Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-03-05
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NE}DSIGY."
President Roosevelt, upon hearing
that the principal railroad systems were
preparing to announce a general re-
duction in the wages of employees,
started an investigation with a view
to finding if such a reduction is justi-
fed by the facts. To this end, acting
under the Erdman law, he has request
ei Chairman Knapp of the Interstate
Commerce Commission and Commits
sioner of Labor Neill TO make an in
yestigation and report on what they
find. According to Chief Stone of the
Engineers Brotherhood, the Chicago
and Great Western is TO start tie wage
cutting movement. The various unions
arc prepared to resist the reduction to
the uttermost. The presidents action
in calling upon the Interstate Com
merce Commission to investigate the
contemplated reduction of wages by the
railroads has caused no little resent
ment on the part of the railroad Of
ficialS, especially as regards the intima-
ton that their action is for the purpose
Of dscrediting the administration They
| insist that the decrease in revenues
necessitates a reduction in operating
| expenses. On the other hand repre-
sentatives of the railroad employees
! state the earnings of the men are al-
ready on the lowest living basis and
will OF a In.
ers of the American Federation of La
| Dor is represented as saying: The
| wages of the railroad men can not
stand a reduction. The cost of living
has been increasing faster than the
wages. which, in fact, have not been
| increasing at all" The statement is
also made that representatives of the
railroad organizations at meeting in
New York city decided that under no
circumstances would tEey consent to a
reduction of the present wage scale.
-
The Secretary of War has accepted
bids for furnishing heavier-than-air fly
ing machines from J. f. Scott, Chicago
A. NJ. Herring, New York, and Wright
Bros, Dayton, Ohio. In all, forty-one
bids were received, but the three men
| toned were the only ones that complied
with the specifications. 1t was a part
of the agreement that none of the par
| ticulars of the bids were to be given
out, but retained as confidential. Some
of the conditions of acceptance are that
the machine must remain in the air at
least one hour, land without damage, be
under perfect control and equilibrium
and be capable of speed of at least
forty miles an hour in still air. The
machines are expected to be ready for
trial next fall
The report of Interstate Commerce
| Commissioner Lane upon the charges
| against the Southern Pacific and their
| investigation by him has been made
| public. 1t shows that since the rate
bill went into effect system of rebat-
ing has been in force upon the Southern
! Pacific in utter defiance of the law. A
list of 1OS firms is given which received
preferential rates, and one of these is
the period from April, 1906 to the date
OF the investigation. 1t is assumed that
| the Department of Justice will com
mence prosecution in the near future.
-:
A new arbitration treaty between the
! United States and France has been
| signed by representatives of the two
| countries and will soon be submitted
to the Senate for ratification. This
| provides that practically all questions
arising between the two governments
shall be settled by arbitration.
In reply to the recent request of the
railroad managers for an extension of
| the time for putting into operation of
! the nine-hour law. the Interstate Com
| merce Commission announces that it
can not interfere with the new law
except in particular cases where good
cause is given
A comprehensive employers liability
| bill was introduced in the Senate by
| Senator La Toilette of Wisconsin, and
| in the House by Representatives Ster-
| ling of Illinois. The authors say the
bill has the Endorsement of the railroad
employees.
The Secretary of the Navy has ac-
| cepted the resignation of his son, Mid
| shipman Victor y. Metcalf, because Of
| i'll health. It was with considerable
reluctance that Secretary Metcalf ac-
cepted the resignation, as he was anx-
| ions that his son should have a navy
| career.
The new armored cruiser North Caro-
! lima completed her trial speed test, hav-
ing maintained an average speed Of
% S knots, which is in excess of the
contract speed required, and is said to
be the best record ever made by yes
sci of the armOred cruiser class.
BY direction Of the president, the act
| ing secretary of war ordered a company
| of infantry TO proceed from Fort Glib
bon, Alaska, to Fairbanks, in the same
| territory, to preserve order during tie
mining strike in that section. This ac-
| ton was taken upon representation of
! the Federal Court in Alaska. The dis
lance TO be Travelled is 100 miles and
| the troops will be carried by sleds.
The journey can be accomplished in
i four or five days.
| -
| The formal reception Of Baron Taxa
! hira as ambassador of Japan to the
| United States took place in tie White