Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1908-05-21
LETTER
From Our Regular Cor, espo nd emf.

broken this week for the first time
since Minority Leader John Will
lams announced his purpose to
force the Republicans to I'd o
something" 1t all came about
by the polite reminder that it
was Speaker Cannon's birthday,
on the part OF Mr.. Champ Clark,
Of Missuri, who may yet be Spea-
ker himself, if there is "a Demo-
cratic House, and who is at pres
ent, in the absence of Minority
Leader Williams, the acting war
chiei of the belligerent Demo-
Gratis.
The White House conference oil
Governors aud other notabIes
which will gather on the 18th of
May tor the purpose OF consider
ing the conversation OF national
resources, is looked upon as II
most remarkable and notewor-
thy one. The President snys in
his letter to the Governors invi-
ting them to participate. "The
matters to he considered at this
conference are not confined to
any region or group OF States,
but are of vital concern to t b 6
nation as q whole and to all the
people. Those subjects include the
use and conservation of { he min
eral resources, the resources oil
the land, and the resources ofthe
waters in every part OF our terri
tory"
1t is said at the State depart
ment that the republic Of Colon
bia has fled a claim OF 500
900 against the United States
for supporting Panama in it's re-
volt against Colombia several
years ago. This fact was brought
out as result OF the resolution
introduced in the Senate by SEN
ator Bacon, of Georgia, calling
upon the President for all t b e
correspondence between the Uni
ted States and Colombia in re-
gard to the secession OF Panama.
This claim was presented several
years ago to John Hay, then
Secretary OF State, who rejected
it. Shortly after Secretary of
State Root succeeded Mr. Hay,
the clam. was again presented
and again rejected, Mr.. Root
claiming that the action OF the
Unite States in supporting Pan
anna in it's revolt against Colon
bic was a matter of policy and
not subject to judicial review.
There is no reason to believe that
either Congress or the admins
tration will take action en- CO.
lombia's claim any more favora-
hle than that of the two Serreta-
ries of State Hay and Root.
The Marshall "Honest Paint
Bill" il a very important meas
ure which is receiving much at
tention throughout the country
Several very interesting hearings
on this bill have been held by the
House Committee on interstate
and foreign commerce, and Mr..
Marshall is confident that 1T will
become a law at tile next session.
II ia in line with the national pure
TODD and drug law, and it's execu-
tion would be in the hands oi the
same officials. IT does not estab.
lish standards, but is purely a
label proposition, requiring all
packages Of paint, turpeniine
and linseed oil entering into in
terstate commerce, or offered Tor
sale in the territories and the Dis
trIct Of Columbia, to be honestly
labeled, giving net weight a n d
constituents of contents.
Such a law would he great
protection TO consumers who are
now subjected to great frauds.
especially in ready-mixed paints.
1t would be a protection and en-
couragement to honest ma nufac-
turers and dealers. The legIsla-
tion is along practical lines that
make Tor the good OF che people.