River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1911-01-12
WASHINGTON LETTER
Washington, D. c., Jan. s, 19l-

has occurred in Washington since
the adjournment of Congress. The
death of Mr.. Elkins makes it GER
tain that there will be two demo
cratic Senators from this state.
Senator Scott Of West Virginia will
be succeeded by a Democrat, and
| the legislature being democratic
will elect a Senator of that party to
succeed Senator Elkins. The late
Senator was one of the wealthiest
of what is called the American
House of MiIlionaires. His death
is generally explained in the press
as caused by overwork at the late
Congressional session, but anyone
at all familiar with the facts will
not be slow to attribute his illness
to high living. He no doubt had a
powerful constitution, but no con-
stitution can forever withstand a
perpetual banquet
The President has annouced that
he will not take the initiative in
bringing together in holy accord
the belligerent wings of the repub-
lican party known as the stand
patters and the insurgents. He
says that he will address himself to
the business Of the country and
leave any peace making program to
the contending parties.
When it was announced some
days ago that Senator-elect Lorimer
had been given clean bill of
morals with reference to his cleo
ton as Senator, there were many
who said, How will Col. Roose-
welt feel now for refusing to sit at
the table with him and having the
refusal published over the world?;"
but now that the Senate has re-
fused to approve the clean bill pre-
pared by Senator Burroughs and
others and proposed to take up the
matter again, it is quite possible
after all that history will justify
Ex-president Roosevelt's action.
If appearances are to be trusted,
something will be done at this SEES
sion of Congress to prevent the in
fux of undesirable people from
Europe. Surely if there is any
choice in undesirables the Asiatics
by way of the Pacific are less vicious
than some who have been recently
coming across the Atlantic. A dep
utation of American newspapers
numbering thirty-two called on
President Taft to protest against
the hardships encountered by i'm
migrants landing in this country.
Their spokesman, Louis Hammer
ling, told the President that they
objected to the suspicion with which
immigration officers looked upon
those arriving in this country.
President Taft told them that he
went last fall to Ellis Island and
remained there during the fore
noon listening to the cases present
ed to the immigration commission
erS and that once or twice, moved
by compassion, he interviewed in
behalf of immigrants whom the
commissioner would have turned
back, and that he had since follow
ed those cases in which he had been
Influenced against his better judg
ment, but that he had to make the
humiliatirg confession that the out
come vindicated the commissioner
and showed that his experience was
better than the Presidents COM
passion.
Apropos of the immigrant ques-
ton, the fact that the attorney gen
eral is proceeding against the inter
national steam ship lines under the
Sherman law is very significant and
far-reaching. The million or more
of immigrants annually landing in
this country is found to a great ex-
tent in the fact that steerage traffic
is immensely profitable to h e
great steam ship lines such as
| Lloyds, the Hamberg- the
Cunard, the White Star, the Hol-
| land-American and several others.
They make millions yearly in this
traffic and it is a well known fact
that they carry large bodies of
steerage passengers both ways. AT
least half a million are taken east
ward back to the "old country
every year. All the steam ship
lines have immigrant bureaus and
travelling agents using every means
and inducement to bring immi.
grants to this country.
This is the season of war scares,
promoted, it is said, by some, in
order TO get large appropriations
for he army and navy and for the
contractors who furnish military
supplies. There is a report that