The times., 1899-04-15
SEEN AND HEARD IN THE HOTELS

Several prominent Grand Army of the
Republic officers are in the city as a result
of the recent special meeting of the Or
ganization at Philadelphia for the election
of new Commander-in-C Chief. to take the
place of Commander in Chief Sterrett, de-
ceased. Among them are the newly
elected Commanders in Chief himself, w.
G. Johnson, of Cincinnati; Capt. Il. j.
Montford, of the council of administra-
tion: Major Armstrong, of Indiana, and
Col. A. G. Peterson. Department Com
mander of Missouri. The gentlemen are
at the Ebbitt House and Wizards. Com
mander- -in-Chief Johnson and others of
the G.. A. r. men called on President Nc
Kinley yesterday and requested that he at
tend the next annual encampment OF the
Grand Army at Philadelphia, September
to .. The President promised that he
would attend the encampment If he is in
the East at that time.
Department Commander Peterson, Of
st. Louis, was seen by reporter for The
Times at Wilards last night. He talked
of the effect OF the Spanish war
on the G. A. r. and on the feelings OF
the old soldiers from the North and South
generally.
Missouri he said, sent great army
to fight for the Union in the war of 81 AMI
into the Confederacy. There was, of
course. for long time-always, in fact
some bitterness left on some questions
between these two elements The Spanish
war has destroyed all lack of harmony ut
terly. / see this all the time. The Con-
federates generally remain Democrats, and
the Union soldiers Republicans, but that is
the last vestige Of the difference, and this
is not so marked as IL was once. / believe
that the recent war with its numerous
rSsu.ting pensions to Northerners and
Southerners alike will even make the Con-
federates generally better satisfied with
the pension system and more tolerant of
| its immense tax on the country" Colonel
Peterson said of the expressions of dis
approval of Commissioner Evans that G.
A. r. people in several parts of the coun-
| try have given vent to recently: Il saw
Commissioner Evans today. He is per-
sonal friend of mine, and wished to
| help along several pension cases If pos
| sible. Mr. Evans is a very heavily
worked man, as every Pension Commits
sioner must be. l believe that he is doing
all that he can, and that the oltcriss
| against him in various quarters have been,
| generally at least, unfounded.''
| Former Representative Thomas W.
Phillips of Pennsylvania, of the
f, Industrial Commission, who is stay
| ing at the Shoreham. said TO reporter for
! The Times last night, relative to the work
of the Commission: We are making good
progress, but it must be remembered that
the work we have attempted is tremen-
dous one, struggle with the
| greatest problem of these times
the industrial question. Our Ian
is to go 10 the bottom of the
difficulties, or as far as that can be done.
and if possible to find remedies, or palli-
! atives. We have experts at work on the
| trust question, and on the prison labor
| problem, and on the sweat shop system
| Already we have heard important and even
startling testimony regarding the sweat
| shops. But these are only suggestions as
to the scope of our undertaking. 1t might
be said briefly that We will examine the
labor laws and the other laws relating &c
the industrial problem. in all the States
and in Europe, where much progress has
| been made in many directions recently.
| We will hear the testimony of laborers
| and capitalists and experts. And finally
| We will suggest such remedial legislation
| as seems proper to the General Govern
ment and to the States. 1t is my belief
I that much can be done toward the solution
OF the industrial problem by the Commits
sion and that much will be accomplished
America was the first country to estab-
| lish a bureau of labor. In Massachusetts
in 1855, but according to the testimony OF
Commissioner Wright, the industrial laws
of some of the European countries are
now more advanced and more equitable
i than the American laws"
Frank J. Pearson, of Chicago, a railroad
attorney, in discussing the recent meetins
! of the railroad men with the Interstate
Commerce Commission last night at tbs
Raleigh, said to a reporter for The Times
| There is less cutting of rates among thu
trunk railways than ever before. Per.
haps it might almost be said that tn.
practice has ceased altogether. But non,
of the roads is satisfied nevertheless, anC
none of them escapes from the bad eff
fects of the laws and lack of laws as tht
situation is at present"