Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-11-08
FROM WASHINGTON,

mont write me down as an
.,.rmist. but really it is time that
.he American people and their
representatives in Congress, gave
;n,ellioent consideration To few
t.c,s that they are facing. We
L.ro been having a little good old
fashioned Democratic doctrine
from Senator Morgan, of Alabama,
within the past few days on the
question of the rights of the States,
n connection with this railroad
rate legislation that Roosevelt is
bound to have if he can in any
way force Congress To give it 10
him Not satisfied with the Gar
ike power that as Chief Executive
If the nation he now holds over
corporations, he is bending his en-
ergies to extend that power SO a.
IN absolutely control the railroad
corporations of this country. Con-
troll them for political purposes too
and for nothing else.
The days of Jeffersonian sim
plicity have given away TO those
Of paternalism and Capitalization,
and neither of these are consistent
with the DemOcrrtic doctrine of
Jefferson and the earlier leaders
of the Democratic party We
have always been against that sort
of thing, and hold that the govern
ment should be as close 10 the peo-
ple as possible instead of being
centralized in a number of bureaus
under autocratic control in Wash
ington. There is hardly a bureau
in the United States Government
today that is free of scandals of
greater or less degree, and if
another bureau. having the power
of life or death over communities,
should be established with all It's
political possibilities. the death
knell of popular government would
be rung. This railroad rate fixing
proposition is merely the entering
wedge. Roosevelt now wants con-
troll Of the great life insurance
companies, and the Lord knows
they need control somewhere. but
from the fact that they were big
contributors to Mr.. Roosevelt's
campaign fund, it is readily to be
seen that the control would also
be used for political purposes.
Commissioner Garfield wants
federal licenses for all corporations
doing an interstate business. which
would not only be all the Trusts
from which the people suffer
today. but it would also bring all
the manufactures in the country
under the control of the bureau
which would naturally be convert
ed into one immense political ma
chine. 1t is possible, of course.
that under such men as Washington
and Jefferson this Capitalization
would not be an injury to the
country, but as Dean Rogers of
Tale said, there may be man i'm
the White House whose intentions
may not be so good, whose pur-
poses not so honest"
lind good deal of feeling among
Democrats generally against this
attempt at Capitalization, who Just
~ fear Its possible effects, and who
can see beyond the fact that the
country is suffering from abuses in
railroad management, abuses that
believe might readily be correct
ed under existing laws if the
authorities at Washington cared
TO enforce these laws. But as
nave previously pointed out, when
ever an attempt is made TO enforce
the laws to their full extent, polit-
lcal pressure is brought to bear
which utilities those efforts.
Democratic counsel retained by
the President unearthed abuses il
the Santa Fe, but when it touched
tne sacred person of Secretary
Morton, President Roosevelt i'm
medlately called them off. Tha
autocratic decree simply serves t.
snow how centralized bureau
might and will operate to the dis
advantage of the common peopl,
whenever corporation s interests
'nat have been liberal in campaign
vonIrlputlons, are touched on
'clder spot, lfthat state of thing
eA'StS today, what would it be witt
Vie extraordinary power conferre,
upon the Commission, who coul,
Vi complaint declare every railroa,
rate In the United States to be un