The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-07-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.

4
The determination of the Admins
tration to house the American Army in
seven or eight posts promises to bring
on lively fight in Congress. Secretary
Taft has aroused local interest from one
end of the country to the other by his
sudden determination to establish four
of these large posts Immediately. Since
his first visit to Oyster Bay to consult the
President about the Capitalization scheme,
the Secretary of War has received an
inquiry from practically every member Of
Congress who has military post in his
district. An effort has been made to
allay excitement over the Administra-
TONS policy, bur congressman are still
insisting on knowing just what the policy
means.
**x
The executive council of the American
Federation of Labor has made good its
declaration Of several months ago to
enter the field of politics in the interest
of the trade-union movement and to ex-
hort all members and friends of organized
labor to work for the election to political
Office of men known to be favorable to
labor's cause.
From the headquarters of the Fedora
ton the council this week issued its Cam
paign program" addressed to "all organ
lied labor and friends in the United
| States" This sets out that the trade
union movement has kept and proposes
to keep pace with the rapid changes in
industrial affairs, and that the working
people cannot hope to maintain their
rights or a progressive position in the
varying phases of modern society unless
functions which, as work men and citi-
zens, it is their privilege and their duty
to exercise" 1t is declared that labor
makes no demand upon Government or
society which is not equally accorded to
all the people of this country, and that
sit can and will be satisfied with nothing
less.'
x*x
'Labor will hold the balance of power
in the next Presidential election, and
the candidate who gets this vote will be
our next President. In these calculations
the person who fails to include Vim.
Randolph Hearst as an important factor
is blind to the true political conditions"
This is the estimate of former Senator
John L. McLaurin, of South Carolina.
Mr.. McLaurin is no longer in politics and,
therefore, as he expressed it today, is
free to state his views frankly. He is one
of those who believe that Theodore Roose-
welt will be the nominee of the Repub-
licsn party in 1908, in spite of the White
House declarations to the contrary.
~
The Philippine commission has estab-
lished in the islands a postal savings
bank system i'll the bureau of Posts under
the direction of the Department of Com
merce and Labor.
Its act of May "a, 1906, which was re-
ceived i'll the Bureau of Insular Affairs in
the War Department here. directs the im-
mediate creation of postal savings banks
at the cities of Manila, Iloilo and Cebu
and the rapid extension of the system in
the other cities, towns and villages. OF
the three other classes of banks author
lied, the first may receive deposits in any
amount, but sums in excess of 1000 pesos
($5oo) shall not bear interest. In the
third class of bank deposits are to be
made entirely through the medium of
postal savings bank stamps, issued in de-
nominations of S, 10 and 20 centavos lone
half cent to extend the privilege Of the
system to the least pecunious communi-
ties. Uncanceled postal stamps may be
redeemed at their face value in postage
stamps. Deposits in the savings banks
will not be subject to taxation by the in
sular government. The rate of interest
will be ~ per cent.
x*x
Executive officers of the governmental
departments have found themselves con-
fronted already with much difficulty in
the application of the Presidents order,
issued at the instance of Secretary of War
Taft, to report violations of the eight.hour
law by Government contractors. The
subject is complex one, and it is APP
parent that the Attorney General will be
called upon to pass many opinions on the
application of the law TO the different
classes of employees.
Old Chronic Sores.
AS dressing for old chronic sores there