Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-03-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from Our Regular CORRESPONDENT

From Our Regular Correspondents
Washington, D. G., March 21.-La-
boris bill of grievance, amounting to a
demand for certain legislative enact
ments in the interests of labor at this
session of Congress, and prepared by
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor, in COLA
boration with the heads of other organ
iZation affiliated with the federation,
was submitted this week to the Vice
President of the United States and the
Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives. The only tangible result of the
conferences was the declaration of Mr..
Cannon that the House would I'M
dOnbtedly pass bill re-enacting the
employers liability act so as to meet
the constitutional objections found in
the old law by the Supreme Court. AS
to the other Congressional enactments
sought by labor Speaker Cannon as
sured his callers that they would have
consideration by the proper committees
of the House.
Representative Bourle Cochran is a
frequent White House visitor these
days. In fact he is there so often that
there is much speculation as to his real
mission. ats a case for smiles rather
than for comment" he replied the 9TH
er day when asked, as he was leaving
the White House to talk about the ac-
ton of Charles f. Murphy in leaving
him off the Tammany committees.
"Are you Democrat to-day ?'' Mr.
Cochran was asked. 81 don't know
what the definition is to-day" replied
Mr.. Cochran, 'sand so [ can't tell
whether Pm within the breastwOrks.
David Bennett Hill, of Albany, NY,
was in the Senate and about the Capt.
tol this week. MIR. Hill says emphati-
cally that he is out of politics and that
he is over here to argue a case before the
Supreme Court. 1t is fresh in the
memory of all Democrats that there
was time when ex-senator Hill was
a power in the politics of the Empire
State and contested honors only few
years ago for State leadership, with
Richard Croker, the boss, at that time,
of Tammany Hall. Several times Mr..
Hill has had his name on many tongues
as a probable candidate of the Demo-
cratic party for the Presidency of the
United States.
The House of Representatives passed
a resolution this week, introduced by
Representative Harrison of New York,
calling on the President for information
regarding his authority of law for ex-
ercising the functions of government
ON the Canal Zone. Mr.. Harrison
the President with exceeding
his authority and charged the Repub-
licans in the House with negligence in
their conduct of the government.
Senator Bacon of Georgia, is doing
work which must appeal to every UNI
prejudiced mind in his endeavors to Sc
cure an increase in the pay of employees
of the executive departments. The
pay of Senators and Representatives
was increased fifty per cent. at the last
session to meet the acknowledged in
crease in the cost of living in Washing
ton, but until Senator Bacon took up
the cudgels in their behalf, no one con-
sidered the poor government clerks who
are obliged to keep up with the process
sion as best they may on the salary al
lotment of years ago.
The Tatsu Maru incident between
China and Japan has passed into his
tory. Minister WI on Thursday re-
ceived a dispatch from Pellin stating
that the vessel had been delivered to
the japanese, and that the Japanese
flag had been saluted; also that an agree
ment had been reached between the
two countries to draw up convention
that would prevent the smuggling of
arms in the future. 1t was stated at
the State Department on Thursday that
China has lately been endeavoring to
prohibit the importation of arms and
ammunition for the use of bandits and
revolutionists. The zeal of the Chinese
customs officers to prevent such impor-
tationgwas the cause of the seizure of
the Tatsu Maru.
1t is the belief Of the House Commit
tee ON Appropriations that no obliga-
ton, equitable, legal, or moral, rests
upon Congress to make appropriations
for the relief of the survivors of the
Slocum disaster, in New York Harbor,
or the heirs of those who lost their lives
in the burning and grounding of the
steamer General Slocum. A resolution
to this effect has been passed by the
committee.
On motion of Senator Tillman COM
mittee of the Senate will investigate a
lot of things in the New York financial