The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1907-04-04
# more nopuls, indignation was Of

fered this week, when SIX OF the big
coal carrying roads of the middle
west announced that they would not
raise coal rates as they threatened
| to do. All of the roads in question
announced some time ago that they
would add fiat rate of ten cents
per ton to all their coal tariffs. All
the tariffs were made from the min
ing districts into Whiting, Indiana,
or Chicago. The additional ten
cents ton would not have amount
ed to much in some cases, but in
others would have made the rate
very burdensome. A delegation OF
the operators, accompanied by John
Mitchell of the United Mine Work
ers, called on the Interstate Com
merce Commission AMI protested in
advance. There was every pros
pect of bitter rate fight and COM
plant was actually written out and
given to the Commission TO be Off
cially filed as soon as the obnoxious
rates were put into effect. just
then came up the storm of indigna-
ton against the roads such as has
been growing since The result was
that the railroad officials had anoth-
or conference, and notified the Com
mission that they would not enforce
the high rate. One of them since
has given notice of cutting the rate,
and all the coal shippers are happy.
It only goes to show that the lail
roads are living with their ear much
closer to the ground than formerly,
and are quick to note the sound of
public criticism.
The Post Office Department was
forced TO drastic measures this week
with Hugh Shaug, the originator of
the Postal League scheme in Cali
fornia. Shaug's dismissal has been
mailed from Washington and is
about due in California Low. Tele-
graphic notice of the action was
sent to the superintendent of his di-
vision. Shaug was an energetic
young man, but suffering from a
case OF misdirected activity. He at
tempted to organize the postal clerks
of the whole country into a secret
society that should contribute funds
to hiie lawyers and lobbyists to
fight any regulations of the depart
ment of which the League dlsap
proved, and to work before Con-
gress for increased pay. Now,
good many of the railway mail
clerks are underpaid. The Post
Office realizes that, and fight that
was partially successful was made at
the last Congress to get them more
money. The full effects of the new
Legislation will not be apparent till
after the first Of July, but that was
not quick enough for Mr.. Shaug.
He got sick leave from the Depart
ment and went out on an organizing
tour. He was warned to desist, and
that not being effective, he was dis
missed on the charge of collecting
money to influence legislation, and
for stirring up discomfort and strife
among his fellow clerks. The Post
Office has two organizations already
among the clerks that have full off
cial sanction and recognition, and
they have nothing against organiza-
tions as such. But the Shaug case
was one of discipline, and it is ex-
pected by the Department to be a
warning to the other clerks in the
service throu ghout the country.
The President has received good
reports from all of the Congressman
who have so far visited the Panama
Canal. One of the latest OF these
to call at the White House was
Representative Graft of Illinois,
who was there this week. He said
that the whole zone Was remarkably
well policed and healthful. The
working force was we'll organized,
and he was impressed by the ener-
gy and capacity shown by the many
young Americans in executive posi-
tons. He said there was no fear of
epidemics as there was this time
year ago, and he saw no reason why
the canal should not be completed
well within the term of years that
had been set for the word by the va
rious parties of engineers who had
been over the ground. The best OF
the laborers, he said, were the Span
iards and Italians, with the ia
maican negroes very bad third.
What Others Say.