The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-12-28
IssuE is POLITICAL AND POPU-
LAR INFLUENCE IN REGU-
LATiON OF RATES.
Senator EIkins, for Roads, Would Bar
Executive From Direct Action
for People.


railroad evils has disclosed two very
different theories as to what ought to
be done. The president may be con-
sidered as standing for one theory,
while Senator Stephen B. Elkins and
some of the railroad presidents voice
the other.
One theory-and this is the one held
by Mr.. Elkins-is to remove all Ques-
tions touching railroad rates as far as
possible from political and popular
influence.
The other theory is to bring political
OF popular influence directly to bear
On all railroad questions and to carry
it out by the most efficient and expert
instrumentalities.
The president says he favors
change in the present law as to the
terms of Office Of the members of the
interstate commerce commission, so
that the commission would end it's off,
cial life at the end of each administra
ton. He believes that a new presi-
dent coming into Office should have the
power to appoint a complete new COM
mission if he so desired.
AmenabIe to President.
The object Of this plan is apparent;
the commission would become much
more amenable to the president. On
the other hand. the president would
be held to strict account by the people
for the way the commission did it's
work.
If a president were to be elected by
a campaign waged on the issue Of GER
tain railway abuses, and his promise
to correct them, he would be assured
of a commission entirely in sympathy
with his plans and purposes; and if
the administration failed to make good
its promises, it would be impossible
to seek shelter behind an independent
railway-regulative tribunal over which
he has no power.
The present interstate commerce
commission is not under the juris-
diction of any branch of the executive
department of the government. The
sioners expire one each year, and the
law which created the commission
says that the members are removable
only for failure to do their duties, in
capacity or malfeasance. Some en-
barrassing questions might arise if
president attempted to remove commits
sioners for personal or political rea-
sons, and resistance were attempted in
the courts. No president has ever at
tempted to exert authority over the
commission.
Change of Departments.
An attempt was made when the de-
partment of commerce and labor was
created to make the interstate COM
merce commission a bureau in that
department. This was resisted vigor-
ously by interests represented by the
boards of trade. This was presumably
the railroad rather than the shipping
interests. The opposition was success
full the president seeing that he would
be likely to lose the whole bill if he
persisted in this attempt That effort
is likely to be renewed in connection
wit hthe legislation now being agitated.
The Railroad View.
Opposed to this administration view
is the railroad view, which is that it
would be menace to the railroads and
all the commercial interests of the
country to place them at the mercy
of the people
What would happen to the railroads
II man like Tom Watson or Eugene
V. Debs were elected PRESIDENT" asked
Senator Elkins, when this proposition
was put to him. He voices the gen.
eral fear of the radical sentiment of the
country, if it should ever get into
power
What we want is to refer these
questions of railroad rates and all rail
road regulation to a tribunal which
would be absolutely removed from and
independent of popular clamor" Sen
ator Elkins continued They should
De settled by court which woulJ he
like the supreme court of the Jrnite6
states, appointed for life, and made I'm
CT men whose ability and reputation
Tor integrity would be absolutely
above suspicion. The matter of ROT,
ROAD rates or regulation never sboul,
be permitted to become a question Of
politics
But whatever remedy is worked ont
1eel that now is the time to take
up TINS question and settle it for good
II Is big question, and cannot be
SoiVed IN a moment. We must eo AZ :,
deliberately and must act only afto,
The most thorough investigation ana
consideration