Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-02-29
From Washington.
correspondence Of the Alexandria Ga1ettS'l
90

railroads petitioning for extension OF time
10 which TO comply with the provisions
of the nine-hour law was made To-Day
before the Interstate Commerce Cont
mission. All the testimony is now IN,
the three remaining cases being rushed
through in the morning session. APP
proximately, fifty petitions have been re-
ceived by the commission praying Tor
extension of time. The commission IS
expected TO render its decision by Mon
d4y. The law is to 90 into effect on
Wednesday. :,
sneaker Cannon wss made to feel
quite keenly the power he Yields as pre-
siding officer of the House. Representa-
tive Sherman was in the chair tempo.
rarily today. Members near the re-
publican cloak room we're disturbing
proceedings by their hilarity over one OF
Mr.. Cannon's jokes. Sherman asked
sll members to cease conversation. The
dis urbance continued. He asked all to
he seated. Mr.. Cannon thought OF an
other Joke. "Will it be necessary for
the chair to name gentlemen" asked
sherman. "By lingo Guess I'd bettkr
ait down." mumbled the Speaker and
his crowd dropped to their seats ike
shot and a silence prevailed that would
'hsye been violently disturbed by the
split of an infnilive.
The government presented one OF its
star witnesses today against the Standard
Oil Company, in the person OF Edward
G. Armstrong, in the hearing now being
conducted before Examiner FERRIS.
Armstrong was formerly an employe OF
the Standard OIL Company, in what was
known as the competitive department
at Baltimore, Armstrong testified that ne
stole certain documents from the Stand.
ark Oil, which the government offered
in evidence proving espionsge over
independent operators, and unfair
methods of competition. "Did you
think you were morally right and just
10 stealing these papers under your
csre?" asked Counsel Rosenthal, OF the
| Standard. According to the lessons |
received in the Standards employ, |
believed it was morally right and just, "
replied the witness.
Having heard the Navy Departments
side of the case, through Rear Ad-
mirsls Converse and OapPs the Senate
naval committee today took the tes'
timony of the officers who, by their
lectures and published writings, are
alleged to have given information to
Henry Reuterdahl which he made the
basis for his article criticising the con.
struction of American battleships and
other features.
Mr.. Cannon, the all powerful Speaker
of the House. said today after leaving
the White House that be "Didn't know
damn thing" about the effort to secure
the reduction or abolition Of the duty on
white paper, sand that he was sure there
wasn't ga damn thing pending in tho
House that had any bearing on the
matter" The President pledged him
self, before the beginning of the present
session OF Congress, to secure the sboli'
ton of the duty for the preservation OF
the forests which are being devastated
By the paper pulp factories as well SO for
the interest OF the newspapers OF the
country that are being robbed by the
"osper trust" Toe siandpsllers, with
the Speaker at their backs, bid fair now
to outgeneral the President in the fight,
for the end of the session is 10 sight and
no trace of the desired legislation has
passed over the hurdles.
Hearing wss bsgnn today by the In
terstate Commerce Commission in the
case brought by the lumbermen of the
northwest against the transcontinentsl
and Pacific railways. The case is based
on q monster petition, signed by 40
lumber companies, naming 20 railroads
as defendants to charges of conspiracy
| iu a general movement to exact exorbi-
taut freight charges. The lumbermeD
claim that the rates are from 3 to IL
cents per hundred weight in excess of an
equable charge for points inland and
that, if forced to pay these rates, the en-
tire industry will be jeopardizsd, if not
destroyed.
All the port cities of the Pacific
coast will have an opportunity OF seeing
the greatest feet of war vessels assem-
bled 10 Pacific waters, If the present
plans of Secretary Metcalf are carried
out. When Admiral Evans stesms into
Diego with his sixteen bsttleships and
auxiliaries about April 20, he will prob
ably be accompanied by several, If not
al, of the vessels Of the Pacific feet.
Stops will be made on the way up The
coast at San Pedro, the port of Los An
geles, and at Santa Barbara. The great
display, comprising As ships of war and
score of aQxilisries, will be made at
San Francisco. The feet will later visit
the cities on the way north TO Seattle.
"Tbere Is no doubt in my mind that
Roosevelt will head the republican
ticket this fail. With Roosevelt and
Brysn heading TIC tao tickets, we'll not
have much to choose for President.
They are very much alike" With these
words Hermsu L oder lr'sident Of The
American Newspaper Publishers Asso-
citation ard of the New York Zeiiung,
sized up the political situation. He had
Just had q talk with the President.
Senator Martin, of Virgins, has in
troduced a bill for the construction Of q
direct road across the Potomac to
Arlington and Fort Myer. The road is
to 70 from the new Highway bridge
across the river, thence to and through
the reservation. 1t is to be not less
than forty feet wide and mscaIemized
for "A feet. The bill is the one
previously offered by Mr.. Csrlin in the
House.
IT. .o.,.ir. of fhn lefa N,oLhv .