The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-07-06
(From Our Regular Correspondent,

(Erom Our Regular Correspondent.)
E WaAlIINGTON,g D. c., July b.-The dc.
cision of the Department OF Agriculture
to institute suits against great number
OF the railroads OF the country for viola
ton OF the law requiring that cattle shall 1
not be transported for u longer period
than twenty-eight. hours without food
and water, will, it is said, affect nearly
every railroad frcml The Atlantic to tile
Pacific. The suitsa salll amount to leo
in number, and tho prescribed fine in
each case Is $500 The suits will be filed
In the Circuit Courts OF tho United States.
It Is said that 80 clear Is Athe evidence
against the railroads that the attorneys
for several of the big companies have al
ready Instituted negotiations with Sec
rotary Wilson with n view to compro-
missing the cases. 1t Is said that several
fof them have agreed to the payment of
fines amounting to 800 in each case.
Owing to the fact that the departments
were closed to-day, as a mark OF respect
4 to the memory of Secretary Hay, It was
Impossible to obtain list OF the roads
which are alleged to have been guilty Of
violations OF the law. The progress OF
the cases will be watched with close at
tention by the cattle raLsers Of Southwest
Virginia, and the country at large.
80
The total absence of any expression
from Oyster Bay as to the preference
OF the President, has Washington very
much at sea concerning the successor to
the place OF. Secretary OF State made vn-
cant by the death of Hon. John Hay.
While 1t Is believed that should Secretary
Taft wish the appointment he would re-
celve it, There Is some doubt whether
he desires it. 1t Is said there are various
matters connected with the administra-
ton OF the government of the Philippines
which he wants to settle before retiring
from the Department of War Then there
Is the Panama Canal. The secretary is
extremely DESTROYS that It be completed
during his administration Of the affairs
Of the War Department, or al least, that
1t, be got so we'll under way that It's
eventual completion will be assured.
There. Is talk Of the appointment of
Ellhu Root to the Secretaryship of State.
Tho action Of Mr.. Roosevelt In inviting
his formr recretary OF War to accompany
him to Cleveland and to attend the
funeral of Secretary Hay as the repre-
sentative of the State Department, has
caused a renewal of gossip to the effect
that he Will offer the secretaryship to
Mr.. Root He said on the occasion Of
the retirclnentof Elihu Root from the War
Department that he could fill any posi-
ton In the Cabinet as acceptably as any.
man. Mr.. Root was probably as able a
man as any that has filled n cabinet
position In this country in fifty years.
which is saying Il great deal.
The local papers published a list of the
prisoners who were taken from tho Dis
trict jail to the penitentiary at Mounds.
Vile. w. Va. The list is about an aver
age ono. and expresses just about tho
proportion Of felonles committed by
negroes and white people in tho District
OF Columbia, There were four white
prisoners sent to Moundsville and TWEEN.
ty-One negroes.
These figures afford the occasion for a,
great dea! OF thought by aociolog!sts. y.
is claimed by Northern people that the
education Of 1.-THE negro is tho solution
OF the race problem. In Washington he
IS surrounded by conditions that are ideal,
from the Northern standpoint He has
schools that are the best. and protection
ana consideration that is fully up to
me standard. recommended by tho North
ern people, in fact. there is nothing
wanting that they recommend to solve
me problem. And yet In no State In
the South is there proportional as
much crime among negroes ms there Is
right here In Washington. Tho white
population, according to the last census.
was $4,000, and the negro population ST.
900. And yet with this disparity Of pop
ulation nearly two and a half tines
as many whites as blacks. there are
more than Ave times as many fclonies
committed In this paradise of the colored
race. by negroes as by white people.
How these conditions can be reconciled
with tho Northern opinion that4the edu-
cation Of the race Is the solution of the
problem Is another question, There Is
another interesting fact and that Is
that nearly every negro criminal In
Washington, tho ones who 80 to the
pententiary. can read and WRITE.
j. Howard Graves, who has boon APP
pointed clerk OF the Department nj JUS
Nice. has heen promoted to Assistant At
| fnrnaY. nnfara Snecinl Assistant Att orreY