight hour law passed at the
last session Of Congress is apparently
giving government officials lots Of trou
bic. 1t is either very complicated, or
tie constru( ton put upon it by various
officials have been with the DELHI rate
intention of making it so appear. The
first move to make the new law unpop,
ular was the announcement that its en-.
forcement would add about $3,00O,0O0
to the cost of work upon public build
ings to be done during tie current fis
cal year. The acting Secretary of the
Treasury recently requested the acting
attorney general to furnish him with an
Official construction of the law, AMI a
day or two ago the astonishing an
nouncement was made that the acting
attorney general had for technical
reasons declined to pass an opinion on
the law. lie says he will not pass on
the law until it comes before him in
some case arising out of its admlnistra'
ton. In other words, the Department
Of Justice, supposed to be maintained
largely for the purpose of advising the
officials Of the Government on compli-
Gated legal questions, declines to con.
strue this law and pnt it out of the
power of department officials to make
errors IN constituting it for themselves
until alters numbers of such errors shall
have been made. The position of the
acting attorney general may be, and
doubtless is strictly Legal, but It clashes
with everyday common sense.
-~EN