The Washington herald., 1907-01-09
HEARD AT HOTELS.

capable young congressman from Cali
fOrnia. stood in the Arlington lobby last
evening. and told group Of friends
that he had just come in from one Of the
pleasantest trips OF his life. jaunt to
the Isthmus OF Panama In his custom
airy agreeable way he told Herald re-
porter a few of the things he saw and
the impressions he CLEANED as to the con-
struction of the big ditch
My chief purpose in going" said Mr..
Knowland, was TO get at the facts
touching the vital question OF labor in
connection with the work. / wanted TO
find out If its successful prosecution called
for the introduction of Chinese coolies on
the isthmus, and I am pleased 20 be able
10 answer that question in the negative.
Nobody down there. neither our Ameri-
cans, who are bossing the job. or the na-
tive Panamanians, is in favor Of letting
the Cinnamon in AS a matter Of fact,
the labor problem has already been salts
factorily solved. through the employment
OF West India negroes, and, better still.
the importation OF a magnificent lot OF
laborers from Spain. These Spaniards
are, ] believe, from the Basque provinces
liable Their efficiency is shown by their
wages. they get % cents an hour in gold
as against 10 cents an hour paid the ne
groes. who are inferior In vitality and
working ability. / learned that 1,0l9 oR
these Spaniards can be imported every
month for the next nine months, and that
arrangements viii be made 10 bring them
over IN such numbers. II this policy does
not misearry We should hear nothing
more Of the need OF Asiatc coolies.
Beyond this. I was greatly satisfied
during my FIVE days stay on the isthmus
at the splendid results that have been
achieved In sanitation. The mosquitoes
have been absolutely destroyed, the IN
healthy pools have been drained. water
works and sewerage systems have been in
stalled and muddy roads have been dis
placed with well paved streets. In all
seriousness, ] should think that the 18TH
mus is n a fair way Of becoming a health
resort. New Years Eve I attended a re-
ception in fine new hotel just outside
the City Of Panama. and met as cheerful
looking and well dressed an sssenblags
Of men and women as one would see in
Washington.
"On my way here stopped over in Bal
timore TO visit some ladies I haven't seen
In years" said Mr.. w Thomas. OF Los
Angeles, at the Shoreham.
Thinking 10 compliment them with
some flowers. l stepped into a florists
and told him 10 send dozen punches OF
violets 10 the residence Of the ladies. I
noticed that the salesman was very
polite, and that he wore a broad smile
as he filed the order. a kind Of don't
.come-of smile. Well, when I went TO
pay the man you can bet your last
sovereign that my face was innocent even
Of ghost Of a smile, for the bill was SIS.
Now. SIS is no big sum, and I'm not the
sort to make a row over a dollar. but
when il comes TO paying $50 a bunch for
flowers that We never give exceeding -
cents for, you can imagine how 1 felt.
To give up just six times what you are
accustomed 10 is calculated TO shock most
any mans nervous system, and though
paid without demur. the next time 1
make a floral investment in this effete
Eastern country, III ask the tariff in ad-
vance"
Without exaggeration. I believe that
100.Cc9 laboring men-carpenters, team
sters. hodcarriers. artisans, and me-
chanics of all sorts-could get employ
Z
indefinite length OF time. said Mr.. W. Il.
Hoogs. a prosperous contractor Of that
city. az the Arlington There Is nothing
like the supply of labor there that is
needed and ali reports 10 the contrary
are misleading
The work Of recOnstTUCting the city.
now in progress, is on a gigantic scale,
and at last the people are beginning 10
see the fruits of their labors since the
time Of the catastrophe The trend Of re-
building IS now in the downtown district.
and it is being pushed on such important
houses as the Palace Hotel and the Ex-
aminer Building. Although wages are
very high. there is no hitch over giving
good carpenters from $ 10 s. a day, while
the men who do lathing get from SO 10
Sl2. Money is plentiful. and business is
going on I'm temporary shacks inside the
skeleton frames Of permanent structures.
I believe that if the present rate is kept
up within five years new San Francisco
viii be doing business at the old stand
Hon J Taylor EllysOn. lieutenant gov
ernor Of Virginia, is at the New Willard.
He came with Messrs. c. Brooks John
ston. Alvah H. Martin, and T. J. Wool.
Of Norfolk, in behalf Of the jamestown
Exposition. Mr.. Johnston being chairman
of the board Of governors Of that enter
prise In brief chat with a Herald re-
porter. Lieut.. Gov. Ellyson said:
These are palmy days in the Old
Dominion. days Of peace. prosperity. and
happiness. I doubt whether there is a
town or county in the State that
was ever I'm as fine condition as
II is to-day Even on the south side
in such counties as my native home.
Nottoway. which was slowest 10 recuper-
ate after the war, the era Of good times
has dawned and every man is getting
his share
That stalwart paIadin Of Repubhcanism
in Virginia. Hon. Morgan Treat. United
States marshal for the Eastern district,
is al the Raleigh. He is helping Judge
Waddiu hold court in Alexandria. and
makes nocturnal pHgrimages to Washing
ton.
i am bold TO state" said Marshal
Treat that the country would feel bet
ter if il did not regard the Presidents
deClinatiOn Of further service in the
White House as unalteFable. He is the
one man with whom defeat is impossible:
We may have others in the party. but this
one We know about. Why. I have. heard
scores OF old i-on-clad Virginia Demo
Gratis swear that f Roosevelt runs again
they mean 10 break the record Of a life
time, and support him. l would not think
il a violent prophecy that Virginia would
give him her electoral vote. Party ties
are not so binding as they used to be
and even among Virginia Democrats
know few level-headed men,"