Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-16
CLARK As FOE OF RATE CURB
Iowa MaA Slated for oOmmisSionsrShip No
Friendly to New Law
ACTIVE IN OPPOSING LEGISLATION
His Selection Considered by Friends
of the Measure, who Admit HIS
Ability and Integrity, a.
Unfortunate.
CFrom a staff Correspondent l.

WASHINGTON, July 15.-(Special Tele-
gram.)-The published report that Edward
T.. Clark of Iowa, the railway conductors
chief, was slated for one of the new inter
state commerce commissionerships. has
started some notable adverse comment. 1t
is recalled by the critics that Mr.. Clark
was originally and all the time opposed to
railway rate regulation and that he was
instrumental in stirring up opposition senti-
ment among railway employees; that more
over, he conspicuously exerted himself to
defeat the measure which congress passed
1t is also recalled that early in the strug-
sle Mr.. Clark wrote letters to number
of senators and representatives stating ME
objections to the proposed law. He used
the argument so frequently employed by
Senator Elkins and others friendly to the
railroads, insisting that federal regulation
Of the railroads meant lower freight
charges, with inevitable reductions in the
earnings of the roads. He argued that
this would necessarily result in the cutting
down of wages of railway employees, and
that the proposed legislation would be de-
cidedly detrimental to the men in the pay
Of the biz railroads.
Bearing in mind this particular conduct
of Mr.. Clark, the men who put through the
rate bill say that his selection TO be a
member of the new commission is unfor-
tunate. No charge is made rejecting upon
his ability or integrity to fill the position.
He is we'll known to possess exceptional
information pertinent to the place.
Many Millions for Reclamation.
The magnitude to which the reclamation
service has grown is somewhat astounding
even in these days OF remarkable events.
The reclamation service was organized four
years ago and during its existence has in
creased from less than a dozen men TO
over 400 engineers, carrying on work
throughout widely scattered localities In
the arid west. Contracts have been let
and work is under way involving the ex-
penditure OF 100000. and other contracts
are being prepared which will necessitate
the expenditure in all of nearly S4O,0OO,oOo
There are now working for the contractors
| about 10000 men. and the reclamation serv-
ice has working directly for it over 1000
men, including day laborers and me-
chanics. The monthly expenditures aggre-
gate about $1OOO,OOO having gradually in
creased until> they are now practically at
the maximum 1t is not probable that
there will be further expansion but, on
| the contrary, a considerable consolidation
and reduction of force as the larger works
are completed. The rapid growth of the
reclamation service is indicated by the an
| nual expenditures. For the hscal year
ending June 30, 1908 there were little
over 100000; for 1904, s1,500OO0; for 1906
50. 10000. and for the year ending June 30
1906, very nearly Ss,Oo0O00. the greater part
of this amount being expended during the
months Of May and June, when the ex'
penditures reached over S,OOo,OoO each.
Independents Buy from Trust.
| The grand jury which is probing the So
| called ice trust OF Washington has brought
| TO light a rather humorous state of AFFAIRS
| The jury seems to have esta ablished th'
| fact that there are few II any 'indepen
dent dealers" in Washington, all Of
the so-called Independents" purchase
their stock of the American Ice company
which does not seriously deny being {
trust The independents have been fight
ing for years soliciting trade on the ground
that to encourage them was to fight tht
| trust. But the grand Jury has about es
tablished the fact that the independent
is only myth. Possibly the same stat,
OF AFFAIRS may exist in other cities Rich
mond, for example. The seven drivers o
ice wagons arrested for giving short weigh
generally forfeited the collateral depositet
for their appearance in court, but two o
| them preferred TO night. The cases will
come up next week. 1t is the intention o
the grand jury TO prosecute the ice trus
II SUFFICIENT evidence is adduced to war
rant the institution of a suit. Commits
sloner Harry L. West is behind the move
ment to probe the trust. and 1t woul
seem that he has made out his case.
Mass of Unclaimed Mail.
Nobody ever believes his correspondent
who is remiss in answering a letter, whe
the excuse is given that the letter neve
came. So few letters, comparatively, ar
lost in the mails. that an assertion that
letter failed TO be delivered is not accepte
seriously. stll. in the month of Jun
alone, according to a statement made a
the division of dead letters, postofhce de
partment. S94. a52 pieces of unclaimed ma
were received. The number received 4
the same month last year was 76l ,s7S con
siderable increase this year.
The total number OF letters returned {
senders was iO6,Oe2. The number of piece
unmailable was 1852
The number Of letters received containin
money was $50, as against 6,7S6 for tn
same month last year but the amount O
money they contained was S5,5577S a
against S4.646 in the month OF June las
year. which may indicate that times ar