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THE KALEIGH EVENING TIMES
VOLUME 27.
RALEIGH, N. C, MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1906.
PRICE 5c.
CONGRESS RECEIVES
A SPECIAL MESSAGE
m ISTHMIAN CANAL
The President Gives a De
tailed Description of the
Work Done There
DECLARES CRITICISM
OF OFFICIILS iJUST
He Thinks n Seven-Headed Commis
sion a Clumsy Executive Instru
ment, and Keconunends That One
Man be Put at the Head of the
Whole He Xotes Wouderful Im
provement In Health Following
the Sanltury Work Done Finally
He Declares Himself Confident of
the I'ltimate Success of the Gigan
tic Vndertttking.
structlon of new railroads or In any
other similar private or public work
in the United States proper; and It is
the testimony of all people compe
tent to speak that on no other simi
lar work anywhere In the tropics
indeed, as far as I know, anywhere
else has there been such fore
thought and such success achieved in
providing for the needs of the men
who do the work.
I have now dealt with the hygienic
conditions which make it possible to
employ a great force of laborers, and
with the task of gathering, housing
and feeding these laborers. There
remains to consider the actual work
which has to be done
cause of which these laborers
CIRCUIT COURT Mf Puff
CONVENED TODAY
American Locomotive Com
pany Case Taken Up
TO BE SHELVED
NO RALFIGH ATTORNEY
Has Tampered With the Government
Witnesses, so Judge I'umell Stated
from the Bench Col. ,1. C. L. Har
ris Made a Statement Today In
Regard to His Connection in the
RlggSbee Case.
Special Message by Roose
velt to tongress
When the Untied States court was
the work be- opened this morning for the disposal
are of a number of civil and government
(By the Associated Press.)
Washington, Dec. 17. The expect
ed special message from the presi
dent on the Panama canal reached
congress today, and Its reading was
one of the features of the day.
In his message President Roosevelt
explains the result of his examination
on the Isthmus, giving a detailed de
scription of the work, and expressing
much satisfaction over the successful
sanitation which has improvod the
health situation, which he says is re
markably good. The death rato has
been greatly reduced, principally be
cause of tho killing of mosquitoes by
special brigades appointed to- th.
mission. The improvements at Pan
ama an'd Colon are noted. He takes
np the charge made against the water
supply, of Colon, which he says' is am
plo and excellent. The reservoir, he
contends, is equal to that of most
American cities. He deals with com
plaints which he says are not well
founded, and resents the "unjust
criticism" of the canal management.
There are too many saloons in the
zone, but the new high-license law,
which becomes effective in January,
will reduce the number four-fifths.
He shows that the employes are well
cared for, the quarters are good and
eminently satisfactory. In tho gov
ernment hotel ho found first-rate
food, the meal served for thirty cents
being sufficient for any man. Ho be
lieves the complaints about tho food
supply are unwarranted.
Concerning the labor employed,
the president says that the small
number of Spaniards give good re
cults, and he takes the point that the
American workingman has no con- j
cern whatever In tho question as to ,
whether tho rough work on the isth
mus "is done by aliens from one
country with a black skin or by aliens
from another country with yellow
skins." He has arranged to try sev
eral thousand Chinese laborers. The
West India laborers, he says, are fair
ly, but only fairly, satisfactory. Ho
tells of the work by negroes, of their
satisfaction, and Is generally pleased
with what they do.
Recreation and Amusement.
Continuing, he says:
One of the greatest needs at pres
ont is to provide amusement both for
the white men and the black. The
Young Men's Christian Association Is
trying to do good work and should
bo in every way encouraged. But the
government should do the,maJ.n worlj.
I have specially called .thfl atten
tion of the commission tb this mattef;
and something has been accomplished
already. JVAnttiing donefer the wel
fare of ther men adds! ioi their effi
ciency, and money devoted to that
purpose is therefore properly to be
considered as spent in building the
canal. It is imperatively necessary
to provide ample recreation and
amusement it the men are to be kept
well and. healthy.' I call tpe special
attention of congress to this need..
This gathering, distributing i and
caring for the great force of laborers
is one of the giant features of the
work. That friction will from time
to time occur in connection therewith'
is inevitable. The astonishing thing
is that the work has been performed
go well and that the machinery runs
so smoothly. From my own experi
ence I am able to say that mora care
bad been exercised in housing, feed-
lng and generally paying heed to the i
needs of the skilled mechanics and
,ordinary laborers In the work on this
canal than is the case in tho con-
gathered together the work of con
structing the canal. This is under
the direct control of the chief en
gineer, Mr. Stevens, who has already
shown admirable results, and whom
we can safely trust to achieve similar
results in the future.
Our people found ori the isthmus a
certain amount of old French mate
rial and equipment which could be
used. Some of it, in addition, could
be sold as scrap iron. Some could be
used for furnishing the foundation
for filling in. For much no possible
use could be devised that would not
cost more than it would b'Mng In.
Work of Construction.
The work is now going on with a
vigor and efficiency pleasant to wit
ness. The three big problems of the
canal are the La Boca dams, the
Gatun dam and the Culobra cut. The
Culebra cut must bo made, anyhow;
but of course changes as to the dams,
or at. least as to the locks adjacent
to the dams, may still occur. The La
Boca dams offer no particular prob
lem, the bottom material being so
good that there is a practical cofe
tainty, not merely at to vhat can be
achieved, but as to the tlmS of
achievement. The Gatun dam offers
the most serious problem which wo
havo to solve; and yet the ablest men
on the isthmus believe that this prob
lem is cortain of solution along rh.;
lines proposed; although, of course., it
necessitates great toil, energy and in
telligence, and although equally, of
course, there will bo some littlo risk
in connection with the work. If the
huge earth dam now contemplated is
thrown across from one foothill to
the other wo will have what Is prac
tically a low. broad mountain ridge,
behind which will rise the inland
lake. This artificial mountain will
probably show less seopago that Is,
will have greater restraining capaci
ty than the average natural moun
tain range. The exact locality of the
locks at this dam as at the other
dams is now being determined. In
April next, Secretary Taft, with three
of the ablest engineers of the coun
try Messrs. Noble, Stearns and Rip
ley will visit the Isthmus, and the
three engineers will make tue final
and conclusive examinations as to the
exact site for each lock. Meanwhile
the work is going ahead without a
break.
The Culebra cut does not offer such
great risks that is, the damage
liable to occur from occasional land
slips will not represent what may be
called major disasters. The ' work
will merely call for Intelligence, per
severance and executive capacity. It
is, however, the work upon which
most labor will have to be spent. The
dams will be composed of the earth
taken out of the cut, and very possi
bly the building of the locks and dams
will take even longer than the cut
ting In Culebra itself.
!';The main work is now being done
in toe Culebra cut. It was striking
and Impressive to see the huge steam
shovels In full play, the dumping
trains carrying away the rock and
earth they dislodged. The imple
ments of French excavating ma
chinery, which often stand a little
way from the line of work, though
of excellent construction, look like
the veriest toys when compared with
these new steam shovels, Just as the
French dumping cars seem like toy
cars when compared with the long
trains of huge cars, dumped by steam
plows, which are now in use. This
represents the enormous advance that
has been made in machinery during
the past quarter of a century. No
doubt a quarter of a century hence
this new machinery, of which we are
now so proud, will similarly seem
out of date, but it is certainly serv
ing Its purpose well now. The old
French cars had to be entirely dis
carded. We still have in use a few
of the more modern, but pot most
modern, cars, which hold but twelve
(Continued on Page Seven.)
libel cases, Judge Purnell stated from
the bench that as ho had made some
remarks on Saturday In reference to
lawyers tampering with government
witnesses, he wanted to say that he
was satisfied from information that
had come to him since then that
those remarks were not based upon
information that was true; that he
was satisfied that nothing of the kind
that he had reference to had been
done.
Col. J. C. L. Harris stated in court
this morning that he should have
made a statement on Saturday con
cerning his connection with the
Riggsbee case but for the fact that
he had been summoned by the United
States district attorney as a witness
in that case, and, being a witness, had
no right to state publicly what he
knew until put on the witness stand.
He said that was also the reason why
he made no statement this morning.
Locomotive Works Case.
The case of tho American Locomo
Uve Company,, a, Richmond corpora
tion,, against the Weldon" Lumber
Company, was taken up today. This
is a suit Involving $5,339.76, which
is claimed by the abovo-named loco
motive company for work done on
two engines belonging to tho Weldon
Lumber Company during the summer
of 1904. On one engine the cost was
something over $3,000, and on the
Other about $2,000. It seems that
the lumber company sent, the engines
to Richmond to have certain repairs
made, and it Is contended by them
that the charges were exorbitant and
unreasonable, and hence they refused
to pay tho bill as submitted, but, it
is alleged in the answer, they are
willing to pay a reasonable amount
for the work done on the engines. It
is contended that on one of the en
gines the cost should have been not
more than $2,000, while on the other
it was not to exceed five or six hun
dred dollars, as the engine was not
worth expending a large amount of
money on.
The locomotive company sets forth
that the engines were sent them with
instructions to have certain repairs
made, which was done and the en
gines shipped to Weldon, and soon
afterwards a bill forwarded showing
just what the work had cost.
There are a number of witnesses
here from Richmond who were sum
moned by the locomotive company.
Messrs. Murray M. McGuire of
Richmond and J. Crawford Biggs of
Durham are attorneys for the Ameri
can Locomotive Company, and Col.
Harry Skinner of Greenville, Mr. W.
E.. Daniel of Weldon and Messrs. Pou
& Fuller of this city for the Weldon
Lumber Company.
WOMAN
BURNED
IN THE BARREL?
(By the Associated Tress.)
Hazleton, Pa., Dec. 17. The char
red remains of a young woman were
found today on the mountain be
tween here and Ebervale by a man
who was in the woods with his dog.
A slipper, hair combs and the fram
of a woman's hat were picked up
near the spot where the remains lay.
Under the body were three wire
hoops such as are used on barrels.
It is the belief of the police that the
woman was murdered and then
placed in the barrel and burned.
This theory is strengthened by the
odor of kerosene near the place. The
identity of the woman, who was
about 18 or 20 years of age, has not
been established.
' : : ' . V '
PERSONNEL OF NAVY
He Calls Attentlonto the Kurt That
Our System of .Promotion Gives
Men Little OppoWunil i - in High
Places Until Age Impairs Their
Efficiency.
(By the Associated Press.)
Washington, Dec! 17. The following
special message of the president on the
personnel of the pavy was road in con
gress today:
To the Senate and House tit Represen
tatives: In the last thece Annual messages I
have invited the attention of the con
cress to the urgent necessity of such
legislation as will cause officers of the
line of the navy to reach ttic grades of
captains and rear admirals at less ad
vanced ages and will give them more
experience and training in the import
ant duties of those grades, Under the
present archaaic system of promotion,
without parallel in the navy of any
other first class power, captains are
commissioned at the average age ot
fifty-six and rear admirals at the av
erage of sixty. This system is the re
sult of long continuous service in favor
of promotion by which all lieutenants
in order of seniority pass through the
several grades until they actually be
come rear admirals; a method which
sacrifices the good of the service to the
interest ot individual mediocrity. As a
direct consequence of the existing
method, naval officers obtain more than
ample service In subordinate positions,
but have admitted inadequate experi
ence as captains In command of battle
ships and as t'Ag officers in charge of
fleets and squaffrons: that is in the
very positions j,jpvijf'.t responsibil
ity, where experience, skill and Initia
tive, are essential to efficiency. More
over, thfey attain the position of a flag
officer but a foW months before thsy
reach the retiring ago and have no op
tunity to perfect themselves in the im
portant duties of the high commands
pertaining to such rank.
History, modern and ancient, has in
variably shown that an efficient person
nel is the greatest factor toward an ef
fective navy. No matter how well
equipped in other respects a navy may
be; its fleet may he composed of pow
erful high speed battleships, manoeuv
ered by complicated tactics based upon
the latest development of naval science,
yet it is grievously handicapped if di
rected by admirals and captains who
lack experience in their duties and who
are hampered by long experience of in
dependent action and responsibility.
To oppose such a licet to one equally
good, led by officers more active and
more experienced in their duties Is to
Invite disaster.
Behind Oilier Nations.
The following tables give the ages of
the youngest captains and flag officers
with the average years In grade In the
navies of Great liritain, France, Ger
many, Japan and In the United States:
Average Years
Captains. Age. in grade.
Great Britain 35 11.2
France .. .. 47 9.o
Germany 42 0.2
Japan 38 8.Q
United States .... 53 45
Sea-going Hag officers:
Average years
Age. in grade.
Great Britain .... 45 8.
France 53 14.2
Germany 31 6.0
Japan 44 . 11.0
United States .... 59 1.5
The facts shown in this table arc
startling and earnest attention is invit
ed to them.
Bill to Change Conditions.
The secretary of the navy several
months ago convened a board of six
representative line officers with the as
sistant secretary of the navy as presi
dent, to consider and recommend such
changes in existing law relative to the
commissioned persoun of the line of
the navy as would tend to promote ef
ficiency and economy. The essential
recommendations of the board have
been cordially approved by ihe secre
tary. The bill, herewith transmitted to
the congress, has been formulated by
the secretary and is based, except In a
few details, upon the recommendation
of the board. 1 earnestly recommend
its early consideration. Should it be
enacted into law it will cause officers
on the sea-going list to reach the grade
of captain at forty-eight and rear ad
miral at fifty-five, and will assure their
serving seven years In the grade of
captain and seven years in the grade of
rear admiral, thus enabling them to be
come thoroughly skilled and efficient
in these grades.
Grade of Vice Admiral.
The accompanying bill also estab
lishes the grade of vice admiral. This
grade has long existed in all other
principal navies of the world in order
(Continued on Page 2.)
THE COAST LINE THE SCHOOL AND
FILES EXCEPTION FEDERAL POWER
Will Not Obey Orders of Cor
poration Commission
IS NOT PRACTICABLE
Claims That to Obey Order as to
Trains on Plymouth & Kinston
Branch It Would Be Necessary to
Put On Additional Passenger Train
and Company Has Not the Motive
Power other Reasons Given.
Efforts to Check Widening
of Centralization
MADE BY RAYNER, WHITE
They Introduce Resolutions Into the
Senate, the Object of Which Pri
marily is to Give California Free
Rein in the Conduct of Her Public
Schools.
In the matter of the schedules and
connections of the trains of the At-1
lantic Coast Line Railroad Compani
on its Plymouth branch and its Scot
land Neck or Kinston branch, excep
tions have bean filed to the order of
the commission made about ten days
since.
First exception is upon the ground
that the commission has not the
power or authority under the law of
North Carolina to make such order
or regulate time and manner in which
passengers and property shall be
transported.
Secondly, that it would not be!
practicable to carry out the order ofi
the commission without an extra pas
senger train, which it is contended
the commission lias not the power to
require.
Third, that the order of the com
mission was unreasonable, in that the
company is already furnishing suffi
cient accommodations for passengers.
Fourth, that In order to comply
with the order it would be necessary
to put on an additional passenger
train, which, it is contended, the com
pany has not at the present time suf
ficient motive power or locomotive
engines to do. That an order vSb
placed ten months ago- fore'lli
but up to the prefent time have not
been able to get a single engine.
Fifth, that it deprives the company
of its property without due process of
law, and, therefore, is contrary to the
constitution of the United States.
The sixth exception sets forth that
to obey the order would necessitate
an additional passenger train, which
would have to bo operated at a loss,
and hence tho company would have
to perform service without compensation.
LACKING ENGINES
THE CABS LIE IDIi
(By the Associated Tress.)
Kansas City, Mo., Dec. 17. The Jour
nal today says:
A systematic inspection of the ter
minal railroad yards shows that there
are three thousand empty freight cars
standing idle in the Kansas City yards
because the railroads have not suffi
cient motive power to move them.
'T SELL COAL LANDS
(By the Associated Press.)
Washington, Dec. IT. Senators White
and Rayner of Maryland, each present
ed resolutions in the senate today
touching the state's rights on the Ques
tion involved in the Japanese contro
versy. The resolution of Mr. White re
solves that there shall be no Increase
in federal power by a strained construc
tion of the constitution, at the expense
of the lights of the states.
The Rayner resolution provides that
the functions of the executive shall be
limited to the performance of the
duties as assigned to him by the con
stitution and the legislation enacted
thereunder and that there shall be no
interference by the executive in the leg
islative or judicial branches of the gov
ernment or with the rights of the
states. It also resolves that the states
have no authority to surrender any of
their reserved lights under the consti
tution. Both resolutions were laid on
the table for future action.
Memorial From Cattle Raisers.
In presenting to the senate today a
memorial from the cattle raisers of the
western states, Mr. Culberson said the
cattle raisers were suffering more ex
tensive damage at this time from
shortage of cars and bad service from
transportation companies than from
disease of cattle, limited markets and
all other speedy consideration look
ing to relief.
The senate today agreed to the hol
iday adjournment resolution, which
provides that when adjournment is had
next Thursday it shall be until January
third, next.
The senate agreed to a resolution to
day preesntea1 by Senator Hansbrough,
directing the department of commerce
and labor to make an investigation of
the "combination or trust organization
known as the International Harvester
Company" engaged in the production
and sale of farm machinery. The in
vestigation !s to ascertain if a combi
nation In restraint of trade exists.
The bill validating certain certifi
cates of naturalization was defeated
in the house today, two-thirds having
failed to vote in its favor. The bill
will be called up under committee
call later.
The senate agreed to a resolution
today requesting the judiciary com
mittee of the senate to inform the
senate if congress can prohibit inter
state commerce in cliild-Iabor-madc
goods under the commerce clause of
the constitution.
STRAUS TAKES
REINS OF OFFICE
Moody Goes to the Supreme
Court Bench
The President Suggests That
Government Hold Them
E. E. Clark Goes Before the Inter
state Commerce Commission to
Support the Suggestion Govern
ment Should Hold the Lands
Vndcr Lease.
(By the Associated Press.)
Washington, Dec. 17. E. E. Clark,
of the interstate commerce-commls-sion,
appeared before the house com
mittee on public lands today to sup
port the suggestion made in Presi
dent Roosevelt's message .that the
government cease to sell coal lands
and hold them under lease. ..
The suggestion referred to, con
tained in a message on public land
laws, follows:
' The law should give individuals
and corporations, under proper gov
ernment regulation and control (the
details of which I shall not at present
discuss), the right to work bodies of
coal land large enough for profitable
development. My own belief is that
there should be provision for leasing
coal, oil and gas rights under proper
restrictions. If thei additional force
of special agents and mining experts
I recommend is provided and well
used, the result will be not only to
stop the land frauds, but to prevent
delays In patenting valid land claims
and to conserve the indispensable
fuel resources of the nation."
QUESTION IN THE AIR
What the Supreme Court
Didn't Touch
Whether Telegraph Company Was
Liable Under State Law for Fail
ure to Deliver Message Under the
" Peculiar Conditions Named.
(By the Associated Press.)
Washington, Dec. 17. Whether a tel
egraph company can be held respon
sible under statt laws for the non-delivery
of telegrams when sent from one
point In a state to another point In the
same state, but through another state
was involved in the case of the West
ern Union Telegraph Company vs E.
Hughes, which was decided today by
the supreme court of the United States,
but as the court dismissed the ease o:i
a technicality it did not discuss the
point.
The case came to the supreme court
from the Virginia court of appeals and
grew out of the failure of the telegraph
company to deliver a message sent
from Danville by Mr. Hughes to a Miss
Malone, in Pocahontas, informing her
of her mother's illness. Both points
are in Virginia but it was necessary
that the message should go through
West Virginia, where it was lost.
Hughes brought'suit in the corporation
court at Danville under the state law
and that court awarded damages to
the extent of one hundred dollars. The
temporary effect of the decision at
least is favorable to Hughes.
AN ASSOCIATE JUSTICE
Governor Glenn went to Chapel Hill
this morning, where be will spend (he
day and will return on the evening
train.
Bonaparte Takes the Oath of Office
as Attorney General of the United
States, and Metcalf Enters as Sec
retary of the Navy Ceremonies
of Induction Into Office.
(By tho Associated Press.)
, Washington, Dec. 17. Oscar S.
Straus of New York today was Induct
ed into the office of secretary of the
department of commerce and labor in
pursuance of the rearrangement of the
cabinet recently made by President
Roosevelt.
The ceremony incident to the retire
ment of Secretary Metcalf who has been
at. the head of the department since
July 1, 1904, and the Induction into of
fice of Secretary Straus took place
shortly after 9 o'clock this morning In
the secretary's offices at the depart
ment. Secretary Metcalf In relinquishing the
duties of the office formally expressed
to those about him his great personal
regret at the severance of relations
which always had been so pleasant. He
assured them, however, that with the
coming of Mr. Straus the cordial rela
tions which he had with the people of
the department would be maintained by
Secretary Straus.
Secretary Straus in a brief address
expressed the desire to continue tho
present relations that existed between
Secretary Metcalf and the officials of
the department and said that it would
be his purpose so far as might be pos
sible to continue the policies of his pre
decessor. He said he would take his
cue from the president, one feature of
whoso great strength lies in the act
that he could depend upon an I enlist
the hearty co-operation of those about
him.
Hon. William H. Moody, formerly at
torney general, today entered upon his
duties as an associate Justice of the su
preme court of the United States, thus
bringing the court up to its full mem
bership. He was Inducted Into office at
the beginning of today's sitting of tho
court.
Having, as is customary in such
cases, taken the regular oath of office
in the robing room before entering the
court chamber, he was presented Into
the latter apartment by all the other
members of the tribunal.
As soon as the opening of tho session
of the court had been announced by the
court crier, Chief Justice Fuller pro
claimed the presence of the new asso
ciate, saying that it gave him pleasure
to present him to the members of the
bar. The clerk then read Mr. Moody's
commission and administred to him a
second oath, commonly known as the
judicial oath. He was then escorted by
Marshal Wright to his seat on the ex
treme left of the bench when the court
proceeded with the business of the day.
Former Secretary Bonaparte was then
introduced to the court as the new at
torney general, by the solicitor general,
succeeding Mr. Moody in that capacity.
Secretary Metcalf arrived at the navy
department in company with Secretary
Bonaparte at 10:15 o'clock.
Secretary Bonaparte in a brief ad
dress congratulated the new secretary
upon the compliment implied upon his
choice for the office of the secretary of
the navy.
Secretary Metcalf briefly responded,
declaring that he always had taken in
terest in the American navy.
At 11 o'clock Charles J. Bonaparte,
the retiring secretary of the navy, took
the prescribed oath as attorney gen
eral of the United States and imme
diately entered upon his new duties.
COMMISSION'SIRIGHT
TO FIX RATE UPHELD
(By the Associated Press.)
Washington, Dee. 17. In the case of
the Alabama & Mississippi Railroad
Company vs. The Mississippi Railroad
Commission the supreme court of the
United States rendered a decision to
day in support of the contentions of
the state. The case involved the right
of the commission to fix a fiat rate of
3'-4 cents per mile per hundred pounds
on car load lots of grain from Vlcks
burg to Meridian, both in Mississippi.
The water rate to Vlcksburg figured in
the case, but the action of the commis
sion in making the rate was based upon
the allegation that the Vlcksburg Rail
road was In the habit of giving that
figure to patrons who also gave their
business to the Shreveport & Pacific
Road, an allied concern, while the rate
to other patrons was ten cents per hun
dred. The Mississippi supreme court
sustained the action of the commission
ers, and that finding was upheld by to
day's decision.