Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-15
Feeling in Congress as to
Railway Rate Legislation.
MUST MEET DEMAND
MIR. CANNON REALIZES THE PUB
Lie DESIRE.
1t is Thought That Only Conserva-
tive Bill Can Be Passed-Tariff
Stand-Patters Are Confident.

Sta0Q-faLLcTS ARE SCIuuShl
Representative Cannon, next Speaker OF
the House of Representatives, arrived in
Washington yesterday afternoon, and with
his coming the plans of the next Congress
are beginning to take more definite shape
Primarily II seems assured that some sort
of railroad rate legislation is to be en-
acted. While Mr.. Cannon declines to dis
cuss just what Congress may or may not
do along this particular line 1t lis known
that he realizes the necessity on the part
of Congress to meet the demand of the gen.
eral public for remedial railroad rate leg
islation. With the next Speaker. in this
frame of mind, and the strongest leaders
in the House determined to push a con-
servative bill for railroad rate control, the
polcal forecasters are having very little
trouble In predicting the result.
Sentiment in Congress.
1t is remarkable that nearly every mem
Der of Congress now in Washington, while
processing a. personal belief in the efficiency
of the existing laws affecting interstate
commerce and the control of rates, declares
at the same time. that the demand of the
people will make additional legislation nee
esssry. Tire voters have idea that dis
eliminating rates are the result of insult
ficient laws. Many members of Congress
declare that if the present laws are kept
in full force the railroads will be bound
to quote equal rates to all They have stud
ted the situation, or at least they say they
have, and they argue from a practical point
of view. They aScribe the popular demand
for remedial legislation to the ignorance of
the general public as to the scope of the
existing. laws
Representatives Cushman of Washington
and Minor of Wisconsin arrived in town on
the same train with Uncle Joe. and
whether they were converted while on the
way from their western homes matters
not; suffice it that they thoroughly agree
with the position which ii is known mas
been assumed by the next Speaker. Rep
resentative Burton of Ohio has expressed
similar views. and Mr., Burton is looked
upon as one of the leaders of the party in
the next Congress.
Conservative Legislation Likely.
What has become known as the admin
istration bill" which represents the more
radical views of the President concerning
railroad rate legislation, is going to have
a hard row to hoe. The opposition in the
House will be general, while in the Senate
it will be strenuously opposed by such men
as Senator Foraker Senator Elkins and
others of equal force and influence 1t
is open question to whom will be dele
gated the Senate leadership in the fight for
the administration. But whoever it is, he
will find the strongest men in the Senate
opposed to any radical action. Mr. Cannon
Is thoroughly alive to this situation and
those closest to him declare he will see to
1t that whatever bill Is reported by the
House will be mild and comforting COM
promise between the people and the cor
porations, conserving to both their rights
and assuring equal treatment to all.
S+apJ Do ot4arc rop6da,+
So much for railroad rate legislation AS
to the prospect of tariff revision the
stand -patters" are still confident that they
can avoid any legislation not thoroughly
In sympathy with their views Uncle Joe
has not seen. or heard of anything out in
Illinois during the summer which would
lead him to change the position which he
took in the last session.
Although he declined positively today to
discuss the probable effect of the Presi-
dents order regarding the purchase of sup
plies for the Panama canal in foreign mar
kets, ii is known that he adheres to his al
ready expressed belief that this evil of
lower prices for export than for domestic
use can be reached and remedied by other
legislation, and that no tinkering with the
tariff is necessary.
Selling in Foreign Markets.
why this talk of American goods being
than prevail in this country is a grand
and glorious Illusion" remarked Represent
ative Cushman, who came In on the same
train with Speaker Cannon. II am from
a town on the Pacific coast-Tacoma-and
we have had occasion to give this ques-
ton much study. There are some \Ameri-
can goods sold abroad cheaper than at
home, but they comprise about one-thirtieth
of l per cent of the total manufactures
Remember that, one-thrtieth of 1 per
cent. That isn't going to hurt anybody
and probably it will do American trade
more good by establishing a market for
American goods.
Another thing we can buy In this coun-
try many English manufactured products
cheaper than they can be purchased in Eng
land. And England is the great free trade
country. How do you account for that?
tell you the trouble is not with the tariff
Tariff tinkering will not help the situation
a bit. We win have to remedy the con-
dition, provided we think it needs remedy
ing, in some other manner"
Chinese to Be Ignored.
AS to Chinese exclusion, the coming Of
so many members of Congress has resulted
in the opinion that this subject will not be
touched upon during the next session The
consensus of opinion is that the boycott
has worn itself out and that the Presidents
order affecting the administration of tho
immigration laws, in so far as they affect
the Chinese. has allayed the rufied feel
ings of the Chinese merchants and stu
dents who thought they had been mistreat-
ed by the American officials. Among the
republican leaders there Is an idea that
the laws relating to general immigration
may be altered to some extent, but as far
as the Chinse are concerned it Is not prob
able that anything will be done.
Mr.. Cannon Sees the President
Mr.. Cannon was one of the Presidents 8
callers today. He met half a company of
newspaper men before going In, and gave
them an emphatic renewal of his assur-
ances that he didn't know thing, either
for publication or otherwise He was Just
a plain member of the House, running
around doing chores for the constituents of
his district, and he hadn't had time to think
of the legislation that is awaiting the conn
ing Congress. He wanted to know If the
newspaper men had decided just what kind
of rate legislation bill would go through;
what sort of revenue legislation was need
ed to cure deficit, If there should be one,
and what sort of a treaty would be nego-
tiated with Germany.