Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1914-02-06

Alaska RediscOVered.

providing for railroad in that coun-
try. The house of representatives will
undoubtedly concur in the senate
measure, which will give to that great
region railroad 1000 miles long. The
road in itself is important, but the
fact that the United States has declar-
ed that 1t proposes to back the Alas
kan proposition to the extent of $4O,-
100000 means more than simply a
streak of rust, screeching locomotives,
and freight cars, travelling through
barren waste. In short the isolation
of Alaska is to be brought to an end,
and an aggressive policy to develop
the great resources is to be carried on
our greatest storehouses of wealth
are to be opened.
The general impression is that Alas
ka is frigid region, whereas the
mean annual temperature of Sitka is
about the same as that of Washington,
ka has numerous deep land-locked, ice
free harbOrs-and the coast line is
$4,000 miles long, while there are
5000 miles of navigable rivers in the
country. OF course, portions of Alas
ka are extremely cold, but it is a re-
giOn of great variety. The $4,000 peo-
pie of that county have certainly
showed their patience, and now that
the government has joined the boost
ers club there will doubtless be great
movement toward that rich region.
In the Hands Of the Lawyers.
Some of the best lawyers of the
country are engaged in setting up the
pins for the new antitrust legislation.
There have been numerous conferen-
ces of the leaders for the purpose of
agreeing upon a program that will
have the solid support of the Demo
cratic party. OF the % members of
the two committees in the house and
senate that will direct this legislation,
all but Senator Smith of South Caro-
lima are lawyers.
quitting on the Dog"
The social season is on in Washing
ton at the White House, and the new
Democrats who have come to the cap
ital in consequence of the victory of
their party have been splendid custo-
mers of the merchant tailors and hat
tiers, who have rugged them up In spike
tails, top coats, and elevated hats. A
good many of the newcomers betray
their self-consciousness and they
are making a fine struggle to play the
game according to the rules and In a
manner that may lead onlookers to be-
lieve that they might always have
been accustomed to this sort of thing.
They're stiH Changing the Inaugural
Date.
Shortly after George Washington be-
came president the suggestion arose
that the Inauguration should be chang
ed to April or May, or some other old
date. Senator Shafroth of Colorado is
the latest Don Quixote to attack the in
augural windmill, and he finds that
political tangles and bad weather
would be jointly eliminated by putting
out the extra short session of Congress
and having the president come into
office on the first day Of the year.
Soaking the Stock Exchanges.
Some of the Democratic leaders are
in real earnest in their desires to put
the screws on stock exchange methods.
A measure has been introduced in
congress by Senator Owen, which pre-
vents the use of the mails, telegraph
and telephone, in furtherance of fraud
ulent and harmful transactions on
stock exchanges.
Child Labor to be barred From
Commerce.
After many years of effort to secure
more rigid legislation with reference
to child labor and in conformity to
public demand that children be saved
from the great nav of the factories,
Representative Palmer of Pennsylvan-
ia proposes to bar from interstate COM
merce the output of any plant employ
ing children under IA years of age or
which works children under 10 years
of age more than eight hours day
Representative Palmer is floor leader
of the house and holds place OF pc
culiar importance in the lower body OF
Congress. He is member OF that
body because he prefers 1t to a place
in the presidents cabinet, which was
offered him at the beginning OF the
Wilson administration. AT the time
of the declination of the portfolio II
became known that Mr.. Palmer's herit-
age of the Quaker beliefs and customs
had. in his own opinion. disqualified
him for management of the instru-
ments Of warfare.
So far as is known he is the original
and only living Democrat TO decline so
great place in the government, nut
the same kindly instinct thar caused