Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-10-13

steamers will frequently sail for dow n
the cost ports when by waiting a few
hours they might easily make cOnnet.
tiOn with the steamers from New York
and save delay of eight or twelve days
for passengers and freight. When
asked whether the government would
arrange the running of the road so that
better connections could be made.
Secretary Taft replied that the schedule
matter was entirely with the steam
ship companies and that the railway
would be used primarily to expediate
the work of the canal. In effect, the
freight and passenger business would
have to look out for itself. 1t was also
suggested that enormous freight rates
were charged across the isthmus,
amounting to as much as six cents a
pound. The Secretary was asked what
steps would be taken to remedy this.
He replied that nothing was contem.
plated at present, that the freight
rates were q matter that had to be bal
anced with the actual running expense 8
of the road and it was impossible to
say just now whether the existing rates
we're too high.
The committee on economy at the
Government Printing Office is at last
getting to work. Representative Lands
of Indiana, has been appointed chair
man of a sub committee consisting also
of Senator German and Representative
Perkins of New York, to do the actual
work of investigating and to report to
the main committee. The work of the
committee will not be to look for graf
tiers, though if any graft is uncovered
in the course of the investigation it
will be reported to the proper authOri-
ties. that is to say the politics and
personality of the grafters admits OF
such course. The real object of the
committee, however, is to put some
check on the publication of tons and
tons Of useless documents that are 9 n.
nually turned out from the big prin.
terry. There is enough of this work il
properly checked to largely reduce the
deficit in the Treasury, but if there is
a stop put to the generous use of the
government presses by private and
semi-private interests, there is sure to
be big howl.
| The old scheme of floating museum
for the exploitation of United States
products is being again revised. The
project is in the hands of company
and is said to have met with the ap
prevail of the President, as indeed any
thing does meet with his approval
which looks to the expansion of the
country's foreign trade. The scheme
is to fit up vessel as floating museum
with samples of American products o.
all sorts, to make her regular com
melcial museum and to send her tt
visit all the countries of the globe where
is any opening for tie lines of Ameri
can products that she carries The
scheme looks we'll enough OH paper
but there are about seven thousanC
practical difficulties in putting it int
operation. One of the many troubles
is that the exhibit would only be avail
able at the seaports of the countries
visited and another is that a good many
of the exhibits would be out of dat,
before she had half completed bel
itinerary. But the scheme is proceed
ing and it is proposed to make worlt
tour of it covering altogether abou
60, 900 miles and winding up at Port
land, Oregon or San Francisco.
The Navy Department hes decided
to assign three cruisers for duty in es
corting the President from New Or
leans to Hampton Roads. They will
be the West Virginia, the Pennsyl
vania and the Colorado and will max
all imposing flotilla