The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1910-04-16

of the uses of letter writing. Tit
pure food bill. which is now on thu
statute books, was before congress fol
a good many years before Its ma
passage. II has been said time and
time again that the bill never would
have gone through II the people Of the
country had not made It's case theil
own, and, so making 1t. had "taker
pen In hand" to address senators and
representatives on the subject
Letters Killed the canteen.
The canteen was written" out OF
the army and the writing was done al
most altogether by women. Congress
was fairly overwhelmed wit petitions
against the continued authorization OF
the soldiers club" at the army posts.
Congress did not want to vote the
canteen out of the army, but it did 1t
because woman, who always Is q
power. demanded it. 1t is nothing but
the truth to say that congress would
like to restore the canteen to the
army posts, but as long as woman
stands sentinel at the gate of the gar.
rison, the canteen will not be al
lowed to pass the sentry post and
gain entrance.
When an attempt was made to abol-
ish the biological survey of the de-
partment of agriculture. letter writing
and telegraphing by the farmers, the
sportsmen and the bird protectors Of
the country saved the survey from an
initiation. A member of congress
who happened TO be in a position Of
power found out that Theodore Roose-
welt was much interested in the work
of the biological survey. and because
he hated Roosevelt he used his power
to cut out the appropriation for the
continuance of the scientists work.
The people got wind of 1t and the let
tiers and kilograms began to come In
The appropriation was restored and
the following year it was increased a
good many thousands of dollars.
Demand for Open Door.
Acting with the full consent of the
administration, Philander Chase Knox,
secretary of state, is completing a
plan for a new diplomatic campaign
in support of this governments claim
to be properly considered by Japan
and the European governments in con-
nection with trade in Manchuria. The
secretary is fully determined, appar-
emily. to get recognition for a recent
concession which was given to Ameri.
can and English capitalists for the
construction of what n called the
Chin-Chow railroad. Mr.. Knox real
ICES that he has hard task in hand.
President Taft. it is said, Is giving
ful[hearted support to the efforts OF
the secretary of state. It recently
has been brought home to the admin
istration by combination of circum-
stances that II this country shall sub
NIT. without forcible protest. to the
plan to bar 1t from participation in
Manchuria's development. 1t will be
long while before Americans can find
an open door In the east.
1t Is understood that the state de-
partment desires the people of this
country should fully realize what the
situation Is. 1t Is a matter OF quiet
complaint in American diplomatic cir.
cies that. except In some mercantile
quarters. the people of the United
States have not been keenly alive to
the seriousness of the eastern situa-
ton. To put it in a brief form, the
secretary of state wants the Ameri-
can people to get back of him In
what he is trying to do. 1t seems
likely that he would make direct ap-
peal for the country's sanction for his
endeavors in the east, II the appeal
could be made strongly without CIV
ing out information which for awhile
at least the diplomats believe should
be kept secret
Little Danger Of War.
Nobody In Washington thinks that
there is any particular danger OF a
war with Japan. The Washington be-
lief holds even in the face of the state
ments that have been made In many
quarters recently that the Japanese
situation is getting crucial. The
United States probably was much
nearer a war with Japan during the
last few months of the Roosevelt ad-
than is the case now.
Then. it will be remembered. the peo-
Pile of California had trouble over the
Japanese question in connection with
school matters and a cry was raised
on the coast against Japanese immi-
grafton
Twice Rebuffed Already.
The feeling is that Japan, England,
Russia and France Intentionally have
shut the United States out from par
ticipation in the work of railroad con-
struction in the far east, and that by
doing this they have in a large meas
ure set black mark against an open
door policy.
Two rebuffs already have been