Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-08-19
THE NEW AND TRUE
At WASHINGTON
Some Amusing and Pathetic In
Cidents Connected With the
Messengers Strike.
SMOKE AND DRINK FIGURES.
Taft TO Define His Position on Issues
To-Bc of Coming Cam
paign.
speclnl Corresnondence.

Special Correspondence.
Washington, ID, c.. Aug. 1b.-rhe dog
days in Washington have been en-
livened by the striking telegraph oper-
ators and the return of Secretary Taft
from his summer home in Canada,
preparatory to leaving on his long
trip to the Philippines. Since Friday
last the striking telegraph operators
have made merry, many of them for
the first time having an opportunity
of seeing the nations capitol, visiting
Arlington and the shrine of the nation.
Mt. Vernon where lies the body Of the
first president of the republic.
AMUSING INCIDENTS.
The course of the strike of the local
| telegraphers have been marked by
number of amusing incidents while
some have had serious trend. When
| a big policeman informed a gathering
| of striking messenger boys that they
| must not assemble or loiter on the pub
lie streets, as it was a violation of the
| law, the spokesman of the messengers
turned to his followers and with
wave of his grimy hand said:
Den let's assemble in dat alley.
| fellers. | guess that amt agin de
| law because the statoots don't say
| nothin' about alleys"
At one time yesterday the striking
| boys, some 60 in number, attempted to
hold their meetings in the dlley in the
rear of the New National theater,which
| faces Pennsylvania avenue. but they
were quikly routed out by the police.
1T seems strange that men are al
| lowed TO gather In lunches on the
| street corners" said one of the boys,
but we kids are driven about by the
| cops as though we wasn't human be-
| in's"
Never mind" exclaimed another,
Sam De Nedrew and de Central Labor
Union bunch is goin to organize US
an get us hall. Then We'll be strict
| ~ In politics and de cops won't bother
US, cause We'll have 'hooence."
Sam De Nedrey to whom reference
| was made, is the secretary OF the Cen
trail Labor union and possibly one of
| the best known labor leaders In the
| country. Years ago he was a type
setter on the Omaha Bee where he was
| prominent in labor circles. He came
| to Washington as lobbyist for labor
| in the halls of Congress and afterwards
| became one of the editors of the labor
| organ in this city. His work was APP
rreciated by his friends in the ranks
| of labor. and they made him the secre-
tary of the Central Labor body here at
a comfortable salary.
| M MolIiEh ID BIN.
The strike of the messenger boys has
brought forcibly to the public mind
the many side-slded characteristics of
the American boy. These little fellows
can swing profanity on some occasions
that would shame Capt. Kidd and are
generally ready to fight at the drop of
the hat, still they have been known
| to be moved to tears through some mis-
| fortune meeting one of their number.
A. r,a $50
| character occurred yesterday at the
| entrance to the Western Union build
| ing set apart for the messengers. A
| little lad scarce more than 10, with one
leg deformed, who had been on the mes
| senger force but a few weeks, and is
said to be the only support of wild
| owed mother, reported for work. not
knowing of the strike, as 1t had been
pulled off between the hour he signed
| off the night before and the hour he
was accustomed to report to duty the
following day. The little strike break
| ers swarmed around the half cripple
and explained the situation to him. He
listened and finally said, Boys. I'm
with you but II is going to be awful
hard. my mother is sick and the only
money we have / am endeavoring 10
earn. / must work"
| GRIP. JIM" IS WORKING.
| The leader of the little strikers. a
| red headed youth of Irish extraction
listened and with wave of his brawny
| little arm waved the threatening boys
| back, remarlung, "Youse fellows Just
stand back now and let Grip. Jim"
go 10 work. And If ! catch any OF
youse botherin him I'll break In yere
Stats. Mind me-" Crippled Jimmie
went to work and is today delivering
| messages to the newspaper offices and
| other places without let or hindrance
| from his striking brethren.
| On the other hand youngster, well
| dressed, apparently having an indul-
gent father and mother in easy cir
| cumstances appeared at the office OF
| the Postal and applied for n Job as
| messenger He got badge and start
| ed. The little Lord Fauntleroy was
| quickly spied by the strikers and they
| were after him as rapidly as fox
terrier after a cat, and they caught
him. While doing him no real physl-
cal injury they took away his badge
and his little buster brown suit was
ruined.
SALOONS ON INCREASE.
According to the preliminary figures
on the internal revenue collections for
the fiscal year ending June 80. 1907
there was collected from retail dealers
in liquors S96,937, less than in the prev
ious fiscal year, As the retail liquor H.
cense is S25, this means that there
We're approximately 307l fewer sa-
looms In the United States Mt the close
Of the fiscal year just passed than there
were for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1906, This is almost double the num-
Der closed in 1906. AT the same time
there are still a few open for the work
OF the anti-saloon league, there having
been over $4,000 liquor dealers In the
United states al the beginning OF the
last fiscal year
PRODUCTION ON INCREASE.
The decrease In the number of liquor
dealers does not show any correspond
ing decrease In the amount of intoxi-
cants made, however, but on the con-
trary there has been nm Increase. There
were i.093Gs9 gallons of spirits dlstil-
led from fruit during the year which
Is AN Increase of 1905 gallons, There
We're 1874 1907 gallons OF spirits made
from other products than fruits, dur
ing the year. which Is an increase OF
1l,409,2 52 gallons.
II may be said. however, Yin this con-
neotion that the denaturized alcohol
law probably accounts for a large pro-
portion OF this latter Increase.
NATIONAL SMOKE BILL.
There were 74001a47gB cigars