The Press., 1903-03-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.
washington, March %, 1903.

washington, March %, 1903.
The anthracite coal strike commission
has made it's awards and the president
has caused them to be made public. By
the terms Of the agreement entered into
between the operators and the miners
these awards stand until the 31st day of
March, 1906, and, therefore, danger Of
another coal famine is averted for that
period. By the decision Of the commits
sion the miners will receive general ten
per cent increase in wages, beginning
with April of last year and continuing
throughout the period. Moreover, If the
average wholesale price Of coal, pea size,
goes above $4. 30 per ton, the miners are
to receive an increase of wages amount
Ing to one per cent. for each five cents
Increase. Men working nine hours are
also to be paid on a ten-hour basis. A
sfconciliatory joint eommittee'' Is pro-
yided for In each mining district. 1t will
be composed Of three members appointed
by the operators and three appointed by
the miners, and to 1t shall be referred all
differences, while In the event that an
agreement cannot be reached, seventh,
who shall cast the deciding vote, shall be
called in. The miners are allowed all
the check weighers they may demand, but
they are to pay them themselves. The
operators are required to pay commits
sioner, who shall be appointed by cir
cult Judge. and whose duty it shall be to
determine the average wholesale price Of
coal. Among the general recommends
tions of the commission are, one recon-
mending that the custom of employing
special police shall be abolished, and one
urging that the existing child labor laws
be enforced.
In view of the ratification of the Pan
anna canal treaty the engineers are al
ready figuring on the force that will be
required to construct the canal. 1t Is
is said that not less than 10000 will be
employed, and at times this force may be
doubled. There are now 1000 men at
work under the French company, and ev-
cry foot of the canal has been surveyed
and ground broken. Two hospitals, fully
equipped, are now maintained, and doubt
less will be during the entire construction
of the canal. Assuming that no legal OBJ
stacles present themselves, 1t is not be-
heved that the actual work of construc-
tion will begin before the fall of 1904.
American skilled labor and possibly some
OF the experienced French engineers will
be employed, but only negroes, and pref
erably those who have been acclimated,
will be hired for the common labor.
The president has expressed himself as
sorely disappointed at the postponement
OF actual reciprocity with Cuba for prac-
tically a year, and is seriously contem-
plating calling congress In extra session
about November IS, with view to get
ting the Cuban legislation disposed of
before the volume of legislation inevitable
at the beginning of a regular session.
Mr.. Roosevelt Is also disappointed at the
failure Of the senate to act on the nomi-
nation of William Michael Byrne as United
States attorney for Delaware, and of DIR.
Crum, the negro named for collector Of
the port of Charleston, 8. G. Both of
these nominations were sent in at the
regular session, and both were unfavora-
bly, reported by the COMMITTEES to which
they were referred. Both were sent in
during the special session and the first
was unfsvorably reported by the judiciary
committee, but the commerce committee
refused to meet to consider the latter
The president has committed himself to
the appointment Of these two men unless
formally turned by the senate, and he
desired vote of that body but failed to
secure one. He has now made both ap-
pointments as recess nominations, and
the men will take Office.
The president will go west on April l.,
and hopes to secure, in the wilds Of the
Yellowstone Park, an absolute respite
from all official cares and worries. He
will take newspaper men on his special
train, but has requested that when he en-
ters the park they remain outside and
permit him the two weeks undisturbed
and unmatched vacation of which he feels
himself In need. The proposed trip Is a
far reaching one. From the Yellowstone
Mr. Roosevelt will return to Saint Louis
and be present at the dedlcatory exercises
of the Saint Louis exposition, and will
then go to the Pacific coast, practically
the entire length of which he will trav-
erse, and on Decoration day expects to
deliver an address at Cheyenne, Wyoming.
From there he will journey towards Wash
ington, making numerous stops and reach
ing here on June 9Th.
Already the president Is worried over
what appears to be serious blunder
made by his friends with regard to
his visit to Chicago. The date set for
that visit is April 2, and on April will
occur the municipal election. For some,
thus far unexplained, reason the mayor
of Chicago, who Is candidate for re-
election, was not invited to be chairman
of the reception committee, and although
the president understood that his recep-
tion was 10 be entirely non-parttsan, 1t
now transpires that only republicans have
been invited to participate in bis recep
tion. The democratic mayor has attacked
the president on the ground that he Is
coming to Chicago to help elect repub-
lican mayor, but the president has insist-
ed on the mayors being invited to partic-
ipate In all the ceremonies attending his
visit
A somewhat sensational report has just
hoan rooaIvod at the war danartment urg-