West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-11-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Senator FOraker's Sickness and PresI.
dent ROOseYelt's Luck Again.
The Panama Canal 20 BE Completed by
Nineteen Hundred and Fifteen.

Regular Correspondent OF The Argus.
WASHINGTON ID. c. Nov. 6, 1905 There
has been saying among Congressman since
the election of President Roosevelt, "You
had better not get in Rooseyelt's way or
you'll die. F" IL has always been said with a
laugh but Roosevelt luck" is something
more than superstition with great many
people. Since the asSassin's bullet made
the way for him to the White House death
has again come to interfere with those who
stood in the way of his progress and in the
case of Senator Hanna removed the only
serious obstacle to his election. When al
most Immediately after the speech Of SEN
aior Foraker in opposition to the administra-
ton he was taken sick people shook their
heads and said Roosevelt luck again. -
Senator Foraker stir lies very i'll at Col.
umbus, Ohio and the series of speeches he
had planned and which would doubtless
have had for their theme opposition to Gov.
ornamental control of railroad rates have had
to be abandoned. Senator Foraker and the
President have always been good friends
and the President has appealed to the SEN
a,or for advice on many questions of policy
during his administration, and entertains for
him high personal regard but they were
unalterably opposed on the railway rate
question and the Senator's sickness Il must
be admitted removes from the campaign one
OF the most powerful opponents of the
prfgidentte t,ol;~~ L, ,k..
Senator Foraker has been in i'll health for
some time and his friends predicted for him
a collapse at the close of the last session Of
Congress unless he should put aside all work
and take long vacation. His appearance
on the streets here in the early Spring left
no doubt in the minds of those that saw him
that he was in need of rest, IL in fact he
were not really a sick man then. He had
completed winter of hard work and close
application. lie was a member of the
Foreign Relations committe, Chairman Of
the Committee on Pacific Islands and Porto
Rico, close attendant Of the Reed Smoot
hearings and active in the Military Affairs
Committee. He was deeply interested in
the work of the Interstate commerce Com.
mittee which had the consideration of the
railroad rate question, he led the fight
against Senator Beveridges Statehood bill
on the floor of the Senate and gave his
personal attention to a large law practice
outside of his Senatorial work. 1t is small
wonder that he left Washington for mis-
home in The late G,,;rr, tk,t L.. ,ks,,tl -.
been run down and that the plunging into
campaign work should have resulted in this
illness which is serious enough TO be giving
his friends considerable concern.
letter given out by Isham Randolph one
OF the members of the Consulting board of
Engineers of the Panama Canal says that
the Canal will be finished by 1915 or that
ten years will be sufficient for the COM
pleiion of the big ditch This estimate is
semi official and is the first of its kind to be
made. Mr.. Randolph has Just returned
with the Commission from the Isthmus after
having made an exhaustive examination of
the work to be done and the conditions there
II is claimed that his prediction that the
work will be completed in ten years will be
confirmed 10y the majority of the other
members of the board which IL 1t is true will
furnish the public the most welcome news il
has had about the canal recently. The
commission will give out great deal more
information about the Canal 10 its Official
report which is about due, and will also
make report on the disbursement of the
ten million dollars appropriated by Con.
gress. Mr.. Randolph believes that the
Introduction Of the eight hour labor system
on the Isthmus has been a serious mistake,
that will add twenty FIVE per cent to the eost
OF the canal, as much more to the compile
ton and be without adequate results to the
workman. Secretary Taft has been one OF
the prominent men most opposed to the
eight hour labor law IN the Canal work and
his predictions as to the added cost and TINT
are fully confirmed by Mr.. Randolph. Tn,
latter acknowledges that the climatic anC
food conditions are not perfect but he state,
that the incoc -eniences and depriva,ioni
there have been greatly magn.ied II,
does not commit himself in regard to tn,
proposition toward the word to private con
tractors who will not observe the eight hou
law but it is known that Secretary Taft il
heartily in favor Of this change and he i
supported by many prominent business mel
who believe that this is the best, II not tn,
only way that the work will ever be done.
The social season is beginning in Wash
ingion and before the first Of the year wher
the season Of official entertaining begins IN,
/ program Of social affairs will have been com
Pleted. Since the White House has beer
occupied by President Roosevelt and hi
family society in Washington has receive,
such an impetus that the season has beer
heightened at both ends Previously moth
/ ing Of any importance occurred in the fash
ionable world until after the first Of Ianuar,
when the Presidents reception 10 the publ
and the Cabinet receptions took place
Then until the beginning Of Lent Official an,
society people we're fairly busy Nov how
ever that period Of about six weeks is far 10,
short and Spring season CORRESPONDING In
way 20 the social season in England ha
been introduced and people no longer wal
/ Co. Cd