The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-03-02
Washington Letter.


Panama Canal Treaty, which passed the
Senate this weeF by large majority.
Senator kittridge, of South Dakota, was
the only spectator of the act, and he took
with him the sub pen with which the
treaty was signed. He stated that he
would send it to South Dakota, as the pen
witch dug the canal is worth keeping A
Commission has already been appointed
consisting of army and navy officers and
professional engineers
1t was my privilege recently to attend a
meeting of the Committee on Labor before
which number of people representing
manufacturing interests appeared. Judge
Conner presided at this meeting Among
those who spoke before the committee
were: One Capt. Smith of Illinois, who
represented numerous allied industries.
MIR Saver, of the Staver Carriage works,
Chicago; the Secretary of the National As
sociatlon of Job Printers, and some others.
The committee is composed of thirteen
members, and in view of the growing i'm
minence OF the great problem of labor and
capitol and their respective rights and
immuni,ies It's work is one of great delicacy
and importance. The personnel of the
committee embraces men of representative
types. Perhaps the most famous member
is William H. Hearst, OF New York, pro-
prietor of tn. New York Evening Journal
The Chicago American, and the San
Francisco Examiner; also millionaire and
prospective candidate for the presidency
on the democratic ticket He is man of
large stature, and rather youthful APP
pearance. His manner is characterized
by an almost boyish modesty and unob-
trusiveness. AS he listened attentively to
the speakers he in common with other
members of the committee interposed
que tons from time TO time On one oc-
caslon he disagreed with the speaker re-
garding his statemen. OF the number of
men. employed by modern newspapers
compared with those employed before the
introduction of latest machinery, and who
is in position to be greater authority on
that question than he, yet he expressed
his dissent in a most apolagetic manner.
On another point some one made the as
sertion that secret ballot had been taken
in a Chicago factory on question of
hours for working, and Mr. Hearst meekly
inquired if the ballot was secret, and on
beng told that it was he instantly followed
up with "How did it become public?"
Here one hears the voice of labor and
capitol direct and the extremes do not
facturer is an exceedingly human man,
and undoubtedly has troubles of his own
to meet in competition and huctuating
markets Personal IL terest to greater
or lesser extent dlsqualihes man to
Judge Of the merits of controversy, and
out If this fact grows the necessity for
some dsinterested and impartial tribunal
to pass upon the conventions Of labor and
capitol. The Committee on Labor or
some body of similar functions is neces.
sary adjunct to modern government, and
is indispensable TO the preservation OF
reasonable industrial harmony. 1t is
hardly to be expected that body Sc
heterogeneous as that of American labor
should possess these qualities of modera'
ton and diplomacy which the more com
pac. and organized body of capitol may
display, and labor often Injuries its owl
cause by resorting to ill-advised methods
| When they are enabled to place theil
grievances before some commission OF
body which is nonpartisan they will bt
heard to better advantage and with more
favor than they can command when they
employ methods of more or less lawes
character.
A battle royal has been waged during
this the closing week of the trial o
Machen. Lorenz and the Croft Brothers
for conspiracy to defraud the government
Major Conrad closed his argument for tn,
prosecution yesterday afternoon and full,
sustained his reputation as one of tn
greatest trial lawyers in the United States
He has been suffering from i'll healtl
during the progress of the trial and a
times almost collapsed; but yesterday h
was apparently in a better state o. health
at any rate he made heroic effort to con
vict the defendants, with the exception
of Samuel Croft. for whom he made
motion of dismissal, not deeming the evi
4 dence against him sufficient to warrant
conviction Elk Superintendent Mache
is study. With his massive and corpu
lent body and assertivtness he is easil
noticeable. He is a strange composite Q
! shrewdness and guilelessness He give
much efficient aid to his attorneys, and oC
casionally makes inexcusable mistake
and unnecessary admissions There is al
air of braggadocio about him and Majo
Conrad said with much truth when MIR
/ Machen said he was not lawyer No bl
you have sense enough to stock Who'll
/ bar His wide and varied 4xperienc