The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-08-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Noot anu tue State department anu Will
promise of effective assistance from Hol.
land, it is stated that well.organized
and sweeping revolution is being planned
to overthrow President Cipriana Castro,
of Venezuela. According to the story the
revolutionary movement is now being
financed in New York and elsewhere, and
will become active directly after the rainy
season in Venezuela, which is about the
middle of October. Within few months
it is expected that new Venezuelan
ruler will replace President Castro, an
obi ect which the American State Depart
ment. Holland, Columbia and the Vene-
zuelan malcontents hope to accomplish.
~
President Roosevelt has made public a
report made to him on August by a
special commission consisting of James
Bronson Reynolds, Samuel B. Donnelly
and Henry Beach Needham, regarding
conditions in Panama The commission
was appointed on April IS ito investigate
conditions, especially as regards labor and
accommodation on the Isthmus of
Panama.
That the President is pleased with the
report is shown in letter which he sent
to each member of the commission.
To great extent the report is devoted
to statistical outline of the work that
has been accomplished, the work that re.
mains to be done, the physical POSSIBLE
tiles with the equipment now in use and
the number of men at present employed.
~
The ruling of the Interstate Commerce
Commission that the railroads must pub
lish their share ofsthe through rates to the
Orient on export business. which was to
have gone into effect July /. but the oper-
alton of which was postponed till October
I, has brought to a head the question
whether or not the transcontinental rail.
roads will continue to bid actively for the
transportation of merchandise shipped to
the Far East.
The railroads, to get this Far East bust
ness, made export rates much below the
domestic rates, but the amount actually
received by the railroads for their share
of the service in transporting this mer-
chandise from domestic centres to Far
Eastern ports customarily has not been
made public. The through rates have
been published, but what the division was
between the railroads and steamship lines
was a matter of private agreement be-
tween them.
The Interstate Commerce Commission
has taken the position that under the
terms of the interstate commerce act, as
lately amended, it is obliged to require
that the railroads share of these rates be
published precisely as are rates on ship.
ments within points in this country.
~
Efforts on the part of the United States
to negotiate an immigration treaty with
japan have failed utterly.
Proximity Of the national election and a
disposition to make the Japanese question
an issue on the Pacific Coast, have led to
unusual secrecy in connection with Japan
csc affairs. Several months have elapsed
since negotiations were opened for the
treaty whiehyis now said to be threatened
with failure. So excitable is the popula-
ton Of the West Coast States upon the
subject that its discussion has been dis.
couraged by the United States in the hope
that the differences could be adjusted
through diplomatic channels. II is par
ticularly desired that the matter be not
again agitated until after election, early
in November.
~
The increasing use of electricity as mo-
tive power by RAILROADS. is beginning to
seriously affect the business of soft-coal
companies, according to the men interest
ed in such enterprises. The present
business depression is not the only ele.
meut which has influenced curtailmeut
of their business.
Stories about the supply of soft coal
diminishing and a time of famine coming,
which were accepted few years ago. are
now discounted. Those who told these
stories said that, with the soft coal supply
falling short and the forests depleted,
something must be done and done quickly
to find a fuel which would take the place
of wood or coal. The use of electricity
began to spread at just about this time.
A man qualified to speak on the subject
said: while coal must be used for the
great powerhouse where. the electricity is