Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-09-07
LONG DELAYED
The President Outwitted by the
Railroads..
CONGRESS- LIKELY TO DO LITTLE

Republican Politicians Cannot Be
Relied Upon to Regulate Rates or
Curb the Trusts-A Political Revo-
luton Must Prccede Reform Lcris-
lation.
Last winter President Roosevelt set
himself up as the regulator Of the rail
roads, the curber of trusts and the
champion OF tariff revision. The peo-
pie everywhere acclaimed him their
champion and are still looking to him
as their deliverer and leader. Since
that time there are signs that the presi-
dent has weakened on the strenuous
campaign he outlined against cor
porate aggression. His intention to
call congress together in extraordinary
session and recommend that body to
enact the necessary laws has been
abandoned, or at all events postponed
q concession to the railroads and
trusts. That this view of the presi-
dents nonaction Is not alone the way
the Democrats look at it is shown by
the fact that even such a stanch friend
Of the presidents policy as the Chicago
Tribune, through it's Washington bu-
reau, sums up the situation by saying:
Delay was the one thing asked for by
the railroad companies. When they Sc
cured an agreement from the president
that he would not all congress in extra
session before October, and possibly not
at all, the railroad managers believed
they had the battle half won. The vari-
Gus railroad managers who today are con-
tributlng money for the support of an in
dependent press bureau which is endeaV-
orlng to influence public opinion nave sent
out confidential advices to practically ev-
cry large railroad in the United States to
the effect that the president has changed
his foot and he is no longer convinced Of
the necessity OF railroad rate regulation
along the lines he laid down SO success
fully In his annual message to congress
last December. 1t openly LIS claimed by
other railroad officials that they nave sue
ceeded in throwing dust in the eyes of
the president and there Will be no lagis-
lation in the direction Of the absolute
regulation of railroad rates at the next
session Of congress-.
AS the Tribune is the great Repub-
AANUA oNIAOAAty VI NAC wS6L, IL 10 pTVU-
ably right in it's information Of the
Vaccinations and intrigue that have
accompanied Mr.. Roosevelt to prevent
him from action. But it is impossible
to believe that he did not understand
the reasons advanced for delay were
the stratagems of the enemy and that
If given time they could use their vast
3nQ,1onnn on1 rrA,1Al h. ls.a A. -
of enough Of the people to turn the tide
of battle.
If the fight Is lost against the plum
derers of the people President Roose-
welt will be to blame, for he had the
result of the campaign in his W
hands If he had called congress togeth-
er in early session. That would have
focused the public eye Oh their doings
and compelled them to take up the leg
islation they were specially called to-
gether to consider. To meet two or
three weeks before the time for the
regular session will be useless, as it
was last year. The time will be frit-
tered away, and the real work of the
session will be postponed, as usual, un-
I'll after the holidays.
The president may still be as strenu-
GUS as ever for the necessary legisla-
ton to control the railroads and revise
the tariff, but with all his power he
cannot hurry congress to action except
by calling it in special session at such
an early date that there would be moth
ing else to do but act on the presiden-
tial recommendations.
The president has made a great error
as a political tactician, and having ex-
cited the people to believe they would
attain relief their disappointment will
be great if they do not obtain it. The
crucial test, as President Roosevelt has
told us, is doing things" and his pop
ularity will be in the scale until he ac-
complishes what he set out to do. The
Republican party is SO ineXtricably in
yolved with the railroads, the trusts
and the tariff beneficiarieS that it is
perhaps an impossible task for any
Republican reformer to accomplish
anything Of moment. Probably moth
ing but defeat at the polls and the re-
tirement Of It's leaders to private lie
Will insure q reformation Of the Repub-
llcan party. Forty years of power have
debauched the Republican politicians,
md q reformer such as President
Roosevelt is looked upon as a danger
to their grating propensities.
As it looks now the president will
have more aid and assistance from the
Democrats than from the politicians of
his OWL party.
Another Scandal Brewing.