The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-12-17
BY CHARLES W. ARTHUR

The proposed Investigation of the so
called lumber trust which Is called for
IN resolutions offered by Senator Kit
tredge of South Dakota and Repre-
sentative Miller Of kansas is perhaps
of more general interest than any sim
liar movement which has been set on
foot since the present agitation against
great combinations of capital com
menced. The only investigation that
approached it in this respect was that
of the alleged beef trust. A very large
percentage of the people in the United
States do not use any of the products
of the Standard OH company for in
stance, and SO are not directly inter
ested in the prices charged by that
concern. but nearly everybody eats
meat. and everybody is interested in
the cost of commodities sNid to be con-
troIletl by the lumber trust. Every
BODY sits In IL chair and eats from IA
table or writes from a desk or in some
other way is concerned as to whether
the cost of wood manufactures Is high
or low. Mr.. Klttredge and Mr.. Miller
appreciate this and are therefore of
the opinion that something should be
done at once. Prices are admittedly
higher than in former years. and the
purpose Of the proposed investigation.
II It Is inaugurated. will be to disclose
whether or not the increase Is justified
by conditions. Many members OF con
gress are of the opinion that some very
grave IniustTces will be uncovered If
the matter Is gone into thoroughly.
japanese Scare Passed.
The SO called japanese scare seems
to have passed over entirely. The leg
Islators from California are not talk
ing about the Presidents message,
which they so vigorously resented at
first-that is, the part of it relating to
the Japanese-and those prophets who
persisted in declaring that the presi-
dent was negotiating a new treaty
with Japan despite denials from the
highest possible source have ut last
quIeted down. But there Is still an
undercurrent of opinion to the effect
that sooner or later we shall have trou-
BILE with Japan. When Representative
Kahn Of California introduced bill
appropriating $5,OOO.OOO for the con-
struction of submarine torpedo boats
to he stationed along the Pacific coast
he specifically disclaImed any thought
of hostiIities with Japan in the near fu-
ture. Yet of course the friction over
the japanese school question in San
Francisco and the general "cockiness"
of the japanese in the far west, to use
term which CalIfornIans say best
describes the attitude of the Nipponese
out there, We're the factors which led
him to Introduce the bill. Diplomat
Ically the situation is quite serene.
The japanese have been much i'm
pressed by President Roosevelt's warm
expressions in his message. That is
exactly the effect he wished to produce.
so If there is an understanding be-
tween him and the California congress-
men conditions may be said to be salts
factory all around Still many believe
1t is unwise in the extreme to leave
our long Pacific coast line as nearly
unprotected as 1t is. and there are
numerous evidences that authorities
generally are in favor of preparing
for possible war in these piping times
of peace. Instead Of being in the ma
ture Of defiance they believe that the
strengthening of our west coast de-
lenses will go further toward averting
hostilities in the future than any
amount of diplomacy.
New Spelling Doomed.
The new, or simplihed, form Of SPELL
ing put into effect by President Roose-
welt last summer is decidedly not popu-
lar in congress, and there Is little doubt
that within the next few weeks both
houses will act in such a way as to ef-
fectually prevent the use OF the new
form in official documents. Even the
presidents message, it appears, cannot
be published with "thrus'' and "thos"
and "kists" in It, Congress provides
the money for government printing.
and therefore, 1t Is contended, has am
pie power to say what form of spelling
shall be observed, especially since the
new method necessitates additional
work, which increases the cost Of all
government documents In which 1t APP
pears. II both houses do not accept !
that paragraph Of the Legislative. eX-
ecutive and judicial appropriation bill
which stipulntes that all spelling shall
be according to Webster, the Joint com
mIttee on printing will bring In SINH |
lar provision. The paragraph in the
appropriation bill might go out on |
point of order. but the other would |
have to be voted on and well Informed |
members say there Is no doubt Of what |
the result would be in such au event
Little Work Before Recess.
Not a great deal OF work will be |
done In the few days which Intervene |
between this date and adjournment for
the Christmas holidays. The IeglsIa
tive appropriation bill. which was re-
ported n week ago. Will have been sent |
over to the senate from the house when
the recess is taken. but aside from that
little important legislation Will have
been enacted. The legislators will as
again ON Jan. 8 after the two
weeks holiday, and then they will have
to get down to business in earnest In