Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-09
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SSVSu III
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Plans for world cruise by the
American battleship fleet, now at Mag
dalena Bay, Mexico, have been an
nounced by the President to his cabi-
net. The fleet is engaged in two weeks
target practice there, after which il
will proceed to San Francisco, reach
ing that city May 5, to be feted and
Toasted for nine days. Then, after
rest, the fleet on July is to leave for
our possessions in the Pacific, stopping
at Hawaii and Samoa, and then going
by way of Australia to the Philippines
and returning through the Suez Canal.
In Australia the fleet will stop at Mel
bourne and Sydney to accept the invi-
tation of Sir Alfred Deakin 1t is ex-
pected that Admiral Evans will retire
from the command on account of i'll
ness after reaching San Francisco.
Captain Wainwright, now in command
of the Louisiana, will probably succeed
Evans as commander in chief of the
fleet although two other officers are
his seniors. Wainwright is the man
who. in command of the converted
yacht Gloucester, smashed several of
the Spanish ships at Santiago.
-:
No piece of American political fur
niture would more surprise the found
ers of the republic than the undesir-
able three-legged stool which the vice
presidential chair has become. The
founders put it in the best room, sec
ond only to the Presidents seat. Now
it is out in the back yard of political
favor. Yet it is an important office;
the presidency of the Senate is q place
OF power. Four Vice Presidents have
risen to the highest Office through the
death of the President. Three others
Adams, Jefferson, Van Buren-were
Vice President before they were Presi-
dent. In the case of the early Vice
Presidents, election to the second place
meant that they had been candidates
for the first place. And, most people
think, that what that really means
ought to prevail now; that is, no man
IS not regarded as good enough to be-
President
Attorney General Bonaparte has in
structed the United States Attorney at
New orleans to suspend action begun
there against a number of longshore-
men for illegal boycotting since the SUI
preme Court decisions in the Danbury
hatters' case and the Bucks stove and
range case. The Department of Justice
wanted all Federal attorneys to advise
with the experts at Washington before
acting. But Mr.. Bonaparte denied the
statement that all Federal attorneys
had been ordered to bring no actions
against labor unions. He held that as
the hatters' case had been decided on
a demurrer and the matter remanded
to the Circuit Court for a rehearing.
nothing should be done in similar cases
until a final decision is rendered.
-:
After conference at the White
House between the President, Secretary
Smith, and Commissioner of Labor
Neill, it was decided that three bills
should be prepared and submitted to
Congress to amend the Sherman anti
trust and the liability laws. One will
make it possible for industrial corpora
tons to unite under Federal super
vision and for railroads to pool under
the approval of the Interstate Com
merce Commission. Another will so
amend the Sherman law as to exempt
labor unions from the clause prohibit
ing combinations in restraint of trade
The third would amend the employers
liability law to meet the objections of
the Supreme Court.
Representative Esch Of Wisconsin is
preparing to make vigorous effort to
have Congress prohibit the use of irons
as form of punishment in the navy.
He has introduced bill OIL this sub
iect, and, as soon as the naval appro-
priatiOn bill is out of the way, he will
appear before the committee on naval
affairs to make an argument on behalf
of his measure. He will go to this hear
ing well fortified with facts for he has
been in correspondence with many
naval officers and enlisted men on the
subject He says he will be prepared
to show that this form of punishment
is not only cruel and inhuman but that
its use has a baneful influence upon dis
cipline and encourages desertion.
-.
Two naval records were made the
ether day A gun crew, in command
of young officer who has been out of
Annapolis less than two years, made
lit with every one Of twenty-five shots
from an eight-inch gun, and fired near
" three shots to the minutes. The
Chester, new scouting cruiser, steam
ed twenty-six and fifty-three hun
dcedths knots for four hours on trial
cruise and proved itself the fastest
boat of its type in any navy of the
world.
Attorney General BOnaparte before
the House committee on public lands
favopahla 1,anoPt on a mint