Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-01-11
Significant Development
in Opposition to the
Railroad Merger.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Sch1ey Bills Go to Sub
Cornrnittee--Other
Capital News.

Washington, Jan. ia new ana
very important development in the
Northern Securities merger fight is the
entrance into the fray of organized
railway labor. The engineers, firemen,
conductors, brakemen, switchmen and
yard hands employed on the various
systems of railways, involved in the
proposed combination, fear its effect
on wages, and have begun to take
steps for their protection. They have
made their appeal direct to President
Roosevelt. 1t was to talk over this
matter, it is said, that the labor leaders
talked with the president Thursday.
Attorney General Knox was present
to throw light on any legal questions
which might arise in the discussion,
and Secretary of Agriculture Wilson,
to voice the interests of the farmer.
Roosevelt Agrees With the Labor Mem
Men employed on railways do not
relish the prospect of ]. J. Hill as task
master. The men on the roads in
vOlved in the merger fear a general
scaling of wages if Hill gets full con-
troll. But employees of other roads in
all parts of the country are taking a
lively interest They fear that if the
Hill plan succeeds there will be rail
road consolidation of larger lines re-
sulting injuriouSly to labor. The pres
ident and his visitors talked most free
ly of the proposed consolidation, and
the labor chiefs told the president
frankly what they thought. In return
the president confided to them that he
agreed quite fully-with them and that
he had very definite ideas as to what
should be done. He is backing the
governors of Minnesota and the other
states in their fight before the supreme
court, so 1t is said.
Schley Bills Go to subcommittee.
Washington, Jan. 11.-There were
important developments in the Schley
| case yesterday. In spite of an effort
to secure immediate action ten bills
and resolutions relating TO the naval
controversy were referred to a sub
committee of the house committee on
naval affairs. Chairman FOsS named
the subcommittee, which consists of
Watson of Indiana, Dayton of West
Virginia. Cousins of Iowa. Taylor of
Ohio, Cummings of New York, Meyer
of Louisiana and Wheeler of Ken
lucky. Chairman Foss said this ac-
tlon did not mean that Schley meas
ureS are to be Sidetracked or held up,
but that the majority of the commit
tee believed they should receive the
same attention accorded other bills.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM PROGRESSES
Census Bill RecOmmitted on That Point
Laborers to Go on the List.
Washington, Jan. 1.-THE house
spent yesterday considering the Hop
kins bill to create a permanent census
bureau. While the general sentiment
was in favor of permanent bureau
there was strong opposition to the bill
as drawn, on the ground that it was
not we'll matured. There also was an
overwhelming demand for a provision
to place the present employees of the
census bureau under the protection of
the civil service law, and the bill
finally was recommitted with instruc-
tionS to report back a bill containing
plan for a detailed organization of a
permanent census bureau to include
also provision to place the present
employees under the civil service. The
fight to recommit was made under the
leadership of Burkett of Nebraska, the
new member of the appropriations
committee.
Washington, Jan. 1.-THE 1aborerS
employed in the government depart
ments will be brought into the civil
service under presidential orders, the
first of which will be issued in the very
near future. The inclusions will be-
made separately by departments, In
stead of in bulk. There will be no
scholastic examination, applicants be-
Ing graded according to experience
and recommendations, with the re-
quired preference to war veterans.
This registration system already is in
operation in the navy department, un-
der regulations made during the Tracy
regime, and also are in force in the
war department.
Morgan Has Frenchman subpoenaed.
quer of Morgan, chairman Of the sem
ate committee on interoceanic canals,
the sergeant-at-arms of the senate yes
/ terday issued a subpoena for NJ. Lam
pre-, representing the Panama Canal
company, to appear before the COM