The Washington bee., 1908-07-18

ored blacksmith helper on the 18th
mus, beg to enclose for your IN
formation a copy of a letter dated
June 29th from the Chairman of the
Commission relative to this matter.
A copy of the letter is a,so being
sent to Mr.. Williams at 1910 Rice
street, Houston, Texas.
Very respectfully,
F. c. Boggs,
Captain. Corps of Engineers, U.S.A,
Acting Chief of Office.
ISTHlIIAN CANAL COMJIIS-
SION
Culebra, Canal Zone,
June 20, 1908.
LtCoL Fl. F, Hodges, Chief of Office
Isthmian Canal Commission.
Washington, D. c.
Dear Sir:
am in receipt of your letter Of
Tune 10th, forwarding complaint Of
Henry Williams,a colored blacksmith
helper employed on the Isthmus by
the Commission. with reference to
certain conditions affecting his em-
plovment. as well as conditions af-
fecting other colored Americans, and
in reply beg to request that you noti-
fy Mr. Williams at the address given
in his communication, 1910 Rice St,
Houston. Texas. and also his attor-
nev, Mr.. w. Calvin Chase, Washing
ton. D. c.. that he has not been trans
ferred from the gold to the silver
roll. and that there has been abso-
lutely no intention of making such a
transfer. I am at a loss to know
where he obtained this information,
as it is entirely wrong. His other
statements are equally baseless as
well. as follows:
7. "The moment a white foreign
er arrives. who doesn't understand a
word of English, he is assigned to
the gold roll. This statement IS
absolutely false, as, under Executive
Order of February 9Th, 1903, no one
can be employed on the gold roll
who is not an American citizen.
2. COLLECTIONS are often made by
the foreigners to colored Americans
riding, having 6rst-class passage. on
the cars, while no objections are
made to foreigners" "
Anyone, black, white, American OF
alien, can ride frst-class on the Pa
mama Railroad if he has the desire
and the ability to pay for frst-class
ticket: likewise, any man can ride
second-class provided he wants tc
nav second-class fare. There is nc
more objection to colored employees
riding first-class than there IS FOL
white employees riding secOnd-class
it depends entirely upon the price
which the person desires to pay tor
his passage.
Z. "All sub-bosses are more or
less foreigners, hence they discrim-
mate against colored Americans IN
favor of foreigners
American citizens are given pref
erece for promotion; the statement
that the greater percentage of fore,
men are not Americans is not true
l. MANY other things l might
call to YOUR attention, but prefer te
Law them before the Commission
which is impossible for me to see or
the iSthmuS"
The statement that Mr.. Williams
or any other employee, is unable tc
lay any proper grievance before th5
Commission is untrue Mr.. Williams
and a delegation of his fellow-em-
ployees have called on me at CuleDra
and were given hearing by Com
missioner Rousseau, Head of Depart
ment of Motive Power and Mechin-
ery. last summer, with reference tc
their quarters. found their com
oia;nt well-founded and ordered the
reoairs. etc. So far as was aware
every grievance which existef had
been given consideration.
The truth of this whole matter is
that Mr.. Williams is what the men
down here call an "agitator," and he