Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-03
Director Walcott and Chief Engineer
Newell See the President.
EMPLOYERS LIABILITY ACT
It's Constitutionality to Be at Once
Tested Before the United States
Supreme Court.

betWteH Cau1Ornia ana mexico has become
more serious. and the cost of repairs will be
enormous. fortnight ago the conditions
were SO alarming that President Roosevelt
deemed it necessary to address almost
peremptory telegram to K. III. Hartman.
president of the Union Pacific railroad.
calling upon him as a controlling factor in
the California Development Company. to
remedy the trouble at once. The develop
ment company has a concession from the
Mexican government and it is due to cut
made by this company in one of the bikes
of the Colorado river that the present dan
ger of disastrous floods has come
The making of this cut is denounced by
engineers of the United States reclamation
service as monumental example of folly:
and the interest of this government In the
matter arises from the fact that the waters
from the river. escaping through the cut
in question. find their way back across the
International boundary until large areas
OF American farming lands are converted
into an enormous lake. Whole villages are
threatened with destruction.
A Conference Today.
There was another conference at the
White House this morning between the
President. Director Walcott OF the geolog-
ical survey. Chief Engineer Newell of the
reclamation service and Engineer Hill of
the same service. in charge OF federal irri-
cation In the southwest. Mr. Newell has
just returned from Il personal inspection
OF the flooded country. He found that the
operations of the Hartman engineers were
being seriously hampered by the soft char
acter of the ground where the cut was
made and that the cost of repairs would be
much larger than the original estimate. Mr.
Hartman expressed a willingness to ex-
pend $3CO.OW on the work. but Mr. Newell
estimates that the work of repairs alone
will cost not less than half a million In
order to insure the safety of the country
for the future. he estimates that IT will
be necessary TO erect permanent works
costing about s2.00O.O00.
In his telegram to Mr.. Hartman last
month. President Roosevelt promised to
his best endeayors to secure action by Con-
gress to assist In the work OF repairs. The
President is now not so sure that Congress
should be called upon for an approprla ton,
but ne is considering the matter. and there
will probably be a special message on the
subject within day or two 1t is declared
by the government engineers that every
days delay means more damage, and an
increase in the expensiveness Of repairs.
A Boston Appointment.
The two Massachusetts senators-Lodse
and Crane-today recommended that the
President nominate ex-Mayor Edwin L.
Curtis as assistant treasurer of the United
States at that point to fill the vacancy
caused by the death OF George A: Marden.
who had held tire position number OF
years. The nomination of Mr.. Curtis was
sent to the Senate today. Mr. Curtis has
been twice mayor of Boston and fS-idenu-
fed with some of the best-known business
interests there -. 20
Among the presidential visitors today
were Senator Fulton and friends. Repre-
sentative Grosyenor and friends Represen-
tative Allen of Maine and friends. Repre-
Samuel OF Pennsylvania and Col.
Mcconnell of Shamokin.
Senator Warren presented Uncle BIZ
DAILY of Rawlings. Wyo.. to the President.
The two westerners tried to get the Presi-
dent to promise to visit their state this
year for hunting trip, but they did not
get a promise. In 1860, when the President
was running for the vice presidency. Uncle
Bill DAILY built a railroad overnight to his
inch to entertain the President and party
over Sunday. 1t was spur from the
main railroad
Senator Scott in Conference.
Senator Scott Of West Virginia had
long talk with the President as to legs-
Iative matters The conference evil
IDENTIFY a most satisfactory one all round.
as the President and the West Virginia
senator were heard laughing and talking.
Bishop Satterlee introduced Rev. DIR. John
p Peters of New York. who had a chat
with the President.
William McAdoo. former assistant secre-
tary OF the navy and more recently police
of New York, spent some
time with the President. mo. ] did not
have any business of Importance with the
President" said Mr.. McAdoo. 1t was
friendship of the President. and l am
proud OF it. We have known each other
a long time
The Employers Liability Act.
President Roosevelt has Issued directions
10 Attorney General Bonaparte to make
test before the United States Supreme
Court of the decisions handed down by
Judges Evans of Kentucky and Mccall OF
Tennessee. that the employers liability
act passed by the last Congress, is uncon-
stitutional The decisions were handed
down by the two judges on uamage suits
against railroads for deaths OF employees
The railroads. at the time OF the enactment
of the law claimed that 1t was not only
unjust but unconstitutional The President
was instrumental in having the law passed.
and will make every effort to have ITS con-
passed upon by the higher
courts at the earliest opportunity
Representative Gaines of Tennessee. DIS
cussing the decision or Judge Mccall, de-
ciared that II was eminently inaccurate He
declared that a railroad doing an Interstate
business should be responsible for ITS faults
to its employees in the federal courts OF the
[ nited States.
A Sultan's Letter.
President Roosevelt has received a letter
from the Sultan OF Morocco expressing his
or.t,,ude for the appointment of Samuel
Gummere as American minister to Mo-
rocco The letter Is written In Arabic The
sultan addresses the President as the be-
loved the most cherished. the exalted the
most gracious friend. most honored and ex-
celIent President of the Republic OF the
United States of America who Is the pillar
Of its great influence and the director OF
it's most important affairs. the most ceie-
brated preseryer of the ties of true friend
shin the faithful. Theodore Roosevelt
Minister Gummere. the letter says, will be
shown every courtesy and attention by the
government of Morocco.
The Nobel Peace Prize.
Oscar s. Straus. the Secretary of Com
uerce and Labor talked with the President
oday about the Nobel peace prize fund
WA raed to President Roosevelt by the Nor
Yccian storthIng The income OF this fund.
ne principal OF which amounts to Sl.Oo0.
3 to be used TO defray the expenses OF
of capital and labor with
dew to the promotion OF Industrial peace.
4 ccording to the announcement OF the
resident Mr.. Straus. In his capacity
head of the Department of commerce ana
"a bor is one of the trustees who is to have
.harge OF the disposition of the income OF
he fund.
The other members of the board are to be
he Secretary Of Agriculture and Chief Jus
lee Fuller Of the Supreme Court. and John