The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-12-20
THEY BIDE THEIR TIME.
Railroads Conclude Not to Press
Pooling Legislation.
A BETTER CHANCE NEXT YEAR.
Reasons why Congressmen Are More Lib
eraI During the short session-senator
CuIlom's Views on the Pooling Question.
The Case of Ex-Librarian Sponord.

4
The Case of Ex-Librarian spofford.
| WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.-fSpecial. Tho
railroad people have about concluded not
10 press their bill authorizing pooling at
this session of congress. When the session
| first opened, the pooling bill champions
were for action right away, but they have
| discovered that their chances are very slim,
| so far as this winter Is concerned, and that
they will do better TO wait till next session.
People who have legislative schemes to
| push against which there Is a popular pref
udice always discover that the "long" ses-
sion of a congress is not the one most ia
vorable for their plans. The short" ses-
sion is much better. The difference Is in
this After the long session every member
must go Immediately back to his constitu-
ents for denomination and reelection.
After tho short session there is wait of a
year and a half before he has to go before
the people.
There is another advantage. After the
elections are over and a certain percentage
of the members know they are beaten and
can't get back, no matter how good they
are. they are more willing TO vote for
measures which their home people may
have prejudice against. 1t is an axiom
time for active work in their line.
There is no more important subject be-
fore congress than this one of permitting
the railways to make pools on competitive
traffic. Some of the best men in congress
think one way and some the other. 1t is
not fair 10 set down every man who favors
pooling as friend of the railroads or OF
monopolies. 1t is a business question. On
the one side the railroad managers say that
without authority to make pools rates are
cut so low the roads cannot live. The re-
suit of this is to rob employees OF fair
wages the service suffers and the people
do not get the best work of which the
roads are capable. Besides, they claim,
stockholders and the millions of people
who have mon ey invested in railroads in
one way or another have some rights.
The railroad managers claim with truth
that freight rates and passenger rates are
both lower in this country than they are
in Europe and that we give better serv-
ice than they do across the water 1t Is
also true that few American roads have
made any money during the last ten
years, while many of them have gone into
the hands Of receivers.
Senator Cullom's Views.
Senator Cullom, the author of the inter
state commerce law, which is supposed to
regulate the railroads. but which does not
do so to any great extent, has explained
the situation to me in most clear and In
teresting way Between the two extremes
on this question, " he said, 81 believe there
is q happy mean. 1t Is there, l believe,
that / stand. One extreme is represented
by the railroad people themselves, who
say the roads should have the right TO pool
and fix rates without any check at oil.
The other extreme says there should be no
poolings and that the roads should go on
cutting one anothers throats My posi-
ton is that the roads should have the
right to pool and to fix rates that they
may protect their rights and their share
holders, but that there should be some
cheek on the rates SO that they may be
kept within bounds. The tendency in the
era of keen competition has been to put
rates too low. If we go to the other ex-
| treme and give the roads full swing, the
tendency will be to put rates too high. Be-
tween the two the lower rate is better for
the country, even If not SO good for the
roads.
"For this reason, concluded Senator
Cullom, Il favor and / believe major
ity of the men who have carefully studied
this most important question favor Civ
ing the railroads the right to pool under
wholesome supervision as to rates 10y the
interstate commerce commission. The
commission should be given actual power
to enforce its DEGREES in protection of the
people. 1t would sit as a sort of court Of
equity between the roads and the shippers.
L believe there are wisdom and honesty
enough in the public life of this country
to create and maintain such a court and
to mete out something like exact justice
between the two interests, but IL the rail-
roads are not willing to submit to this
check /, for one, am in favor of letting
them stay where they are"
Spoford's vindication.
Ainsworth Il. Spofford, the former IL
brarian of congress and still connected
with the library, has been vindicated of
the charge of taking money that passed
through his hands. No one that knew Mr..
Spofford ever supposed he had been guilty
of any wrongdoing. His friends were not
surprised when it was discovered that he
had forgotten to cash a lot Of money Or
dars sent In for copyrights and that the
shortage in his accounts was to be ex-
planned, at least in part, by this oversight.
Mr. Spofford's case Is notable example
of how great q mind can be in some direo-
tions and how weak in others His phe-
nomenal memory concerning the books in
the library has become celebrated through.
out the world.
Every book and pamphlet In that great
collection he knows as well as If it were
his Bible or his favorite book of poems.
Public men consult him as they would
catalogue, and he rarely fails to tell them
not only the title Of the work which they
seek. its author, the date of publication,
etc, but good deal of its contents There
are 700, 900 books in the library, and yet
Mr.. Spofford could not remember to get
oil his money orders cashed, nor does he
know where u large sum of money still
unaccounted for went to. He long ago
made up all his shortage, no one suspects
him OF anything but a poor head for bust.
ness, and he lives on amid his books Sc
cure in the enjoyment OF them and Of the
respect and love of the men who have
known him during the thirty odd years he
has stood guardian over the nation liter
airy treasures.
The movement to change the name of
the Rrpat library from the COpuressinuaI