Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-20
THE RAILROAD RATES
TENDENCY TO FALL In WITH
PRESIDENTS SUGGESTION.
Change Of Sentiment Among Railroad
Men Shown in Correspondence With
Members Of Congress.

Advices received by influential senators
and representatives indicate tendency
among the larger railroad officials to fall
in with President Roosevelt's suggestion OF
governmental arbitration of freight rates.
1t is said there is growing change of sem
timent among the railroad men, and the
situation Is in a measure similar to that
which was encountered when the creation
of the Department of Commerce and Labor,
with its bureau of corporations, was under
taken.
It will be remembered that at the outset
there was strong opposition from certain
railway and corporation quarters to the
legislation, and that later these very OPP
ponents entered into hearty accord with
the general plan Of legislation. 1t Is said
now that the controlling spirits in the great
trunk lines, with their allied systems. such
as the Pennsylvania, the New York Cen
trail, the Burlington. the Santa Fe ana the
Illinois Central, are indicating sympathy
With President Roosevelt's movement.
Favor the Spirit Of It.
These railway men. it is said, while not
agreeing with the President In the form OF
his suggestion, are inclined to favor the
spirit of it. In other words, while they
would not invest the interstate commerce
commission with the powers recommended
by the President, they do believe that the
time Is coming when some character VI
governmental regulation OF rates anu GAS
sifications must be provided. .,,,r
These railway men, it Is pointed out, tnim i
that the question of classification Is feanJ
as important. If not more so, tnan the ai-
bitration and regulation of rates. Ihat ls,
II is important to the railways, In the nrst
place, and highly important TO the snip
pers One of these railway officials, IN
letter to a prominent senator. clteo an III
A. .I,,eh I'M
by classification. A shipper of grain COM
planned that one Of his business rivals was
getting a better rate. over anotner Iodu
than he could obtain. 1t was round that
the road in question had given this rival
Shipper a special classification, filing copy
with the interstate commerce COMMISSION
but Withholding the same classification
from other shippers along the road
Will Not Oppose Legislation.
It is said that when the subject is taken
up by Congress along the line suggested
by the President the great railway mag
mates of the country will insist that II gov
ernmental regulation is to be imposed they
will not oppose it If the legislation Is en-
tered upon in a spirit of good Will toward
the railways as well as toward the snip
pers and If some of the evils of which the
railroads complain can be rectfhed as wen
as the abuses of which the shippers COM
plain.
The men at the head Of the great trunk
lines, it is said, the roads that are consld-
cred stable and permanent. and whose
properties are not affected by fluctuations
Of fictitious values in Wall street, do not
intend to take the position that they are
over or beyond the law, but are willing to
cooperate with Congress in the enactment
and enforcement of legislation remedying a
number of evils now admitted to exist In
the transportation systems Of the country.
Subject to Be Inquired Into.
The subject is certain to be gone into very
thoroughly by senators and representatives
during the coming recess between the short
session and the first session Of the next
Congress. Even If a congressional inquiry
is not authorized. although one is consid-
cred very likely, leading members of the
House and Senate committees say that they
will look into the subject during the sum-
mer, and be ready to take up the question
in earnest next December. For the present
the question Of railway rates and their reg
ulation by the government has put even
tariff revision in the background, and
statesmen at the Capitol are furnishing up
their stocks OF information upon the sub
ject.