The citizen., 1911-12-15
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Gem
eral Topics from
the Capital.
Washington, December Is, 1911.

The time-honored statement that every
tie on the Panama Railroad represented
human life lost in its construction has re-
ceived its quietus in an official statement
issued BY the Canal Commission. The
Commission has made public letter from
Major General George w. Davis. the first
Governor of the Canal Zone, who said an
ANALYSIS has shown that I4o 600 ties were
in the roadbed of the Panama Railway,
but that the loss of life was comparatively
small
Never more than 1000 laborers were
employed upon the road in the four and
hall wears of its construction, said Cen
eral Davis. who added that there was not
a single case OF illness among the pass
engerS for three years after the road was
opened.
1t was explained that the station on this
line known as Matachin, the Spanish
word for butcher was so named to
commemorate the wholesale suicide there
OF large number of Chinese coolies who
became melancholy and. failing to secure
an immediate release from their labor,
killed themselves.
Comparison OF the paper and fancy box
industry OF the United States in 1909 and
] in 1901 is contained in preliminary state
ment BY Census Director Durand. In 1909
there were 90 establishments. with capi-
tai OF S35.475, 600. as against 796 estab
lishments. with capital OF S22. .6eI, 900,
years before The products in 1909 were
worth s5445o, 900. and in 1904 $50 S67,-
900. while the cost OF materials amounted
to SIS nc, 900 in 1909 and to SIS, ,6S6, 900
lie 1904
Salaries and wages amounted TO ST..
IA, 900 in 1909 and in 1904 to SI2 52I, ,ooo
The number OF salaried officials and
clerks was 323o in 1909 and 2326 IN 1904,
nd the average number OF wage earners
was 50. 5I4 in 1909 and 32.oS2 inI9o4
A surplus instead OF deficit IN the
postal service for the first time since 1855
IS shown by the annual report OF the Post
master General. made public today.
! The postal revenues fol- the fiscal wear
ended June 80. 1911. amounted TO S237,-
SO, ,S23. 50 and the expenditures TO 1857.
$50, 7o5 IS. leaving a surplus Of s2IS, 49,
u. At the beginning OF the present ad
ministration in 1909 the postal SERVICE was
in arrears 10 the extent OF SI7.47e. 77o.47
which was decidedly the largest deficit
on record. In the brief space OF two years
this deficit has been changed into sub
stantial surplus
The wiping out Of the deficit the report
asserts. has not only been accomplished
without curtailing postal facilities. but i'm
portant extensions have been made in
every branch of the service. Since the
opening of the present administration
there have been established 3744 new post
offices, delivery bv carrier has been pro-
vided in IS6 additional cities and 1916
new rural routes routes. aggregatln5 Co.
67o miles. have been authorized. Mean.
while the force of postal employees has
been increased by more than 5000. The
amount expended for salaries of employees
last year was approximately SI4. 900, 900
greater than two years ago. The average
annual salary has been increased from
$3.50 TO 1867 for rural carriers, from 1919
to SIoS2 for post Office clerks. from SIo2I
to SIoS4 for city letter carriers, and from
SII6S 10 SIIS3 for railway postal clerks.
The United States Senate has put its Of
fcial 0. K. on the tipping evil. Ii has
been influenced in this way by w. Muir
ray Crane. OF Massachusetts, who super
vises The Senate cuisine Cranes views
on tipping have led to repeal OF the Anti
Tipping law of a year ago, when boldly
printed legend appeared on the menu
cards OF the Senate restaurant, reading,
Tipping allowed"
The sign did not stop the evil. The
walters fully aware that instant dismissal
would follow if they were caught at it,
took tips with the same alacrity as before,
and the patrons gave up with the custom
ary-reluc,ance.
This year new stvle menu card is in
operation. The mo tipping" slogan is
missing Tbs oversight OF the printer is
not escaping the victims of the walters.
The startling assertion is made in the
annual report of Secretary of War Slim
son that the contingency of war with
hrst-class Power would find the army of
the United States unprepared; and more
over. the system on winch it is conducted
would be reined at the outset. There is
too much skeleton. and war would re-
quire too great an infusion of raw mater
iaI. Besides the lack Of equipment is ap-
palling, according TO the Secretary es-
pecially in artillery and ammunition. He
declares that lat the present rate of ap-
preparation it is estimated that it would
take more than so years to secure rea-
sonable supply of field artillery guns, car
riages and ammunition that would be
necessary in the event OF war.
w Ildl OtCIStdlt soitliSOb NOOiN ouOoti
tute for such conditions is suggested BY
reference to the military conditions that
prevail in Switzerland, and by recon-
mendation that the army posts be no
longer scattered over the country, as in
the DAYS Of Indian warfare, but be placed
where they would be effective in meeting
the needs OF strategic action in the event
OF war from outside. the only kind to be
apprehended now. The Secretary is par
ticularly concerned over the lack OF re-
serves Much Of his reasoning is derived
from the experiences growing out of the
recent mobilization along the Mexican
boundary.
The Secretary disapproves of the long
term rnlisi'uent and favorS the shortening
OF tn present Term "a less than three
year,. so As Ia allow as many men As pos
sbIe To go through the training OF The
reguiar army. while retaining some hold
over the discharged soldier by which he
can be called TO the colors in case OF war
He asserts that the experience OF the
Texas maneuvers was conclusive that
long-;erm service does not make the best
army. In proof of this he cites the fact
that the recruits were concentrated IN
4 Il ,,,f,