The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-12
Mr.. FAIRBANKS GUIDES
HTRADInON TREATY
THROUGH THE SENATE
Agreement with the Netherlands
Handled Skillfully by the
Indianian.
MIR. BEVERIDGE HAS GRIP
Senator Is Confined to His Apart
ments-Other News of the
National Capital.

National Capital.
WASHINGTON, Jan. n-Senator Fair
banks called up in executive session in the
Senate to-day the extradition treaty re-
Gently negotiated by the State Depart
ment with the Netherlands. Senator
Fairbanks was chairman of the subcom-
mittee which had the Netherlands treaty
under consideration. and he gave much time
and attention to studying its provisions. He
compared IL with other treaties, looked into
all points of international law involved, and
did the work so thoroughly that Senator
CullOm. chairman of the foreign relations
committee, as a compliment to Senator
Fairbanks. asked him to have charge of the
instrument on the floor of the Senate. Ii
was the first treaty which Senator FAIR
banks had ever handled, and his lucid eX
PLANTATION of il and ready answers to the
questions prOpounded in executive session
secured its passage by a unanimous vote.
The treaty with the Netherlands is the first
of the extradition treaties negotiated with
view 10 compliance with the suggestions
made in the message of President hoose-
Welt at the beginning of the regular session
making bribery an eXtraditable offense.
r
There is a strong probability that the
House committee on postofices will not re-
port a bill increasing the salaries of rural
letter carriers. The committee is now en-
gagged in preparing the annual appropria ton
bill. One of the estimates which shows a
marvellous increase is that on account of
rural free delivery. Millions of dollars are
now required TO maintain this service The
demand for increased salaries for the car
rierS is very strong. More than one hun
dred bills have been introduced in both
houses on the subject. The committee IS
a hat ha ii Of he
riers should he increased. So far ii has
been unable TO agree on a figure. The COR
sensus of opinion in Congress seems to be
that the carrier should receive at least $500
a year. Postal experts regard this amount
as excessive. They contend that rural free
delivery will. in few years, become one Of
the most expensive adjuncts of the depart
ment, and that Congress should proceed
with great care in adding to the cost of the
service. 1t is already apparent that the
House committee is opposed TO increasing
the salaries beyond $780, If action is taken
at all. There is opposition to the provision
in the Fairbanks bill proposing that the car
riers shall be graded along the lines of the
rate, If any increase is granted, and this
policy will prevail If the committee has its
way A fear is expressed that if bill is
brought into the House 1T will not be pos
sible TO prevent amendments to 1t increas-
ing the pay of carriers to 5000 a year. 1t
will take several weeks to complete the
pOstOffice appropriation BILL and in the
meantime an EFFORT VIII De made 10 erect a
compromise on the subject of increased
compensation for rural carriers.
+
Two Indiana men were largely instru-
mental in prompting the President to pro-
mulgate the executive order requiring gov
eminent clerks to work until 4:30 p. m.
every day. Representative Hemenway was
directly responsible for the order. He takes
n 81, oh, md l.; hx,
the servants of the government in good
humor. Robert j. Tracewell has repeatedly
stated that the Cabinet members had no
authority to permit their employees to quit
at o'clock. The law on the subject is ex-
plicit, he says. His view of the matter was
submitted to the authorities on several oc-
casions. The straw that broke the camel
back was the presentation TO the House
committee on appropria tons of numerous
estimates calling for additional clerks in the
various bureaus. Mr.. Hernenway then eX-
pressed the opinion that the time to act had
come He called at the White House, ac-
companied by two or three of his colleagues
on the committee on appropriations, and
laid the matter before the President. Hence
the order.
The officials of the engineer branch of the
War Department are being severely criti-
cised by members of the committee on
rivers and harbors In the preliminary work
harbor bill ii is discovered by Chairman
Burton that there remains an unexpended
balance to the credit of many projects
much larger than he anticipated The war
officials will be called upon to explain the
delay in proceeding with the improvements
of projects, iu accordance with the laws of
Congress. The House committee is con-
tinuing it's work the river and harbor
bill. This is done pending decision of the
leaders as to what shall be done. There
seems to be no reason to doubt that bill
will be passed by the House.
The old fight over the eight-hour bill will
be renewed at this session. The National
Manufacturers Association. of which d. NJ
Parry, of indianapolis. is president, is get
ting ready for the fray. The House COM
mittee on labor, which has Jurisdiction over
this measure, has already given considerab BILE
time to the subject. There is a good deal
of misapprehensiOn throughout the country
concerning the provisions of this bill. II
does not attempt to generally prescribe an
eght-hour day for employees of corporations
or individuals. 1t provides that men work
ing on government contracts shall not be re-
Quired to work more than eight hours. This
also applies, of course. to subcontractors
Nearly all the great manufacturing interests
are opposed to the measure, which is in
dorsed by the Federation of Labor Samuel
Gompers, president OF the federation and
other labor leaders will soon appear before
the House committee to urge a favorable
report.
The Senate to-day, In executive session
confirmed the following nominations: Will
liam H Taft, of Ohio, secretary of war
Luke Z. Wright Tennessee, civil Governor
of the Philippine islands; Henry G. Ide
Vermont, Vice Governor of the Philippine
islands. Postmasters in Indiana: Thompson
Turner, at Walkerton; Charles c. Johnston
at Hobart; James Pickering, at Oxofrd
Also promotions in the navy and marine
hospital service.
On the suggestion of some one connected
with the committee on military affairs
which conducted the Wood investigation
Maj. e. G. Rathbone sent to Senator Proc.
tor, the acting chairman of the committee
letter dated Dec. 49, 1903. submitting e
him the matter of whether or not he is en-
titled to reimbursement for expenses, OF
witness fees, or both, as q witness befor.
the committee in the investigation. This
major says he came to Washington express
ly on the Wood investigation business. The
which includes railroad fare, including
sleeper from Wellsville, \. Y, 10 Wash
ington and return, and hotel expenses fol
thirty-Scven days. Major Rathbone said h
presented this matter for such action a!
the committee might deem proper.
=
The President to-day sent to the Senate
the following nominations for Indiana
Postmasters-Charles c. Fesler, of Clal
City, and Joshua +. Albright, of Fremont.