The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1907-08-01
Washington Letter.
(From our regular correspondent

disturbance since the coal strike
It is important in the industrial
world in that it is likely to seriously
affect the whole of the iron and steel
industry and through that the pros
perity of the whole country. But
more than that, it is important as it
shows a move of the Western Fed
Grafton of Miners towards the East.
The men who have organized the
strike in the Mesaba country are
agents of the Western Federation
and they have proved themselves
very undesirable citizens from the
start by driving from work men who
were perfectly satisfied and W no did
not want to strike. The most of
the miners in this region are Slavs
and Hungarians with good many
Italians and some Spaniards. They
are more easily terrorized than ma
tive born Americans and thousand S
of them have have already quit the
ore field and have either gone to
New York or Chicago or in many
cases back to their own country.
The strike organizers are employing
the usual tactics of the Western
Federations in ''slugging and other
forms Of violence and it will not be
at all surp rising if troops have to be
called out An appeal has already
been sent to Washington for the
Department of Commerce anl Labor
to use it's good offices in settling the
strike, but with situation like that
in Minnesota, created especially for
the purpose of setting capital and
labor at each others throats, there is
not much prospect of settlement
without first some blood letting Ell
Their actual or metaphorical.
There is considerable interest in
the State Department at the success
of the government in diverting the
attention of the japanese public from
the United States to Korea. There
has never been "situation" ap-
preaching c0sms belIi between the
Japanese and the American govern
ment. They understand each other
perfectly, but the Japanese govern
ment was not strong enough to
brave popular anger and the efforts
of the lingo party in Japan was a
continuous irritant to an already
sore spot. Thei efore it was that
the row in Korea happened at such
an opportune moment. And if
some American officials are to be
believed, it was stirred up more by
the Japanese government than by
the Koreans. 1t is even said that
the alleged Korean delegation sent
to protest at the Hague was really
composed of japanese in disguise
and was intended merely to give the
color of an excuse for japan to take
over Korea. OF course the Japa-
neese wanted the country. They
always have wanted it and they in
tended ultimately to have it. But
the present moment was very oppor
tune for making the grab, and it has
worked so beautifully that dispatch
rs from Toxic say one hears moth
ing now of the american situation
and the attention Of the whole coun-
try is centered on Korea. Of
course it is a little hard on the Ko-
reans, but still the State Depart
ment officials are watching the stu
alton with composure.
The Secretary of the Treasury
has decided that there will have to
be a new building for the Bureau
Of Engraving and Printing in Wash
ngton. Of course in a way this is
merely local matter, but it is of in
terest to the country at large because
everyone uses money, as much of it
as they can get, and all of that mon
ey including postage and revenue
stamps are made right in that Blu
reau. There are 300 employees of
the Bureau selected from all parts
Of the country and the force num-
bers some of the most expert plate
engravers in the world. The Sec
rotary of the Treasury went through
the Bureau last week and when he
came out some of the things he
said appeared in print and some did
not One of the mild terms that he
used was ''sweat-shop." The needs
of the government in the paper
money line have been growing for
years and SO of necessity has the
force at the Bureau. But the build
hg has not grown any and it is now
not only disgracefully overcrowded
out too full to turn out the high
class work that the government
needs. So there is going to be
lew building started as soon as pos
'ible after Congress meets that will
be at least twice as big as the old
me and that it is hoped will be an
architectural credit to the capital.
There will be q meeting in Wash /
ngton this week of the special COM
nlttee that has heen anpOinta1 NV