Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1907-03-07
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regula, Correspo ondent.

In spite Of the opposition ofthe
big manufacturing interests, the
child labor problem is going to
be investigated. The committee
on Judiciary OF the House report
ed adversely, very adversely on
Senator Beveridge's bill propos-
ing to control the products OF
child labor through the Inter
state Commerce Act. But the Pres
ident had made up his mind that
if there were close to 100000
child bread-winners in this coun-
try, many, if not most OF them,
employed in unsanitary work; it
was a matter that ought to- be
investigated. So he directed that
the Investigation proceed, an d
now there has come another hitch
over the matter. Representative
Tawney OF the House Committee
on Appropriations wanting to
put the labor on the Census Bu-
reau, and the President claiming
that it naturally comes within
the province of'the Commission
er OF Labor. 1t would not seem
at first sight that there could be
very much question about this,
but there is some reason behind
the demand of the House.
1t so happened that both the
Census Bureau and the Labor
Commission are under the De-
partment of Commerce and La
Dor, and on anappealbeing made
to Secretary Strauss OF the De-
partment of Commerce and La
Dor, he naturally agreed with the
President that the Commissioner
OF Labor was the man who ought
to do the work. The matter was
even submitted to Director North
Of the Census bureau, and hesaid
that while he had the machinery
for doing the work it was d mat
ter that naturally belongs to the
Commissioner OF Labor, and he
hoped Neill would be assigned the
work. Charles P. Neill is the man
by the way who in company with
j. B. Raynolds did the original
Inquiry in Chicago that stirred
up all the trouble over the Pack
ingtown situation. Heis a young
man, very quiet, but one Of the
sort that does things, and he is a
friend OF the President, which
counts for a good,deal in the reli-
ance that Mr.. Roosevelt will put
on his report. So it is likely that
after all Mr.. Neill will have the
job OF looking into the child-la-
Dor situation, and there is not
the least question that after he
has made q report on it there will
be some energetic motions made
from the White House that will
force legislative action at thenext
session of Congress.
The federal government has a
mice little problem on it's hands in
the case of one Mr.. Nilarea, a cit.
lizen OF Mexico, who is now being
held at Elpaso subject to depor-
tation under the immigration reg
uiations. There has been more OF
less written about Mr.. Vilarea in
the papers lately, butthedelicate
position that the government is
ploced in has never been explain
ed. 1t seems that Vilarea headed
one of the numerous unsuccessful
revolutionary movements inMe1
leo recently, and is badly wanted
by the Mexican government. Tht
) Mexican government has an eff
fectiye if not very nice way OF dis
posing Of political agitation by
4 taking the agitator out and shoe
ting him and saying nothing
more about it. Of course tn il
country does not give up politi
cal refugees to Mexico or any otl
er power. That is one OF our hab
it's and hasgotten us some desir
able and more undesirable citi
zens who had left their countr,
I for their country's good.
But in the present case, the sit