Middletown transcript., 1906-06-30
WASHINGT0NLETTER

NOV that the type of canal to be bui
at Panama has been settled, it won
seem that there is nothing in the way
quick action. The President to have to
the commission, Now cut loose and dig.
This is what the whole country will |
expecting of them, and with all Il
money that has been spent in preparation
and this country has not been niggardl,
il would seem that the real work ougl
to go on. There is one serious coiail
gency. The railroad interests are /
much opposed to the cadaI as ever. The
cannot hope to defeat 1t in the long rur
but there are ways still in, which the
can obstrnct and delay. They may be ds
lay. They may be depended on to han
| per appropriations whenever they can, t
| gouge the government all they can whe
it comes to selling supplies, for the sam
men who control the great trans-conti
mental roads are the dominant factors il
the great industries from which the Cana
Commission will have to draw its snp
/ plies. They will also be on the lookou
always for the least breath of scandal il
the management or tile disturbments il
Panama. And if the could only stir up
scandal and long winded official inquirl
into doings on the isthmus, it would sui
their purpose and hinder the work NOR,
effectually than anything else. Littl'
doubt sexpressed at the War Department
however that the work is in such shape
that it can now be pushed effectually
Andiiis believed that the organization i,
such that it will produce the best results
from reasonable expenditure.
~
In all probably the Interstate Com.
meree Commissions Investigation into
coal and oil carrying roads is concluded
ior the summer. After hearing the last
OF this week Mr. JAS 6. Gardner OF the
Erie Railroad, the Commission adjourned
the hearings without fixing day for re-
sumption. This was taken to mean that
there would be no more hearings till fall.
For tie past three months the commission
has had to largely neglect its regular
work while carrying out the mandate of
the Tillman Gillespie joint resolution,
and it has accumulated plenty of evidence
TO keep it busy all summer collating and
arranging it in form for report. Some
Of the conditions that have been revealed
have been scandalous. There has been
all sorts Of graft and crookedness dis.
covered among officials both high aud
low. But the last witness heard, Mr..
Gardner, said a word for the railroad
ownership Of coal lands that was one Of
the most important said on that side dur
ing the entire hearing. He pointed out
that the very existence Of railroad de-
pended on its fuel supply, first ON having
a steady supply and then on getting it at
the lowest figure so as to curtail the
heaviest Of all its operating expenses. He
added some "hot air" ON the subject get
ting the benefit Of the saving in this di-
rection, but that question is rather beside
the mark. What he did point out how
ever was that the road he represented as
a coal expert owned and operated four
coal companies and made no secret OF it.
They we're able to draw from these mines
about half of the three million tones
used annually. He said that without
them, the road would be almost crippled
and that they were looking for more coal
lands and would buy them as soon as they
could get hold of them. He pointed out
further that the roads coal consumption
was growing all the time and that if it
kept up at the present rate, they would
In the course of the next generation,
be using 10000, 600 tons Of coal yearly
and that by this time the present mines
would be about worked out. He said
that the ownership Of coal
ands by railroads, for fuel purposes at
east, was iustifable and that it was a
necessity that would have to be reckoned
within framing any law on the subject.
Beside the coal and oil report that the
President and the next Congress will have
On their hands, there will be also the
question Of what shall be done with or to
The Standard Oil Company. The whole
of a long cabinet meeting toward the end
of this week was devoted to the consider
alton Of this problem. Ithas been known
ior long time that the Department OF !
Justice had been taking steps in view of |
Commissioner Garfeld's oil report look
ing to the prosecution of the Standard uu-
der the Elkins law or the Sherman law
or both. II was generally expected when
The cabinet meeting was over that the At
sorney General would have some state
nent to make on the subject of the ex-
pected prosecutions, that is whether he
would or whether be would not prosecute.
But he said that he would lave to give
lie matter further consideration before
making statement, and the matter had |
o go over.
Il has been definitely settled that the
President will leave for Oyster Bay with-
ii two days after Congress adiourns. He |
mas had strenuous spring and he is about
,ired out or as near to it as such glutton |
ior work ever gets. The Roosevelt chill
Iren are already safe at the summer home
lDder the care of the governess and the
servants and the President will follow
hem with Mrs. Roosevelt as soon as he'll
,an get rid OF the national legislature.
Tie appropriation bills are nearing
but the House persistentiy
truck to it's resolution not 70 sanction
ie new $40, O0o. 600 battIeship till it had
more definite information on which to
proceed. And the matter has been al
owed to 20 over till next year when the
II