Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-14

OF these and other commodities have ad-
vanced by leaps and bounds and by metn-
DDS which we all agree would bear investi-
CATION. while the genera average OF ran,
road freight rates has steadily decreased
from cents per ton per mile in 1870 down
to three-fourths of ] cent per ton per mlle
today and during the past ten years the
railroad companies have granted supstan,
tial wage concessions to their employees ana
also amelorated labor cond lions
"That the railroads of the country have
been enabled to reduce rates and at the
same time advance wages and spend large
sums In the physical Improvement of their
properties IS due to the reduction or elm
naton Of gradTs InTDes s'e increased
hauling power OF locomotives and superior
character of general service rendered, show
ing. in instances. an Increase of 200 per
cent in train tonnage. We believe That IN
this increase In earning power and econom-
icaI management the limit has been
reached. Therefore. we believe that we
take fair and just view OF the situation
when We claim that no national legislation
should be adopted which shall tend In any
degree to interfere with or interrupt the
present or future prosperity OF the railroad
employees in this country.
Irrigation on the Pecos.
The President received call from Judge
A. A. Freeman, w. A. Finlay, c. L. Bal
lard, A. NJ Hove and c. II. McLenathen,
comprising a non-partisan delegation from
New Mexico. The delegation came here to
offer to sell to the government for reserva-
ton purposes the large dam and irrigation
works on the Pecos river, built to supply
the PecOs valley OF New Mexico. The dam
and irrigation system were built by a pri-
waite company at n cost of SiJ0.OOO, II Is
stated During the heavy rains last spring
the dam burst at one side and all the
water washed away doing great damage.
The loss of the farming and frutt-growing
regions heretofore supplied by the dam Is
threatened If the works are not rebuilt, and
the delegation came here to offer the sys-
TEN to the government as one of the irri-
cation projects for $4,000. The matter
was Laid before both the President and
Secretary Hitchcock of the Interior Depart
ment, and ii is stated that both are FAVOR
able to take over the system. The mem
beers of the delegation said they felt much
encouragement after talking with the Pres
ident, who took the matter up with Secre-
tary Hitchcock at the cabinet meeting.
Delegations to See President.
A large delegation of Oklahoma and
Indian Territory people will call on Pres
ident Roosevelt tomorrow to urge joint
statehood for the two territories. Mem
bers of the delegation have been assem-
bling in the city for day or two. c. G.
Jones of Oklahoma City, who was chair
man OF the joint statehood convention
held this summer is chairman of the
delegation. 1t Is proposed to inform the
President that the vast majority of peo-
pie of both territories desire to have the
new state consist of the two territories.
Another delegation to call upon the
President tomorrow VIII be from B0S-
ton, and will represent the shoe manu-
featuring interests of the bay state. Tariff
reimbursement is what the delegation
wishes to urge upon the President. They
want reciprocity with Canada and an
enlargement of the free list OF the Ding
ley law, so to include hides, wool
iron ore. wood pulp and some other raw
materials that enter into manufacturing
In Massachusetts. The delegation will
present statement of the condition of
the shoe manufacturing business in the
state and the Importance of free raw ma
terial for its upbuilding.
One of the Presidents guests at the
White House yesterday was Frederick
Courtenay Selous,. an Engiishman with
many years experience in hunting the big
game of Africa and IN exploring that I'M
mense country. After luncheon the Pres
dent. accompanied by MIR. Selous James K.
Garfield. Clifford Pinchot and Robert Ba-
con, assistant secreI AIRY or state, were
driven to the outskirts of the city. where
they entered the woods and spent nearly
three hours in walk. Mr.. Selous is sixty
four years old but BEGAN hunting the big
game of Africa as early as 1871. He has
Africa. likewise acting as a guide in many
of the noted expeditions that have opened
that country. He has collected as many
specimens of natural history as any known
man, it is said.