Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-03
WILL SOUND KEYNOTE
Significance of Williams APP
pearance on the Stump.
CAUSE FOR COM Mt
HE rs EXPECTED TO BRING OUT
CLEARLY THE ISSUES.
Interest Felt Regarding the Position
He Will Assume Relative to Rail-
way Rate Legislation.

The announcement that comes from jack
/ son. Miss. that John Sharp Williams. the
| leader of the minority in the House OF Rep
resentatives will speak in the fall cam
paign In Virginia, and perhaps other states,
| is looked upon with interest by republicans
and democrats alike. as they expect that
| Mr. williams will do much to clear the at
mosphere in relation to the issues that are
| to be put to the front the state cleo
| lions.
There is a general belief that Mr.. Williams
will take stand on the subject of railroad
rate legislation that will make that the
| dominant issue, although his pronounced
Views of the tariff and the section of the
country that he represents make it very
sure that he will endeavor to press
tariff revision to the front. ..ere are many
men in and out of Congress who are won
dering what position Mr.. Williams will take
on rate legislation especially IN respect 10
the oft-repeated statement that important
increase of the powers of the interstate
commerce commission might result in do
ing away with separate cars In the south
for white and colored people.
The Prevailing Opinion.
But the opinion prevails that Mr.. Will
,liams viii be inclined to point out sufficient
amendatory rate legislation to make an is
sue from the viewpoint of the democrats,
at least. without approving any legislation
that would interfere with the policy that
exists throughout the south in carrying
white, and colored people in separate cars.
But in advocating any change In policy
in the fixing of railroad rates 1t is fully
understood that Mr.. Williams, as repre-
sentative of the south, will fsnd embarrass-
ment in advocating anything like the fixing
of rates on the cost of service or the adop-
ton of mileage rate, which are practically
the same, and which are being advocated
by Governor Cummins of Iowa and others.
because many of the southern seaboard
cities enjoy advantageous rates owing to
their favorable locations the coast where
they have water transportation.
Claim of Republicans.
Republicans also claim that it would be
impossible for Mr.. Williams to make any
political capital from such issue be-
cause OF the declared policy of the Presi-
dent, and because of the vigorous course
OF tie administration in prosecuting Chicago
meat packers charged with rate discrimina-
ton, as we'll as the action that has been
taken IN Congress looking to a complete in
vestigation of the questions involved in
the demand for rate legislation. The re-
publican House. they declare. promptly
passed the Esch-Townsend bill, and then
the Senate, with its proverhial conserva-
tism took the position that the whole SUBJ
ject should be carefully studied in order
that SO important a matter might not be
passed upon until every interest affected
might have an opportunity to be heard.
Following that determination the Senate
committee on interstate commerce proceed
ed to hold hearings and to invite practi-
cally everybody that cared to express an
opinion before it. Those hearings were con-
tinued until no one could claim that he
a n ling Mr.,
who was the leader of the agitation for rate
legislation, finally announced that he had
nothing more to offer and had no additional
witnesses to be called before the commit
tee. The, committee has been instructed to
bring In a bill when the next Congress
meets, and il. is said that every assurance
has been given that legislation will be
promptly enacted in the coming winter
Hard to Make an Issue.
With that record for the republicans to
stand on it is said that Mr.. Williams will
find 1t hard to carve out an issue on rate
legislation. If t-ere is to be such an issue it
is declared 1t cannot logically be made until
the republican Congress to meet next VIM
ter has adjourned without adequate action.
But. III spite of these facts 1t is expected
that Mr.. Williams will have great deal to
say on the stump about rate legislation.
Whatever he does say will be received with
the greatest interest and will doubtless be
taken up by democrats all over the coIn-
try and put forward with the utmost force
that can be commanded by the democratic
speAbinders.