The National tribune., 1906-12-27

the launching of any great enterprise. |
TO create an organization with which to
work. 1t was necessary also 10 make
the Isthmus, by thoro sanitation, Il
hea1thful place in which to work; t"l
provide suitable quarters and food forl
employees: to construct proper terminal
yards and railway tracks and interme-
diate yards for the handling of the
vast quantities of materials and sup
plies: to install a system of railway
tracks thru the cuts; to-put the various
levels in the cut in proper condition for
the installation and operation of the
maximum number of steam shovels; to
purchase and assemble the plant for
constructing the canal: to work out all
engineering problems; to perfect Gov
ernment and create a system of ac-
counts. and to formulate preliminary
plan for carrying forward the work in
each department"
So far as the report itself is concern
ed, it is simply like n committee report
in the House or Senate-"The Com
mission has had under consideration
thus and so, reports progress and asks
leave to report again. Progress has
been made on sanitation. Progress has
been made on providing free quarters
for workingmen. Progress has been
made on providing amusements. Prog
ress has been made in providing fresh
water-and that's all. Nothing: is re-
ported as finished, and nothing is set
tied about anything. However, prog
ress" reported may be considered some
thing.
The Red Cross Convention signed at
Geneva, July 6, 1906, for ameloratins
the condition of the wounded of armies
in the field has been ratified by the
Senate in executive session.
Members of the House from the Pa
cific Slope will do big piece of mis-
siOnary work thruout the remainder of
this session of Congress. BY speeches
on the floor of the House, and by testi-
mony before the Committee on Foreign
Affairs they will endeavor to convince
other Members that their views on the
Japanese and Chinese questions are
correct.
Mr.. Griggs, of Georgia, is member
of the House Committee on Post Office
and Post Roads. and takes an interest
in all postal matters. He also tells IL
good story.
II was talking with a POST Office
Department official the other day." said
the Georgia member, when he showed
me brief letter that had been received
from a Western Postmaster. AS near
as I recall the letter was a notice to the
Postmaster-General that on a certain
day the post office in the little Western
town would be closed
''The Postmaster said: In accord
ance with the rules of the Department
I write you to inform you that on next
Saturday / will close the post Office for
one day, as l am going on bear hunt.
| am not asking your permission to
close up, and you can discharge me If
you want to. But l will advise now that
l am the only -- man in the County
who can read and write
"And." added Judge Griggs, "the
Postmaster was not discharged. He
went on the bear hunt. He had a cinch
on his job"
Mr.. Hardwick, of Georgia, has been
assured of wide support in the House
for his bill to compel all railroads to
adopt the Geographic block signal sys-
tenn in the handling of all trains and to
require the examination and licensing
of all telegraph operators engaged in
managing the block signals.
1t is asserted on high authority that
the Interstate Commerce Commission is
in sympathy with his plan. He has had
a conference with several members of
the Commission.
The feature of the measure allowing
the Interstate Commerce Commission to
regulate the number of hours the tele-
graph operators shall be employed is
also highly commended in the House.
Mr.. Hardwick says his motive in in
Producing the bill was to do away with
the repetition of the appalling wrecks
that have occurred recently on some of
the railroads of the country. Mr.. Hard
wick looks like kid, but he talks like a
big man.
Labor" Is arranging to give Con-
gressman Hearst a rousing reception
when he comes back after the holidays.
Labor" mind you, and Representative
Hearst never so much as brushed his
own clothes in his short, inglorious life.
Labori Now, wouldn't that jar your
Stats, And Representative William Ran
dolph Hearst has not been in his seat in
the House twice a week since he was
elected to sit in that body. His name
does not appear in roll calls once in 100
times. and he has never made but one
speech. That was practically in defense
of himself. And labor" is going to
toast him. Labor would a good deal
better roast Mr.. Representative William
Randolph Hearst
Strong argument for the Army can
teen and beer nails Tor old soldiers Is
made in the annual report of Col. John
l.. Chamberlain, InSpector-General Of
the Army. He says that beer halls IN
the branches of the National Home for
Disabled Volunteer Soldiers netted prof
its to the Government of s165,454 dur
ing last year. If the soldiers could not
have had this beer which is known to
be pure, they would make their way to
dives, spend more money, get worse
beer and liquor, impair their health,
make more expense to the Government
in caring for them and the revenue
from the beer would be lost, he says.
Isn't this pitiful admission to make /?
president Roosevelt yesterday sent a
message to Congress vetoing a bill to
increase the pension of Charles r.
Henry, on the ground that the bene-
ficiary died Nov. 8, prior to the passage
of the bill"
President Roosevelt will send another
message to Congress Immediately after
the holiday recess. 1t will deal with
the subject of immigration.
Some months ago Terence v. Pow
derly, former Commissioner-Gener of
immigration, was sent abroad to make
an inquiry with view to ascertaining
the causes that incite the movement OF
a million or more aliens to the shores
of the United States every year.
At the same time Charles P. Neill,
Commissioner of Labor, and James B.
Reynolds. Special Administration In