The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-19
ROADS CONFIDENT
| AS TO RATE LAWS
See Menace Of Government Own
ership Issue as Means to Dis
\. Ss%Ss arm Roosevelt. -
BY w. W, Jermane. >,

-
Washington, Nov. 1S.-One fact looms
larger on the railroad rate horizon at
this time than any ether, and it is that
there will be- no compromise between
the president and the railway world
looking toward legislation which both
can consistently accept. e.
1t will be a fight to finish before
the senate and the railroads, from pres
ent indications, which of course may
ehange as the fight RTogresSSes; tSst ba Tas
will win, defeating the plan of the
president to have the interstate COM
merce commission clothed with power
to name rate and have it go imme-
Giately into effect.
Stories have appeared in newspapers
of late suggesting that there might be
compromise. Several Of these stories
have even gone SO far as to say that
selected to notify the president of the
compromise offer and urge him to ac-
cept it.
All such stories, however, are mega
tived by the simple fact that the presi-
dent has had no word that any such
plan was on foot, and further, that it
is not his intention to compromise what
he regards as moral issue.
One Point of Difference.
Reduced to it's lowest terms, the rail-
road issue for months has presented but
one point Of difference between the
president and the railway managers.
Everything except this single point the
railways have long been ready to con
cede.
This point, the crux Of the entire sit
uation, is whether new rate named by
the commission shall 90 into immediate
effect.
The president insists that this point
is essential to any legislation that viii
be at all satisfactory. On this point
Il others, he teeis that he could no.
yield. -
| The railroads also regard this as the
crux. The bill around which the rail
road interests of the senate will finally
d" contain everything the presi
dent demands, save this thing only TIL,
president s bill will contain this add
tion+ to other things. And it is alons
this lime that, the9 fight wall be waged
| rltri is the belief of the railroads thai
they will defeat the president s bill. Al
ready count of noses has been made
and on that count the prediction is mad
by the railroad experts that the bill i
doomed
This prediction is made with so muc]
confidence as to carry conviction il
many disinterested quarters.
After Defeat, What?
"But after the presidents s bill ha
been, defeated-then what9' Thi
question has also been considered il
railway circles, and an answer that i
entirely satisfactory to the roads ha
been reached. s'
1t is believed by the great corporal
powers that are. now opposing the presi
dent;;that the defeat. Of the! president
plan in congress this winter, andYagail
in the short session Of q Wear hence
will probably precipitate presidential
struggle in 1908, with the governmen
ownership of railways as perhaps tn
chief issue. Z
The vote this year in Chicago an
| New York are fngerboards pointing i
that directon, and refusal of the. ser
ate ito: comply with the president s re
Quest would mo doubt give the issu
increased momentum.
Bryan is now abroad studying munit
ipalsand national ownership. and tn
party in, 1908, will be committed t
some government ownership issue whic
i. he will state upon his return home.
. All this, the railroads are willing t
concede. EAnd they say with niue
composure, that the bulk of the peopl
of the country may always be depende
Upon to support d moderately conserv:
tive, platform as against one that i
ultra radical. The Bryan campaign G
1896 is pointed to as proof of ths
statement.
Bryan-or it may be Hearst-wi
in 1908 lead the rabble of the countr
on an ultra radical issue, they say. Jus
as Bryan led it in 1896, and appeal WI
be made by the conservatives to the IL
telligence of the voters in the sma
towns and in the country districts-i
: short, to voters outside the big center
of population.
This appeal, it is claimed, has :neve
been made in vain, and it will be mad
, as successful in 1908 as it has been o
former occasions,
The Railway View of the Future.
!, This outline of the railway view o
! the future may be accepted as accul
ate: 1t is presented exactly as 1t cam
from a man who is entitled to speak fo
the interests he represents. 1t is tn
views of Senator Elkins, Of Senate
: Foraker, of President Spencer. OF tn
Southern system, of James ). Hill @
the Great Northern and Northern Fac
:. ic-it is the view of the combined OF
position to the president, and it ma
3 prove to be the correct one, for II, l
7 presidential campaign, the ultra rae
icals were united in some such man a
BRYAN or Hearst, running on plattorl
demanding government ownership Q
railways, many of the more promlnen
forces which are now standing with tn
j. president would feel CONSTRAINED to SUI
port some moderately conservative car
Z didate running on moderately colsel
vative platform. ~,
ho hon
+. ferent from what it is now and 1T
: almost certain that the president hln
self would openly oppose. the govern
l ment ownership idea.
: Nothing that President Roosevelt ha
!: ever said has indicated that he favo
l q such ownership. On the other hant
he is on record as opposed to 1t Q
!, principle. His present attitude ha
: nothing whatever to do with sue
r ownership, but, obviously, the defes
Z of his policy would make ownershi
e an issue. - .
!; Roads May Feel Secure.
d Feeling, therefore, that they coul
e with certainty rely upon the sobe
t minded voters Of the country to say
: them from the logical effect Of the ste
|,they are about to take; the railroa
Interests may we'll feel all the more s.
icrre in taking that step. Hence, the
determination not to accept the pres
dent s position, but to defeat him
y the senate. There is no room anywhel
J for compromise. either on the part {
the president, or on the part of TT
railways.
Everything that the president d
+ mands, save the one point only OF
4 rate going Immediately into effect, WI
!. be conceded. For either side to co,