Middletown transcript., 1907-01-12
WASHINGTON LETTER

/ " AHh1Nb1ONI u. Ost Ohif AVOfs
lone OF the most unexpected things tina
- ever happened in Washington wa
the Christmas gift, or possibly New
Years gift of three.quarters of millior
dollars from Andrew Carnegie for per
maHent home for the Bureau of American
Republics. Nr. Carnegie was a member
OF the original Pan-American congress.
lie has always taken a great deal of inter
est in its work, and has been great ad-
vocate Cf a P2n-American railway, which
i promises to become reality almost, il
not quite as soon as the Panama canal.
Tie Bureau of American Republics has
had its home in Washington ever sint
1890. In all that time it has occupied
rented quarters and several years ago a
plan was formed to buy it permanent
home. After some negotiations $500, 900
was appropriated by Congress and $685.
600 additional was contributed by the
various republics in proportion to their
population. This was enough for a
starter, but still would hardly have
bought and built the sort of a home
which the bureau ought to have in view
of its international Importance. The
matter was talked over between the Pres
ident, Mr.. Carnegie and Secretary Root,
and Mr.. Carnegie promptly came to the
front with $750,0o0 which he told the
President in letter he was only too glad
to be able>to contribute to the needs of
the Bureau. The location of the new
house has not yet been decided on, but
with large sum of money in hand it will
be possible to buy any sort of site that
the bureau desires and put up building
which will be satisfactory in every re-
spect. There will be large force of
clerks to be housed, and besides the var
ious administrative departments, the
Bureau will have room for its special
library which already contains 1900
volumes, and there will be reading and
writing rooms, where all the principal
South American periodicals and news
papers on file. The enlarged Bureau will
be able to do great deal toward expand
ing the trade between the United States
and South America. This matter is con-
sidered OF first Importance by the United
States and the Bureau of Manufactures in
the Department of Commerce and Labor
is doing everything in its power to foster
this trade.
~
Charges have been filed with Postmas-
ter General Curtelyou against the New
York Cotton Exchange by Harvie Jordan
and other members OF the Cotton Growers
Association who claim that the New
York exchange has degenerated from a
legitimate business institution into plain
gambling concern and that it no longer
has any right to make use of the mails for
the transaction of its business. This is a
very serious charge and means great
deal both to the cotton exchange and the
cotton growing interests of the south. 1t
is alleged that the Exchange instead of
dealing i'll legitimate cotton futures han.
dies grade OF cotton which cannot pos
sibly be spun, and which is fit only for
making horse collars, cheap mattresses
and things Of that sort. 1t is claimed
that out Of the 100000 bales of last
years cotton crop only 10000 bales OF ac-
tual spot cotton was placed ON the New
York Exchange. 1t is claimed that the
prices quoted on the Exchange range
from S. to 81 80 less per bale than the
real market price for cotton in the south,
aud that the whole system of trading or
gambling on the Exchange iSshurtful to
the legitimate cotton business. 1t is asked
that Post Office Inspectors be appointed
to probe the charges of fraud, and that
on their report will depend whether or
not the New York Exchange is excluded
from using the mails.
~
The Interstate Commerce Commission
has plunged into an investigation of the
block signal system now in use on the
railroads in the United States,
aud has begun its work in Washington
with specific investigation of the recent
railroad wreck at Terra Gotta on the Met
ropolitan branch of the Baltimore and
Ohio, three miles from Washington where
between forty and fifty people were killed !
and nearly seventy severely injured. |
This investigation is the first in which the |
federal government has taken a direct |
hand in probing individual railroad |
wrecks. The object is to ascertain
the block signal system is theo-
retically perfect, is practically a protec-
tion to passengers, and wheter its admin
stration by the railroads has become so
AK as to make It positil source of dan
ger. The railroad men both officials and |
minor employees have been SO we'll trained
IN the art OF forgetting things that it is
lard to get any definite information out
of them even on the witness stand, The
OF the Commission has SO far
dragged excessively but statement has
4iready been issued to Congress saying
hat automatic mechanical devices for the
of railway traffic have been de-
ieloped to a point where it seems to the
Commission they are well worth govern
nent investigation, with view to forcing
heir adoption on the railroads, it is,
therefore,, very likely that when the
present investigation is finished the Com
mission will recommend. and Congress
Sill adopt some law forcing the adoption
II an efficient block signal system, pos
IDLY the double block, together with GER
ain mechanical safety appliances and
will make their use obligatory upon the
ailroads on the same basis that automatic
ouplinQs and similar safatv do,,;