Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-10-14
WASHINGTON LETTER

port to be made TO congress. Inc
commission" said Judge Phillips, will
make its final report to congress on
commission was organized provided
that the body should investigate all
manner of industrial matters relating
to the mutual interests of capital and
labor and should recommend to con-
gress and to the legislatures Of the va
rious states legislation calculated to be
of benefit to both classes. The scope
of the commissions labors has neces-
sarily been wide. We have gone over
a tremendous field l took up the
character in the Flfty-third congress.
1t was passed by the Fifty-fourth con-
gress, but failed to secure the sigma
ture of the president. Finally the bill
was passed with certain notifications,
such as the addition of congressional
members. My bill originally provided
that 1t should be made up entirely of
civilians and that there should not be
a majority from any party. l think
1t will be conceded by congress that
the commission has done a valuable
work"
The New Chilean Minister.
Don Joaquin Walker Martinez, who
has been appointed Chilean minister at
Washington to succeed Senor Vicuna,
who recently died at Buffalo, is
cousin of Don Carlos Walker Mar
tinez, a celebrated poet, orator and
politician of Chile. He was born at
Santiago and is about fifty years of
age. He was formerly engaged In
business on an extensive scale and
was member of the Chilean congress
at the time of the revolt against Bal
maceda In 1891. In the provisional
government which was subsequently
established Don Joaquin held the office
of minister of finance. He afterward
threw up his position because the pro-
visional council of state was consti-
tuted without giving any representa-
ton to the Conservative party, Of which
he was member. This action brought
the other revolutionary leaders to
terms, and representatives of the Con-
servative party were admitted to the
council of state. Minister Martinez
then resumed the portfolio of minister
of finance and held it until Admiral
Montt became president of Chile.
Premature Retirements.
Secretary Root has determined that
army officials shall not be prematurely
retired If there Is any chance Of keep
ing them on the active list and having
them render some service to their
country. In the case of n Junior army
surgeon recommended for retirement
by board. which included In Its mem
bership two officers of the medical de-
partment. Secretary Root overruled
the findings of the board and decided
that the officer. who by the way, Is
anxious to continue on active duty,
need not go on the retired list. 1t de-
veloped that If the officer was retired
he would probably practice his profess
sion, and Secretary Root finds that
some of the officers retired for disabil-
ty thereupon engage In commercial or
professional pursuits which do not tax
their energies or strength any more
than the discharge of military duties.
Secretary Root proposes to make n
careful scrutiny of all recommended
tions coming from retiring boards.
Appointment of Army ChapInins.
Judge Advocate General Davis of
the army has decided that under exist
ing statutes appointments as chaplains
In the army are confined to regularly
ordained ministers of the gospel. rec
commended by the authorities of their
church or by five reputable ministers.
This decision was rendered in the case
of a minister of an Independent creed,
attached to no church, who was a can
didate for an army chaplaincy. AL
though strongly backed by influential
people, this minister is ineligible for
appointment under the Judge advocate
generals construction of the law.
Washington n Model.
Mr.. Gerard Lowther, charge daft
faires of the British embassy. has
written the district commissioners, ask
ing them for plans, maps. outlines and
principles of the government of the
CITY Vi washington. Ine request may
be regarded as a high compliment, in
asmuch as 1t is made in behalf of the
proposed federal city in Australia,
which Is to be established in the i'm
mediate future. 1t Is considered as
probable that the beauty and the ex-
cellent government of Washington
have led the British authorities to con-
template the establishment of an Aus
tralian city fashioned after the capital
of the United States.
The New Consul at Cape Town.
William r. Bigham has been appoint
ed consul at Cape Town to succeed
Colonel James G. Stowe of Kansas
City, resigned. Mr.. Bigham was born
in Hamilton, o., fifty-seven years ago.
He served three years during the civil
war as member of the Fourth ILL
nols volunteer cavalry and later was
thrice elected mayor of El Paso, Ill.
He went to Kansas in 1875 and has
since been active In Kansas politics,
serving in the legislatures of 1899 and