New-York tribune., 1905-11-18
RAILWAY RATE FIGHT.
PRESIDENT Has WON 1T.
Legislation Practically Assured on
Lanes Laid Dozen By Dir. Kno.c.
EFrom The Tribun. Bureau. ]

Washington. Nov 1.-THE President has
practically won his fight for railway rate iegis-
/ iation, according to certain prominent members
! ol ooth houses of Congress. who have al
ready reached Washington It is predicted by
! some of the more influential Senator'S that the
upper house where the greatest opposition was
expected will. with reasonable expedition. enact
| a measure which will prove satisfactory to the
| President. and It is largely 10 Senator Knox
! that this condition of affairs is attributed
| Senators regard his speech on the subject de-
| livered at Pittsburg. OF November 9 as a mas
terpiece OF logical and legal argumen-.
It appears, moreover, that number of the
more influential Senators have been in close
| touch with Mr.. Knox in course of the recess Of
! Congress and that they have arrived at certain
important conclusions the subject They now
assert their conviction that the legislation OUT
| lined by Mr. Knox. which is known to be
precisely what the President advocates in his
| message, will prove both constitutional and
| salutary. They convinced that the railway
| interests have become unreasonably panicky on
the subject. but that their fears are groundless;
! that the anticipation is proving infinitely more
! injurious than will the working of the law itself;
that there exists no little danger in the panicky
| apprehension entertained by the holders OF ran
road securities and doubtless encouraged oy lhe
| management of certain railroads, out lh't q
speedy enactment Of the law advocated oy lie
President will serve to allay this needless alarm
| and to prove to the railway interests that their
! fears are unwarranted and groundless.
SENATE READY TO ACT
! Moreover the Senate appears to nave become
| sensitive to the popular impression 1hdl II a.
Uavs proves an obstacle to Legislation ue'iaiiN'O0
by the people and, according to Senators "io'0
| views are known the upper mouse "iil Aee
prepared to heed the Presidents recommends
! i1yyaIy T.
| all the expedtion compatible with earefut anu
! nainstalxing work of so important characteI'
| In some quarters the desire mas been eA-
~Dressed that Senator Knox should prepare 'he
! bill which is ultimately to become a law out l.
! IS doubtful if the Senator from FehisS Eeii
will yield to this wish Although ne &pple-
| oiates the compliment implied he is relueIaht -
assume even the important part Wh1ch ne mus.
| inevitably play result of his eAceptioiai
I-no.nd of the subject and his entire sym
| ro+bx with the views of the President lie re-
yards himself as a new Senator, and feels that
! If would be unbecoming for him to unoertaAe
| the preparation of measure which "oulo lh'Ne
t tts author famous. Nevertheless, he is SO gen
! ereIlv regarded in the Senate as the chaiipioi'
| Of railway rate legislation and the aoe apoS'io
| NJ the. Presidents doctrine that he VIII De un-
! able 70 escape a considerable snare OF lhe
credit.
| RESULT OF COMPROMISE IN IHf hND'
It is expected that numerous measures oe-
t signed TO put into effect the legislator adNo
| Gated bv the President will be Introduced III
! both Houses of Congress. aiz1 e.ist ti'F Hie
| ure as finally enacted will be the result OF
r,,n,ber of compromises and adjustments ana
| that II viii probably bear the name OF lhe
| chairman Of the Senate Committee on inter
| state Commerce, in accordance with tne Gus
| tom of both Houses of Congress OF pernll'tllls
| the chairman OF committee to introduce 4'3
measure which has been envolved from various
propositions and finally perfected in cornIlll''ee'
| or which having been reported py the coii'
| cramber. even though when finally enacteu ~, ~
| NAV bear no appreciabe resemblance 10 tie
| measure originally reported. 49, ,oh .
Of course 1t is not expected that sucn d
| measure can be passed without oppoS!lioli;
| Senator Foraker whose statement ptia.t pu'IiSin
| ON October 27 is regarded as by far the aDlest
orl ,Iroent against the proposed legislation IS
expected TO lead the opposition ana 1t ,,t Is De
| lieyed in some quarters that senior -, h,,t
| viii ioin the forces of the Ohio senator pII
| .ha+ the Presidents recommendations Will
! ultimately prevail and that victory ioi S,oI -
who will champion them is now ll,oss III snsnr Tho
| freely predicted by members OF Congress ~, Mto
| seldom err in their estimate OF a leglSla'i'e
| situation.
SUGGESTED LEGISLATIoN.
! It will be remembered that IN concluding his
i+tsb,,rg speech Senator Knox outlined the pro-
posed legislation in the following words;
| A very short and simple law would reach the
| roof of the trouble. 1t should provide that the
tolls collected by common carriers and the VI az
| ices pursued by them should be just, talT ana
reasonable. The power to determine these toIis S
and practices should rest with the railroads ana
not he interfered with except upon complaint
| and after full hearing before the Interstate
| Commerce Commission. :. :.
| The commission should have the power. II II
/ fnds the complaint well founded, TO declare
! what shall be a just fairly renluneratlVe ana
70 charged
fo1Ioyred in place of the declared 10 be un-
| reasonable ia +,t,o Of
ect W-t+hin such reasonable time shall be pre-
| scribad by the commission in the order, ana
/ should be final subject only to attack from un,
iauf,IIness in the federal courts, where II Wouiu
! h.1,a m stand or fall on its merits.
| Snch an act with suitable provision tor tne
| ree11Iafion of joint rates and rates upon ranc
| of international carriers, would so to Inc Lul
| extent of and no further than the recon1Tlenda-
| tfong made by the President in his last annual
message
Mr. Knox might have also added:
"In his forthcoming message"
It is possible that Congress may deem II wiser
/ 20 create body other than the Interstate Com
r,erce Commission 10 which intrust the mn
! nortant duties outlined above but that Wouid
not II is believed in anyway vitiate the prlhcl-
! pIe for which the President and Senator hiloA
contend.