The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1908-03-27
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Cen
eral Topics from
the Capital.
March 81. 1908.


tain legislative enactments in
the interests of labor at this ses
sion of Congress. and prepared
by Samuel Gompers. Presiden,
OF the American Federation OF
Labor, in collaboration with the
heads of other organizations af1il-
lated with the Federation. was
submitted this week to the Vice
President of the United States
and the Speaker of the House OF
Representatives. The only tan
gible res; 1t of the conferences
was the declaration of Mr.. Can
non that the House would un.
doubtedly pass a bill re enacting
the Employers Liability Act, so
as to met the constitutional
objections found in the old law
by the United States Supreme
Court. AS to the othel Congress
siOnal enactments sought by
labor. Speaker Cannon assured
his callers that they would have
consideration by the proper com
mittees OF the House.
Representative Bourke Cock
ran is frequent White House
visitor these days. In fact he is
there so often that there is much
speculation as to his real mission.
lit is case for smiles rather
than for COMMENT" he replied
the other day when asked as he
was leaving the White House to
talk about the action of Charles
f. Murphy in laying him off of
the Tammany Committees. "Ars
you Democrat todayW Mr.. Cock
ran was asked. 81 do not know
what the definition is today" re
piled Mr.. Cochran. "aud so
cannot tell whsther | am in the
breastworks."
David Bennett Hill, of AL.
bany, New York, was in the Sen
ate and about the Capital this
week. Mr.. 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 minds of all
Democrats that there was a time
when Ex Senator Hill was a
power in the politics of the En-
pire STATE, and contested honors
only few years ago for the
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 . probable can
didate OF the Democratic party
for the Presidency of the United
States.
The House of Representatives
passed resolution this week
that was introduced by Repre-
sentative Harrison, of New York.
calling upon the President for in
formation regarding his authority
Of law for exercising the functions
of government over the Canal
Zone. Mr.. Harrison charged the
President with having exceeded
his authority, and charged the
Republicans in the House with
negligence i'm the cOnduct of the
government.
Senator Bacon, of Georgia, is
doing work which must appeal
to every unprejudiced mind in
his eDdeavOrs to secure an in
crease in the pay of the employees
OF the Executive Departments.
The pay of Senators and Repre-
sentatives was increased fifty per
cent. at the last session to meet
the acknowledged cost of living
in Washington, but until Senator
Bacon took up the cudgels in
their behalf no one considered
the poor government clerks Who
are obliged to keep up with the
procession as best they may on
the salary allotment that was
made years ago.
The TaGsu Maru incident be.
tween China and japan has pass
ed into history. Minister WI on
Thursday received a dispatch
from Pekin stating that the
vessel had besu delivered to the
Japanese, and that the Japanese
flag had been salutsd; also thaI
an agreement had been reached
between the two countries t.
draw up convention that would
prevent the smuggling of arms il
the future. 1t was stated at til,
State Department on Tbursda,
that China has lately been en-
deavoring to prohibit the impor
tatiOn of arms and ammunition
for the use of bandits and revo
lutionists. The zeal of tn
Chinese custom officers to prevsn
such Importation was the caus
of the seizure of the Tatsu Maru
1t is the belief Of the House Com
mittee on Appropriations that n,
l III IL