Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-08-07

LaDor - IL was undoubtedly PremcdItate
and for Purpose, to Propitiate Wall Stree
Very Slow Progress Made in Probing
Very important Matter-New immigration
Law Facilitates Importation Of Cheap For
eisn labor-hanna's Long Fingers Asa
! Leave Imprints on the Public Sack.
From our realar correspondent
WASHINGTON, July 80, 1903.
The temerity with which President
Roosevelt has declared that after be
ing run for nearly fifty years as g
union office, the Government Printing
Office is to be an "open shop" that
no discrimination shall be made be.
tween union and nonunion labor, is
the talk OF the day in Washington.
On top of Mr.. Roosevelt's decision to
that effect, moreover, comes the news
that he proposes to make an investiga-
ton OF the methods employed with a
view to securing the performance OF
the work OF the Public Printer on an
economical basis and the politicians
are aghast. That the President will
undoubtedly lose the labor vote ia the
unanimous prediction of all that have
recently come to Washington.
A prominent Democratic Congress
man now in Washington declares that
the Presidents stand is undoubtedly
due to the advice of the New York
Republican politicians, many Of whom
have visited him at Oyster Bay, and
who have assured him that his former
position of friendliness to the unions
was going to lose him the support of
his own State where the employer class
is all powerful. Mr.. Roosevelt has de-
cided that the Wall street vote will
prove more valuable to him, accom-
panied as it always is by generous
contributions to the campaign fund,
than the labor vote, much of which
would be cast for the Democratic can
didate when it came time to vote, is
the explanation of the Representative
referred to.
Apparently little progress has been
made in the Postoffice investigation
during the past few weeks. Before
Postmaster General Payne left Wash.
ington, several weeks ago, he an
nounced that there would be several
more indictments before his return
but he is scheduled to return next
Monday and the indictments are not
yet forthcoming. Even the arrest of
George w. Beavers has not yet been
accomplished, although it is expected
that he will be again indicted, this
time by the District of Columbia grand
jury. Tomorrow evening the statute
of limitations will have run on every
action Of former Assistant Postmaster
General Perry Heath, and as there is
no indication Of his prosecution it
may be safely predicted that he will
escape the condemnation Of the courts.
As a sort OF side issue, Charles Emory
Smith, through the columns of his
newspaper, and Civil Service Commits
sioner Proctor have started up con.
troversy regarding the administration
OF Smith when he was Postmaster
General which contributes consider
ably to the gsytey of nations. Mr..
Smith writes virulent editorials filled
with such expressions as "gangs of
liars" etc, and assures his ingenious
readers that his enemies are "taking
to the tall timber" but the only APP
preciable effect of all this is to lead
the leading newspapers to deplorc the
fact that Smith, after demonstrating
grave incapacity as Postmaster Gen.
eral, should now make such "a pitt.
able spectacle OF himself"
The longer the new immigration
law, enacted at the last session of Con-
gress 10 in operation, the more appar-
ent becomes the fact that Senators Ell.
kins and Gallinger, in their endeavors
to protect their railway associates,
managed to seriously injure the meas.
ure and to greatly facilitate the i'm.
portation of the cheapest and most
undesirable class of European labor.
1t has just been discovered that the
wording Of the bin relieves the steam.
ship companies and sailing masters
from the obligation heretofore imposed
on them of having their sailing lists
vised by American consels and pay
ing a fee OF ST. for every sheet passed.
This precsution was a most wise one
and frequently resulted in preventing
the importation of contract labor, i'm.
migration from infected districts, ETC.,
and moreover added considerably to
the income OF the already underpaid
and neglected consuls. If defects in
the bill continue to develop as time
goes on it will doubtless become ne
cessary for Congress to pass a supple.
mentary measure, and when that is
done there is little doubt but that the
attempt TO place an educational quail
fication in the way of illiterate immi.
grants will be made.
Representive Livington, Of Georgia,
is in Washington and expresses him.
self as highly indignant at the charge
made in some quarters that he profited
by special favors from former Superin-
tendent OF Free Delivery Machen, in
that he secured the establishment oil
numerous rural routes in his district
and that several members of his fam
ily and relatives are in the employ OF
the Postofice Department and espe.
cially of the rural free delivery divis.
ion. Mr.. Livingston says that every
one of these charges is entirely withou,
ground. He declares that no route
was established in his district except
in the strict accordance with the regu
lations of the Department, that he hal
but one relation in the postal service
and that he secured his appointment
through q civil service examination
being q stamp clerk in the Atlantis
postoffice. Mr.. Livingston is indig
nant at the manner in which his name
has been brought into the Postoffic,
scandal.
Senator Hanna's efforts to secur,
for his constituents the contract fo
the stone to be used in the new Cleve
land postoffice, which 10 to cost 80,
OO0, 900, has resulted in serious charge
being brought against Supervising Ar