The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-09
Washington Snapshots and Sidelights

~ IA
are evidences that China in nwaken-
ing, but none In tho world that Jap
anese Influence is to be dominant at
Pokin. In fact, our State Departments
has been secretly pleased to observe
many signs recently, indicating that
the Chinese were getting UP healthy
hatred of the Nippopese.
The Japs have not displayed wise
diplomacy In the matter OF dealing with
China. 1t was essentially a case where
the velvet glove should have been
employed. Japan has chosen to, use
the mailed fist Her occupation of
Korea, followed by formal annexation.
opened Chinese eyes. Her continued
occupation of Manchuria thoroughly
aroused the Chinaman. 1t was because
he was wide awake that he seized tina.
Japanese vessel alleged to be loaded
with arms for tho rcvolutionlsts. While
Japan Is about to make China eat
humble pie. though 1t Is hardly doubt
red that the vessel was a hlibusterer,
the incident will linger in the MEM
DRY of the lowforgetting Celestial.
The enmity between Japan and China
will do more than anything else has
ever done to allay Occidental fear of
the yellow peril.
|
nent at last is about to move to in
crease the pay of men employed in the
life-saving service. For years the agi-
tation for better compensation for the
men who risk their lives. and often
yield up their lives, in saving the lives
of others who go down to the sea in
ships, has been kept up, with abso-
lutely no result, other than to demon
strate the carelessness and selfshness
of the men who make the laws for the
nation.
The member of Congress gets $500
year and perauisltes, including 20
cents per mile for every milo he has
to travel to get from his home to
Washington.
The life-saver gets from the govern
ment s65 month, out OF which he has
to support his family. pay his board at
the station, buy his uniform. buy his
expensive outfit, such as heavy boots,
| gloves, etc.
But Congress will, in all probability,
go to the relief of the brave life saver.
who has to face the perils OF wind and
wave IN prosecuting his calling. The
Rouse committee on Interstate Com
merce has decided that a generous
| republic cannot deal SO niggardly with
this class OF her servants, especially
When we have pension roll Of $780,
| 100000 largely composed OF men who
never heard a bullet zip and never lost
a comrade in battle.
| The proposed increase in salary of
lffe-savers Is 80 cents a day Thirty
cents Is the price OF one ration. The
increase will enable the private Of the
iiie-saVing service to eat one meal
more day
But the superintendent of the life
saving service will receive an increase
Of $500 year. They now get $4,000.
The annual report of the superinten-
dent OF the llfeesaving service show
that there is a total Of 1900 men en-
ployed in saving lives along our coasts.
OF this number, 602 left the service In
the last five years. going into other en-
ployment as soon as opportunity Of.
Tered. and no wonder. Forty-flve de-
serted. and the wonder Is not much
greater. One hundred and flfty-eignt
were retired because of physical dis
| ability. the exposure to storms and
zero temperatures being too much for
| their endurance
Meanwhile, the hardy fellows re-
naming in the service will doubtless
spend much of the time they have to
give the subject in the hours they are
not on duty in trying to figure out
how they will be able to spend that
extra so cents day.
II In June, 1889, when the survivors of
that great disaster in Samoa where
many American seamen were killed and
4 Others showed praiseworthy heroism.
We're greeted enthusiastically by San
| Francisco, one of the survivors, who
4 was In the marching company ofhmen.
fell In faint Just as he was reaching
\ out for n bunch of flowers proffered
! by young woman watching the spec
tacle. He was carried into house
and was nursed back to heath. After
the lapse of the Intervening years., that
man Is now seeking to find some of
those who witnessed his collapse. and
| through another person he has written
| from Denver to Senator Perkins, whose
aid he has sought to enlist. Ills letter
4 says:
'sir,-Having read your speech In the
! Senate on our old and our new navy,
! Samuel Charles Hampton, ordinary sea-
man on board the Vandalia when she
| was wrecked, has requested me to in
j quire of you whether 1t may not be
possible to prove the following incl
4 dent, occurring, near the fountain. on
Market Street. San Francisco. In June,
4 1889. when your great city turned out
-en masse to welcome the returning sur
| vivors of the Sa.noan disaster:
i Hampton was marching with his
| comrades that day when young girl
/ extended her hand toward him hold
i ing a bouquet OF flowers. He eagerly
turned to take 1t and fell in a swooti:
4 was picked UP by the cheering throng
and carried to some house. where ne
was tenderly nursed for two weeks.
! AT least the throng was cheering when
he reached for the flowers the girl
i would have given him.. And when he
came to his senses they told him where
he was, and how he had been picked
up and carried by some men. He re-
members little OF what occurred after
he turned for the flowers. even for
some time longer than two weeks.
He had gone down with his ship,
and had suffered greatly from yard
arm falling on him during the great
4 sea at Apia. and was not yet strong,
and probably ought not to have UNDER
taken the march that day.
i 1T may be that some one who was
present on that occasion Will remember
1 this Incident. II they would do a very
great service to this derelict from our
old navy, write the facts to Hon.