Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-03-15
WASHINGTON LETTER


Washington. DC. March 8 Every
southern state will be interested in the
decision rendered this week by the De-
partnent of Justice anent the South
Carolina Immigration case. 1t will be
remembered that recently the state ap-
propriated a considerable amount Of
money to which was added by private
subscription, and the State Commits
sioner Of Immigration was sent abb DAD,
bringing back q whole shipload OF I'M
migrants " no we're landed at Charles
ton instead of at some northern port
and were promptly welcomed and en-
ployed as soon as they landed. There
was some question at the time whether
the state had not violated the allen
contract labor law ir bringing the I'M
migrants to this country, for the pass
age of most of them was prepaid The
case was referred to the Department
OF Justice at the time and 1t decided
that under the law an Individual state
could do what private employer could
not do, in the way Of assisting foreign
immigrants to Its borders.
But under the new law. decision
has been rendered that cuts off part OF
the states privilege. The Department
decided this week that state might
spend money in advertising abroad
and might do what it wanted in drum
ming up immigrant traffic, but 1t could
not pay the passage of aliens to this
country as had been done in the South
Carolina case. This will operate az
something of a drawback in getting
other shiploads of foreigners direct to
the South, but it is not likely to stem
the tide of immigration II it can be
once induced to set that way.
Hearings were continued this week
OH what has been known as the car
stake case" before the Interstate COM
merce Commission. The railroads all
over the country have been transport
| ing much OF the billions of feet Of lnm'
Der carried annually on flat cars. and
| to do this it has Deen necessary to place
stakes along the sides of the cars to
keep the timber in place. The railroads
have forced the shippers to thus equip
the cars In accordance with the rules
of the Master Car Builders Associa-
ton. 1t seems like little matter, the
cost of equipplng car being only "a
Bnt In tbe aggregate 1t costs the lum-
bermen of the country about Sc, 900, DOC
a year. They claim that there should
be properly equipped cars with per-
manent stakes furnished by the rail-
road companies and number of iron
stakes, folding stakes, and the llkt
have been patented The lumbermer
claim that some of these will serve the
purpose, but the railroads insist that
the problem has not yet been solved
and that it remains for some inventive
genius to perfect stake that will
answe the call when fat car is load
cd with lumber AMI will be out of the
way when the car is wanted for some
thing else. The commission has taken
the case under advisement. and it has
not yet been decided who shall foot
the bill for equipping the cars.
Ambassador Bryce called on Secre.
tary Root this week and went ovel
with him the general situation between
Great Britain and this country where
there are still number of rough edges
to be smOothed by diplomacy. Some
of the most pressing things, however.
are the matters between this country
and Canada, the Great Lakes Fish
cries, the reciprocal tariff, and the
Now Foundland Shore question. These
matters, it is understood, were not
touched on in the conference, and will
be allowed to 60 over till the approach.
ing visit of the new ambassador to
Earl Grey in Canada, when the wishes
of the Canadian government can be
expressed and the ambassador can come
back to Washington with clear no.
ton of what::basi of settlement will