New-York tribune., 1905-02-21
NO RATE LEGISLATION.
THE TIME TOO SHORT.
President Content to Wmt Till
Special Session of Congress.
GFRoM TIE TRIBUNE BUREAU

lFRCh TIE TRIBUNE BUREAU.1
washington, Feb. 20.-There will be no raj
road rate legislation at this session of Con-
eress. The President appreciates this fact. and
he further understands that it would be a physi-
cal impossibility for the Senate intelligently to
legislate on this complex subject at this session,
ana is content TO let the matter rest until the
special sessicn he purposes to call next October
Incidentally the President doubtless feels that
public sentiment has become educated so rapidly
to the desira bilty of legislation OF this charac-
ter that delay will only serve to strengthen the
demand. and make it possible to secure and fo~
Congress to enact a mora comprehensive and
adequate measure than would be possible in the
rush Of the present session.
The situation has not changed since February
Z, which date The Tribune printed a Wash
ingtoE dispatch containing the above informa-
tion. but the circulation of contrary and
founded reports seems to make it's reiteration
necessary.
To-morro the Senate Committee on Inter
state Commerce will make attempt to re-
port the Kean resolution declaring the inability
Of the Senate TO deal with the question at this
session and authorizing a subcommittee to con-
slider the subject in the recess Of Congress. 1t is
possible, however. that a favorable report on
the resolution may be deferred somewhat. as
there are some members of the committee who,
while they fully appreciate the facts, hesitate
frankly to declare them.
AS has already been pointed out in these dis
patches, there are a number of evils for which
the Townsend Esch bill fails to provide reme-
dies. 1t is the desire of those who sin
Cerey i'm favor of remedial legislation that when
a law is placed on the statute book it may be as
comprehensive and as perfect as human wisdom
can devise The subject is a complex one, and
no one would be more pleased than those who
at heart oppose any remedy for existing evils to
see a law enacted which would fall before the
Judgment Of the Supreme Court-a not unusual
fate of legislation dealing with intricate sub
jects which is rushed through Congress in the
closing hours of session under the spur of
popular demand
IT may be asserted with absolute confidence
that some of the best minds in the Senate Will
be devoted to the perfection of remedial legisla-
ZION OF this character in the recess that the De-
partn1ent OF Justice viii also carefully study the
subject. and that the outcome will be sane, eff
fective and comprehensive legislation by the
next Congress.
II IS noteworthy that those who appreciate
most thoroughly the inability Of the Senate to
deal with this subject at this session of Congress
arc the very Senators on whom the President
win have most 10 rely to pass Legislation which
win carry INTO effect his recommended tions when
the proper time comes There are some who de-
sire to enact any sort of a law to satisfy popu-
lar cIarnor. but they are not the who will
devote their energies TO the enactment of a COM
retent law. which Will remedy existing evils
and can be neither evaded defeated in the
courts,