The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-12-20
SHIP SUBSIDY BILL
Continued from Page ~

eral tons of these books during the
weighing-in period, of course that is
coincidence, too. Stories are rife of
large publishing houses who hap
pen" to have large shipments of books
in single wrappers at that time for
delivery through the mails instead Of
sending them by express. Mere coin
cidence! A friend of the writer liv-
ing over three hundred miles from
New York city sent postal card to
one of the general passenger agents
at that city inquiring about rates for
round trip to California. To his
surprise, representative of the COM
pany called at his home and talked
him into buying the ticket, and then
"scooted" back to the big city. Now
the proposition is, If railroad will
send an agent 300 miles to sell a 5000
ticket, will it not be wise to see that
large shippers of mail matter send
out a goodly bulk during the weighing
period, the average of that weight
to continue to the next weigh-in?
COlored Troops Win.
The agitation over the discharge for
the good of the service of three COM
panies of the Twenty-fifth infantry
has resulted in backdown from the
position that the innocent must suffer
with the guilty, and it is expected that
soon the major portion of the men
will again be under the colors. The
accustomary boast of the bravery and
good conduct of colored soldiers is
apparently having more effect than
the distorted account of one single
affair, especially when it is claimed
that some of the whites in Brownville
are alleged to have boosted that they
would get rid of the colored troops.
It is understood that protests had
been made to the war department re-
garding the stationing of colored
troops at that point, but with the
usual Official disregard of government
officials for the wishes of the people
of a community, they had been ig-
nored. Apparently the only way to
wake up a government department is
to widely advertise certain actions,
and when public clamor reaches a
point of annoyance" action is taken.
Will our "Uncle Joe" Cannon con-
sent to have the pay of government
employees raised after the handsome
increase in his own salary? A news
paper man remarked in the lobby the
other day that resolution would
have to be passed giving the vice
president and the speaker authority
to raise the salary of members of con-
gress, because they are too modest to
consent to raising their own pay. Why
should not legislator receive good
pay? And why should not the men,
bers raise their own compensation
The increase can be made operative
beginning with the next congress, and
it would perhaps be better to spend
the public funds in payment of sal
aries than in dredging alleged rivers
where it is necessary to drive artes-
ian wells to get sufficient water to
float a canal during the dry season.
Government Salaries.
There has always been a belief
throughout the country that govern
ment employees are highly paid, and
to certain extent that has been true
in the past, but the experiences of a
resident of the capital city the past
few years has been far from pleasant.
designations are assuming alarming
proportions, and as is always the case,
the government is losing some of it's
brightest and most efficient workers.
Hardly government employee is
stationed in Washington but has been
met with the answer "You are in Of
flee, are you not; you can afford to
pay good prices" when a protest has
been made to excessive charges for
the necessities of life. The scale of
salaries today is practically the same
as paid during the cheap-price period
of 'S5-'95, with ordinary living ex-
penses raised from 20 to $50 per cent.
According to high government off,
Gals, Uncle Sam is satisfied with the
progress made in the work of re-
clamation of the arid sections of the
west. It is claimed that the work is
progressing more rapidly than similar
improvements or projects by private
corporations and railways. There
has been serious scarcity of labor
and blockage on transportation lines,
yet decided start has been made,
and within few years the country
will realize that the benefits are great
ar than tho widest dream NJ an on.