Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-01-14
NOT SLAP AT GENERAL WOOD
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Continued from First Page.)
Moore OF the weather service to the COM
mittee on agriculture. When he appeared
before that body the other day Mr.. Moore
explained why 1t was that the weather
stations authorized in the last session Of
| congress had not been erected. He said
that In one instance bids were invited for
building in Alabama which was an exact
duplicate OF one in Arkansas, the latter
cost $500 a year ago while the Alabama
bid was a little over $4,000. In another
instance In the west $23O 900 was the lowest
price for which any contractor would agree
to erect a building a duplicate of which
had been erected less than two years ago
| for $4,000. At Sandy Hook. N j., the
weather bureau found II impossible to OBJ
tain bids for a building In response to ad-
vertisements sent out, and even after they
had sent personal requests to the prin-
cipal contractors In the vicinity they were
unable to obtain an offer at any figure
II Is not alone the Increase in the cost
OF building material that has brought about
this state of AFFAIRS although lumber IL
nearly 20 per cent higher than It was two
years ago. the rate of wages in all build
ing trades is materially higher, but the
difiiculty is found in obtaining labor al
I
tracts a clause is inserted which provides
| for a heavy fine for delay in completing
such contracts. This clause makes the
contractor shy about entering into an
agreement to complete government work
] within a given time All the buildins
| trades in every section Of the country are
! at work to the limit OF their capacity. and
the prosperity works to the disadvantage
| OF the federal government, because con-
tractors when they have plenty of other
work to do take the precaution to protect
themselves against fines consequent upor
the scarcity of labor
The weather bureau will attempt durlnt
the next fiscal year to erect a number Of
weather stations by days labor. 1t will
be interesting to watch results.
williams Rendy to Omit.
John Sharp Williams for four years tn,
minority leader on the floor of the house
has had enough of it, Mr.. Williams is on
of the ablest men on the democratic side
He was educated on both sides of the At
lantic. He speaks French as we'll as h.
does English and German as we'll as h
does either. He is a remarkably read maj
and his head is full of apt information
which stands him In good stead wheneve
an important debate Is on. But PHYSICAL,
the leader of the minority. as we'll as tn
leader OF the majority, must be man o
physical parts in addition to mental bal
ance Mr. Williams has worked hard 10
his party during the last four years an
like every other leader has at times gon
counter to the wishes OF some OF his part
associates. Unlike other men who hav
occupied a similar position Mr.. William
has insisted on being leader in fact as we
as leader in name during the period 70
which he was chosen. Naturally, there ha
been opposition to his leadership, and noy
this opposition has developed to such a
extent that a successor for the next cor
gress has already been agreed upon. M
! williams does not want the job. He wi
! probably be chosen to represent his stat
in the senate in the Sixty-hrst congress
! but whether he is or not. he will not b
! leader of the minority in the Sixtieth
; It is now practically certain It will 2
a to Champ Clark of Missouri. PHYSICAL!
a Clark Is the antthesis OF Williams. II
: Is a powerful speaker, a powerful man an
a good all around fighter In a debat
[ Clark Is better known TO the country
2 large than williams, because during tt
! last three years he has leetured in nearl
every state in the union: He will make
y good floor leader although. lacking II
! suavity OF the gentleman from Mississippi
It is doubtful II he can hold the place
the esteem OF his opponents which has n
ways been accorded John Sharp William
: However his own party will be likely
follow his leadership with more WILLING
: ness than they have evinced towards tn;
Of the Mississippian during the last tN
. years at least