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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1907)
1 Pages 1 to 12 Section Two VOL. XXVI. PORTLAND, OREGON, SUNDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 1, 1907. NO. O.J. Store Closed Monday Labor Day Eitabliihed in 1850 Fifty-Seven Year in Bmine Dpman,ftolfe&Co Quality Considered, Our Price Are Always the Lowest Tuesday, Special Sales Tuesday begins the first of our great Fall sales. Extraordinary bargains in new Fall merchandise in every department. Watch for our large advertise ments in Monday Telegram and Tuesday Oregonian. Store closed all day Monday Labor Day. Paris -American Suits For Women The New Plaid Silk Waists Splendid Values From $10.50 to $18.50 Each The new stylos in Plaid Silk Waists we are displaying at $10.50 to $18.50 represent our greatest achievement in waists. The soft est and most beautiful color com binations, the most tasteful trim mings, the best values we have ever shown. The assortment is complete and inviting. The prices are unquestionably the lowest at which waists of equal style and merit and quality have been of fered at any season's opening. $10.50 to $18.50 PLAID SILKS for Fall of 1907 Fashion says: "Plaid Silks for waists are the correct thing for Fall, 1907." We are showing the largest and best stock of Plaid Silks ever shown in Portland. $1.00 to $2.00 yard. Dresden and Pompadour Silks for dinner and reception dress, shown in a large variety of new and exclusive novelties. $1.25 to $2.00 yard. Fall Street Hats $5 and Upwards We watch with interest each new style for Fall, as they daily appear. The large, drooping hats, jauntily upturned from the face, are the most beautiful and becoming style fash ionable for many seasons, and it occupies a prominent place among the newest effects. We have a special showing of all the latest shapes in early Fall shadings, including the newest cardinal colorings, .at $5 and upward. We show exclusively the genuine "Fluffy Ruffles" Hat that is the rage in the East. Paris verve and chic is apparent in every alluring line and curve. Make Your Fall Gown From a BUTTERICK PATTERN A gown cut from a Butterick Pattern is distinctive. It has all the grace and real style which could be given it right in Paris or New York. It will tit because Butterick Patterns are cut accurately. Butterick style is imitated; Butterick illustrations copied but never with success. To get the real Butterick style, you should read THE DELINEATOR. A WOMAN'S MAGAZINE OF VALUABLE INFORMATION We sell single copies of THE DELINEATOR or forward your subscription to the publishers, 15 cents a copy; $1.00 a year. We are agents for Butterick Patterns, 10 and 15 cents none higher. Butterick Fashion Sheets, free at our store, give you some idea of the beauty and elegance of models illustrated in THE DELINEATOR. of Fashion We are justly proud of our showing of high-class Model Suits this season the kind that we call Paris-American, made by a New Yorker who goes to Paris every Summer for his inspiration and then comes back to pro duce these superb tailored suits. These suits are so far ahead in style and novel Ideas of those which dressmakers produce at such prices, that the woman with taste will quickly see the advantage of buying an individual suit at a ready - to - wear price. Little style touches that only a woman of refine ment would notice, give them a pre-eminence that ordinary suits, made in factories, do not possess. Price? - Say $50 to $85. Not extravagant for such suit? as these. EXPERT REVIEWS TELEGRAPH STRIKE Smoldering for Years, Rise of Cost of Living Causes tt to Break Forth. ." SEVERAL BLUNDERS MADE Commercial Telegraphers, ' It Is Al leged, Weakened Their Cause When Press Operators Were. Called Out. Just what the telegraph operators claim in the way of additional pay(and shorter hours is explained by one of, the best-informed men connected with one of the companies, who also enters into the history of the present strike: "There are four branches to the tel egraphing business," said he. "First, because of its numerical superiority, is the railroad branch; second, the commercial branch; third, the broker and race-track branch, and lastly, the press telegraphers. "Of the first branch,' the present strike controversy has nothing to do, excepting in the degree that these op erators are injecting themselves into it both by financial assistance and al leged wire-tampering. The financial assistance Is admitted. The wire-tampering is an accusation made by the companies and met by the union opera tors with counter-charges that the trouble on the wire is due to the ig norance on part of the present staff of operators of the proper method of connecting the wires at various coun try points where the telegraphic sig nals are automatically repeated through electrically-energised Instru ments, and thus forwarded to the next relay station.- Commercial Men on Strike. "The second branch, the commercial. is the main body of men who are now striking. Their employers are the Western Union Telegraph and the Pos tal Telegraph & Cable Company and some minor telegraph companies. These men, until the present strike was inaugurated, received salaries ranging from $25 per month in unim portant offices and way stations, gen erally with a commission on all pre paid matter of 40 per cent of the tolls, to the maximum of $88 a month, with a bonus of 1 cent for every message not exceeding 30 words in length (each subsequent 30 words of a message counting as another message), after a certain minimum of messages had been sent each hour. This minimum was about 30 messages per hour. A crackerjack operator on a "bonus" wire, under perfect conditions, can average one message per minute. Thi is an exception which cannot obtain except under very good conditions. The month of a commercial operator is a full calendar, not commercial month, that Is a total of 36ol4 days per year. A first-class operator on a bonus wire can make about $125 to $135 per month. Their hours were 8!4 for day work and Ihi hours for night work. By working extra time, the monthly com pensation frequently reaches $150 to $180 per month; this, however, nece- tates working from 16 to 20 hour" per day a good portion of the month. Men are occasionally allowed a day off, but this Is a matter wholly in the hands of the chief operator, who lets his operators off according to wire conditions, amount of traffic on hand or. It is alleged, favoritism sometimes has bearing on the matter of a day off. "The operator named Ryan, to' whose discharge the present difficulty is at tributed by uninformed persons, had as much to do with the strike as the high private in the rear ranks, who may De detailed to Are a cannon after the gun has been loaded and sighted by someone else. Strike Smoldered for Years. "The strike has been smoldering for months years, ever since, in fact, the present era of good times sent the cost of living to its present height. "The actual causes of the strike were a' spontaneous explosion, caused by what the operators claim was years of suffering in some cases, oppression in others or both, together with what they assert was insufficient pay pay that will compare about on a par with that received by a streetcar conduc tor. "The men claim that it requires su perior intelligence and from three to five years' practice to become profi cient in their trade, 'and that pay equal to that of unskilled labor is not suffi cient remuneration. "The strike was called without the consent, and presumably before plans had been perfected by their strategists, and is, for that reason, in a fashion 'top-heavy.' "A good strike strategist never in conveniences the public except when absolutely necessary, and then only for tne snortest possible period. The nub lie can be frequently led into strong symja,thy with a just movement except wnen us own seir-interest Is at stake. "In this respect, the strikers are weak. The same end could more ef fectively have been accomplished by leaving tne press and broker opera tors and the employes of one of the big companies at their wires. Public Is Inconvenienced. "This would have reduced the incon venience of the public to a minimum. and while either telegraph company can remain practically Idle for weeks, so long as the other company is like wise tied up, It cannot or will not con sent to remain inactive If the other company is in full operation and draw lng the business of customers of the inactive company. The reason for this Is plain. Many of the customers of the Idle company, once weaned from It, will never return. This no com pany can or would stand. The con tention of the telegraphers that the two companies are owned or controlled by the same interests is untenable. Even granting that 45 per cent of each company's stock is owned by the same Interests, the other 55 per cent is well known to be controlled by Gould of the Western Union, and Mackay, of the Postal. These two men may belong to the same political party, the same clubs, etc., but they are not going to , stand by for an Instant and see a large volume of business diverted from one to the other without a strenuous 'kick.' "The walking out of the grain and stock broker men was merely the re sult of the hysteria which was epi demic at the time the strike was called. Strike of Pressmen a Blunder. "The walking out of the press oper ators was the greatest strategic blun der of all. "Taking away the Associated Press, the only practical means of communication between different cities, each local union Is Isolated from all the rest, except as It hears from the others by the slow pro cess of the United States mails. This of course is bound to engender doubts and fears in the minds of the various indi vidual members, and may ultimately end in disruption of their organization through lack of a cohesive influence. "More than this an elaborate press re port of strike conditions and the senti ment of all the different parts of the country is the only method by which the real situation can be measured by heads of telegraph companies, or ambitious poli ticians high in authority whose influences are needed to a speedy settlement or Government intervention. "Politicians can pigeon-hole petitions from commercial bodies, municipalities, etc., but they can't pigeon-hole the con stant nagging of a newspaper full of dis patches from a thousand different cities. "Also, the strike of the Associated Press operators was a blunder because their salaries were good and they left the em ploying association in a manner likely to win little sympathy from any board of arbitration, should the whole matter be solved In that manner, as the telegra phers declare they wish it to be. They had received a substantial ad vance In wages within the past six months and their working hours had been readjusted, according to their statements at the time it was done, to their perfect satisfaction. "These men gave General Manager Stone of the Associated Press Just two days to answer a demand for an increase of about 80 per cent in their wages. They were receiving $30 per week for six days of ten hours and from $36.90 to $38.40 per week of seven nights of about ten hours each. This amounted to $130 per month for day men and $166.40 per month for night men. Each operator also was al lowed two weeks' vacation on full pay. Their present demand is for $39 per week for a week of six days of ten hours and $49.46 per week of seven nights of ten hours. This amounts to $169 per month for day and $220.82 per month for night men. The demand also includes two weeks' vacation on full pay. After making their first demand on General Manager tone. and receiving an answer that the matter would be laid before the board of directors of the As sociated Press by wire and reply given them within the time demanded, they changed their minds, evidently, and wanted to know right off. "The operators were assured that the general manager had no authority to grant such a radical increase without special authorization and were informed that they would have their answer within the time specified. Thirty minutes later they all walked out. "This is considered to have been a bad step, for It Is safe to say that had these men considered their action maturely they would have at least waited until their time limit had expired. "The local Associated Press operators admit 'that their action was hasty and think the step was Ill-advised, but It was a moment of hysteria, and now that they have struck each one of them appears to he bound hy the fear that If either of them should have the temerity to admit the error to their fellow operators, they would be considered afraid of losing their Jobs or be called turncoats. The Hearst Schedule. "The 'Hearst'' schedule which they de mand is one originally paid by W. It. Hearst on his transcontinental trunk wire which reached from Boston to Is Angeles via New York, Chicago and San Francisco. A leased wire is a costly thing and Mr. Hearst desired to 'operate it at a maximum speed so as to retain It the least possible number of hours and to this end paid a premium for operators who could both send and receive tele graphic matter with equal dexterity, a feat rarely obtainable in most press operators, only the cream of the press telegraphers being capable of ' operating a wire at top speed. Another thing that induced Mr. Hearst to pay fancy salaries was the fact that he was at the time running for Governor of New York and when ho was currying favor with the labor element, with a view later to seek the Presidential nomination. "There are many operators who are capable of sending reports as swiftly as any of the Hearst men or who can re ceive it from the fastest operator that ever lived, but' the men who can both 'send' and 'receive' with equal dexterity are so scarce as to be almost classed as freaks. "These men. because of their superior capabilities, are possibly worth what Mr. Hearst pays them. It might be mentioned, in passing, that it is only on his heavy trunk wires that Mr. Hearst pays such high prices for operators. The Hearst schedule does not prevail on laterals which serve papers not owned by Mr. Hearst but who receive his news service. "While the Associated Press always em ploys none but the best senders and none but the best receivers, it has never set as a standard of qualification that their operators shall be equally dexterous at both. Even granting that Mr. Hearst is correct in the valuation he places on his operators, it is Just a little hard to figure out wherein lies the Justice of the claim that the average Associated Press opera tor, while fully capable of the most exact ing demands as receiver or sender ac cording to the location of his work, can claim that his talents are worth as much as the class that Hearst employs." THINKS PRACTICE WRONG City Attorney Will Recommend Re form In Street Grade Taxes. That assessments for street improve ments should not be rigidly made against abutting property under the present charter is the opinion of City Attorney Kavanaugh. Up to the present time, the assessment of costs directly to abutting property has al ways been the practice. Mr. Kava naugh believes that the tax should be apportioned according to benefits. The question arose over tne assessment of Denver avenue, Kllllngsworth to Port land boulevard. It was found that if the present plan of assessment were followed, a charge of only 89 cents would be made against some lots, while others would be taxed as much as $118. With this case as a basis. Mr. Kava naugh is preparing a written opinion for submission to the street committee of the Executive Board. Mrs. M. Pendleton. SIL.VERTON, Or.. Aug. 31. Mrs. Mar tha Pendleton, aged 89 years, and a pio neer of Oregon since 1853, died at her home in this city last evening. The fu- neral will be held Sunday. - IDAHO IS ALREADY TALKING POLITICS Party Leaders Beginning to Line Up Henchmen for Coming Fray. BRADY SLATED FOR SENATE Heyburn Will Have Stiff Fight to Be Re-elected Aspirants for Con gress Are Numerous Du bois Hammering Away. MOST TALRED-OF FAVORITES IN IDAHO. For President Roosevelt first choice, Taft second. For Senator Brady, who made way for Borah, may succeed Hfeyburn; Dubois Democratic candidate. For Congress French for fou.lh term. Col. Thomas R. Homer, Major Fred R. Reed. C. W. Beal. Mr. Brady. ' For Governor C. L. Heitman. of Kootenai. BY WIMJAM BALDETtSTON. BOISE, Idaho, Aug. 31. (Special.) Though the time for the state conven tion is nearly a year off. there begins) to be a pronounced agitation in the political pool. While there does not seem to be any serious organization on the part of the friends of the pros pective candidates, considerable Inter est has been aroused with respect to several of those who are expected to figure in the contest for places. There is, first of all, pronounced in terest in the Presidential question. This state is very strong In support of Roosevelt and his policies, and the progress of the candidacies of those who are aspiring to the Presidential nomination is followed with close at tention. Idaho sentiment is that the nomination should be offered the pres ident. People feel that he will be needed during the next four years, and the conviction is that public sentiment on that point should find expression in formal tender of the nomination. either by the convention or on the part of the recognised spOKesmen ahnut the time for it to assemble. They are of the opinion that, should the President find that the country de sired him above all others, he would lay aside his own preferences and ac cept the nomination. Their reasoning Is that he Is too patriotic to refuse under such conditions. Being so much In earnest In the prosecution of the policies which bear his name, it is thought he would not disappoint ma public If the latter should formally ask him to remain at the helm to di rect the operations of the administra tion during the ensuing four years. His sincerity in declining to be a can didate is fully recognized, but there is a feeling that the case is one in which the people have a right to go ahead and express their real cnoiee notwithstanding his announced atti tude on the subject of again being a candidate. IYr Taft After Roosevelt. Further, it is not felt that such ac tion would be either impertinent or disrespectful. It would at least be the greatest compliment ever paid a public man since the days of Washington, and if the President did not feel he could accept, the judgment of the par ty would thus be placed on record in a manner that would be to its lasting credit. That Is the way the people of Idaho look at the subject; they are for Roosevelt first. Should it be im possible for him to accept, or should it be decided that the convention should not go so far as to offer him the nomination, the state will he for Taft in all probability. Governor Hughes has many admirers, while Sec retary Root commands the confidence of a great many, but the state may be set down for Taft after Roosevelt. There will be two conventions next year, one in the Spring to select delegates to the National convention, the other late in the Summer to nominate the state ticket. The delegates to the state con vention and to the National gathering will be selected with an eye single to their loyalty to Roosevelt. In 1908 we shall have another sensational contest. It is somewhat difficult to fore cast what the result will be. Were Senator Heyburn a loyal supporter of the President and his policies, there would be little or no doubt about his being re turned, but he is at outs with Roosevelt in a measure and Indulges In open or veiled opposition to the Roosevelt policies on practically all occasions. This Is so well understood that an opening is made for somebody to get Into the field against him, and It Is within the range of pos sibilities that he will be dented a e-elec-tion. The Senator's native ability and forcefulness commend him to a very large number of people, but he is lacking in a personal following, while he, is distrusted on the great issues which have been de veloped during the present administra tion. Brady Heybnrn's Chief Rival. The man most mentioned as a possible rival of the Senator in the contest for the Senatorship is James H. Brady, chair man of the State Committee. He was a candidate for the place filled by the election of Borah, but he cheerfully laid aside his ambition at the time of the state convention when It appeared best for the Interests of the party that there should be no contest over the in dorsement of Borah. His management of the campaign was very satisfactory: Indeed both of the campaigns of which he has had charge were managed with great ability and effectiveness. Mr. Brady was very noticeably loyal to Borah, the man who had made it necessary for him to stand aside. These circumstances give Mr. Brady a warm place In the hearts of the friends of Senator Borah, and a good many of them are disposed to Insist that he run for Senator next year. Mr. Brady is making no sign, however. He has stated to the writer within ten days that he does not know that he will be a candidate for any position next year, preferring to watch developments and be guided by conditions as they shall finally be shaped up. In the meantime, unauthorized persons are booming him for Governor. He will not be a candidate for that position un less unforseen developments should It necessary. Others are suggesting that he run for the house, but he is not giving that serious consideration. In a general way it may be stated that, if he enters politics at all as a candidate, it will be for the position of Senator. That Is the Impression left upon the mind from nis statements. The effort to get Brady to run for Gov ernor appears to be an offshoot of Hey burn politics. If he were to become a candidate for the Gubernatorial office with the support of the Heyburn forces. it would preclude him from entering the Senatorial race and thus effectually shelve him. Gooding Stronger Than liver. Governor Gooding has no intention. so far as known, of getting into the ring next year. When elected, he had an ambition to serve two terms to give the state such a good admin istration that they would desire him to serve them a second time. In that he has been gratified. His first term was notable for the business methods he introduced, and his second term is characterized by equal forcefulness and practicalness. He made many enemies during his first term because of his habit of hewing to the line, ir respective of whom he might hurt in the discharge of his duty, and this raised a storm. His vigorous action in the Steunenberg murder case raised up other enemies, and all of theso combined ran him behind his ticket in the election of 1906; but that temporary weakness has passed away. As the people have reflected upon his official record as a whole, they have more fully realized the proportions of the service he has performed for the state, and today he Is stronger than ever berofe. Therefore, should he de termine to go before the people for any position, he would be a most formid able candidate. What part Senator Borah may take in the campaign next year, none can Bay. He may follow the course of keeping his hands off. since he has no direct personal Interest In the contest. That is very often done, perhaps it Is the rule, when a Senator's colleague Is up for re-election. But whether ho will take part or not. his friends are likely to be conspicuously In evidence throughout. Heitman Mentioned for Governor. So far there are practically no can didates for Governor. Some Impos sible names have been mentioned, but no man who could be nominated has yet been brought forward. Some sug gestion is heard that C. L. Heitman. of Kootenai, long conspicuous both as a lawyer and as a party leader, be se lected for the position, but no one has any authority to designate him as a candidate, so far as the correspondent's information goes. Mr. Heitman- is one of the strong men of the state who have the business ability to conduct the affairs of the state, and if he should come out as a candidate ho would prove a formidable factor in the situation. There- is .pronounced activity in con nection with the Congressional nomi nation. Burton L. French is serving his third term in the House, but it is apparent he will have to make a sharp fight to retain the scat. Two candi dates are In the field against him, and It is 4-umored others are thinking ot endeavoring to' capture the nomina tion. The candidacy ot Colonel Thoma3 R. Hamer has been formally announced. He is from Fremont County and has been prominent in the politics of the state. At the last convention ho was a candidate for the nomination, but his delegation got over the traces in the flurry that occurred and he never had a chance. The deal hy which the convention was controlled Involved the renomlnatlon of French, anil Hamer was obliged to lay his ambition on the shelf. The Colonel won his title in the Philippines. He went out as a Captain with the Idaho volunteers and returned as Lieutenant-Colonel. - Many Aspire to Congress. Major Fred R. Reed has announced his willingness to accept the nomina tion, though he states he is not to be regarded as an active candidate He is one of the very popular men of the state and will have a very considerable following if he entcr3 the light in earnest. The Major is what Is called a "mixer." Indeed, he has few ejual3 In that respect. He can make a speech that arouses enthusiasm, his genius for story telling serving him in good stead In that connection. Major Roed Is prominently connected with the irri gatlon development of the state and is now Identified with what is caned the Twin Falls North Side project, which is backed by Pittshurg people. In former years lie was In the State of Washington and bad much to do with the development of the Yakima Valley. It is anticipated that C. W. Benle. of Wallace, will again be a candidate for the nomination for Congress, hut on that point there is no information. He has been before several conven Hons, but Mr. French always had the northern part of the state well In line, and there was not .enough oppo sltion to him in the southern end of the state to make it possible for Mr. Beale to break in. French is a resourceful man in politics and those entering the field against him will have a difficult task. He is popular, as is always shown in his vote at the polls, but he has held the office three terms and there Is considerable sentiment to the effect that he should now give way. Dubois Still a Candidate. The Democratic situation is going to be interesting. Former Senator Dubois will be in the field for another election, and it seems probable he will easily control the action of his party. For some years he has dominated it. making the Mormon question his issue. On that, as well as for some other reasons, he has always met with the bitter opposition of a large element of the party, but the indications now are that he will have a smoother road in his contest for supremacy next year. Ever since the convention of 1900, when he won control from the late Frank Steunenberg. then Governor, there has been factional fighting in the party, the Steunenberg element opposing him at every turn. After the Democratic defeat of 1902. Dubois raised the Mormon issue. This intensified the factional feeling, but he retained control and remains the leader of his party in the state. Some of the old opposition are asking for some conces sions on the Mormon question as the price of their submission, but others seem disposed to let Dubois have his way in that matter. Senator Dubois is about to launch a weekly paper here to be called the Sclmlter. It will be devoted mainly to ventilation of the charges he- brings against the Mormons and will be his especial organ In the forthcoming cam palgn. It is the understanding this paper will wage vigorous warfare upon the Mormons and the practices charged against them. This will undoubtedly make Mormonism the issue so far as the Demo crats are concerned, and those of that party who cannot accept it will have to do as so many of them done before vote the Republican ticket and thus in sure ft greater Republican victory. PRESIDENT IS TO ABATE ACCIDENTS Appalled by Loss of Life He Will. Recommend Legis lation. FAULT RESTS WITH STATES Secretary Moseley, of Interstate Com merce Commission, Says Lack of Stnte Laws Makes It Necessary for Federal Action. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU. Wash ington, Aug. 26 The perils of the road for the traveling public are to cease if the programme as adopted by the administration shall prove effective. The appalling number of victims which the railroads' niinotaur 1ms exacted has led the President carefully to consider a way to curb Its voracious appetite. The result probably will be a strong recommendation in his forthcoming an nual message that legislation be en acted which will permit the Federal Government to make Investigations of accidents affecting interstate trains. Edwin W. Moscley, secretary of the Interstate Commerce Commission, who is known throughout the country for his Interest in devising means for the protection of life and limb on the rails, said today that in those states which have not machinery for a care ful investigation of railroad accidents Congress should authorize the Inter state Commerce Commission to" make such investigation. so that full In formation can ho obtained as to causes and responsibility. In some states in vestigations ot accidents are made by Coroner's inquests; in others they are intrusted to the Railroad Commissions. Secretary Moseley thinks the Wiscon sin Railroad Commission is especially well equipped to make inquiries Into accidents. "If we bear In mind." said Mr. Moseley, "that a great deal of our leg islation has resulted from the inac tivity or unwillingness of the states to do their duty, we can better under stand why there has been Federal in tervention and tlio need for it. In many Instances the states have been absolutely supine. If all the state had a law requiring every car to be equipped in accordance witti tno pro visions of the National safety appliance law you wotijd see a tremendous re dm tion in tile number of accidents. Kut if the states won't take actton to protect the lives of their own citizens, then it lic'onios naturally the duty of the Federal Government to look after citizens making Interstate journeys. That there is grave need of pro tective legislation is shown hy the re ports in regard to accidents Issued by the Interstate Commerce Commission for the last eight years. From 1300 to 1907, Inclusive, there have been killed 27.74 1 and Injured 40R.24S. The great majority of the killed and injured were men and women In the prime of their usefulness. -Tile casualties rep resent almost a total loss to the coun try, as many of the injured were so badly hurt that they were unable to pursue tiicir avocations. Roll of Dead and Injured. The number of accidents In each year is as follows: Year. I'lOO v.mi I'.Ml'.' i:mi:i T.HI Till". 3!mi; 1!07 nine months) . . Totals Killed. Injured - 4:t.:i7l '-'.!ri7 411.1:10 2 sin rv.t.Hod I 4M177 :i.7s7 M..HI ."..TUX 4Ht 4.JJ." n.7"! :;.sor r7,4Rj 27.714 40rt.248 The number of passengers killed and In jured was much less than that of rail road employes. Of the grand total .KCV8 passengers were killed and il,79:i injured. Almost 2.".ooo employes were killed and 315.OH0 Injured. It is confidently expected that when the. law fixing the hours of labor for railroad employes goes into ef fect next Spring there will he a great falling off In tho number of accidents among employes. The long hours em ployes now have, to hibor cause them, through fatigue, to fail to observe or to misinterpret a signal and a collision fol lows. It would seem that the railroads themselves would take action to prevent collisions, derailments, etc., not only be cause it would savo them from paying damage claims, but also because of the great loss they suffer through tho de struction or damage sustained by their equipment. It Is estimated that in the last eight years the monetary loss suf fered by the railroads as a result of ac cidents readies tho enormous sum of $75.Cflo,OiW. If that amount of money had been laid out in the development and use, of safety appliances, the railroads would be in a better condition today than they are. and, of far greater importance, the country would still possess the brain and brawn of the many who havo been sacrificed to their negligence. I'nder authnrity granted hy the last Congress the Interstate Commerce Com mission is making a thorough test of safety appliances. Tho actual work Is being done by a board of experts. For some weeks past this board has been ex amining a number of inventions which have been suhmitted to it. eliminating those of a crank character or which It Is apparent cannot be of any valne. The appliances selected for trial will be at tached to trains and thoroughly tested. The railroads have Informed the commis sion of their desire to co-operate with the hoard and 1 avo expressed a willing ness to fiirnishtrackago and equipment. It Is hoped that the board will be able to make a preliminary report some time next Winter for the use of Congress. The safety appliances have no connection, however, with the block signal system, which fixes a space rather than a tima interval between trains, and a determ ined effort will be made to havo en acted a bill compelling the general adop tion of this system. Only about one fifth of the railroads of the country are equipped with it a condition which the Interstate Commerce Commission for years has endeavored to have rectified. It is probable the railroads will oppose any legislation which will require heavy expenditure-by them, even though the re sult would be greater protection for life, limb, and property. Nevertheless, it Is believed the sentiment of the country for safe travel will bo so unmistakably ex pressed that Congress will not hesitate to pass tho necessary legislation.