The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-03-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.

One of the most interesting events ct
the week was the call of the Labor Dele
CATION upon President Roosevelt. There
we're about hundred and fifty of them in
all, presidents, secretaries and treasurers
of labor organizations from all over the
country and they were headed by Comp
ers the great labor leader. The Presi-
dent gave them very positive, straight
from the shoulder talk in which he took
issue with them and opposed several Of
phatic and even derisive with reference
to their demand that the eight hour labor
rule should be applied to the Isthmus of
Panama. He told them that there were
practically no American laborers there
and that the West Indian negroes en-
ployed in digging the canal would not
work much more than half of their time
when they pretended to work, and that
the only way to get any work from them
was by extending the hours. The Amer
lean people are indebted to the President
and Congress for the firm stand that they
have taken with regard to the hours of
labor on the, Isthmus for according to the
testimony of the Engineers, it will save
the country many millions of dollars
The President also put his foot down on
the anti-inpnction requests of the labor
organizations but told them that while
the general government had secured
many injunctions against other mouop-
olies during his administration it had'not
yet had an occasion to issue an injunction
against the labor monopoly. He said in
effect however that the lack of occasion
was the only thing that had prevented
the procuring of injunctions.
The same day the labor delegates called
on Speaker Cannon with protests and
complaints. He talked to them ex-
temporaneously, quite Familiarity calling
the President Brother Gompers" but
displayed more of the suaviter in mode
fortiter in re than it was usually suppos-
ed Uncle Joe possessed. That the Labor
representatives were not pleased with
their days work may be inferred from
their threatenings appearing in the papers
all to the effect that they are going into
politics and will stock both ends of the
Capitol with representatives and Senators
friendly to their interests.
~
D-ae;,3aat;,1 ~,a,c.e ood loo.,.are a.a
always at work in Washington. The
offer of seat on the Supreme Bench of
the United States Court to Secretary Taft
has started them off, The fact that Judge
Parker and many others continue to assert
that President Roosevelt is working for
third term are phases of these rumors that
will not down. This talk is full of in.
consistency, is illogical and even wild but
as is we'll known little in,perfections OF
this kind are no bar to whisperings, con-
versation or even shouting. There is no
doubt but that the President and that very
small contingent of his party known as
the House and Senate are at 1oggerheads
or any stronger term that you may think
of suggestive of disagreement aud dis
affection. There are Republican Senators
afraid to go to the White House and are
justly afraid for unless they have been
good" the President scolds them like
country school teacher scolds an incor-'
rigible boy. 1t is common thing to hear
from members and Senators of his own
party that he has disrupted the party and
is building a Roosevelt party. Demo
cratic Congressman are heard saying,
LET Roosevelt aloEe-let him do just as
he has been doing and we will elect
Democratic president next time"
Nevertheless the popularity of the Presi-
dent increases day by day. He has
suubbed Republicans aud Democrats alike
and the Roosevelt party is growing by
leaps and bounds. Few seriously believe
that the President will run again but it is
widely believed his party will be strong
enough to elect candidate committed to
his policies.