Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1905-02-16
Railroad Regulation.

led to believe that the grand stand
play which President Roosevelt ID
making for the regulation of the
railroad by the federal government,
is a new departure in American
political history. As a matter Of
fact the idea is an ancient one,
and although we have had 45 years
of republican domination we are
no nearer to o consumation of the
project than ever.
In 1856 we had a democratic
house Of representatives and de-
mocratic president, and congress
sional regulation of Interstate rail-
roads was the subject OF discus
sion during the entire four years oil
the first Cleveland administration.
The great democratic senator,
Reagan OF Texas, then congress-
man, was the champion of the mea-
sure in the house. Mr. Reagan
drafted bill identical with the
very principles of legislation which
president Roosevelt is recommend
ing now. The Reagan bill passed
the democratic house of representa-
tives. 1t then went to the repub-
lican senate, where the republican
railroad attorney senators struck
out ali but the enacting clause and
substituted for it a regulation bill
which was approved by the rail
road corporations. This measure
was substituted by Senator Cullom,
Of Illinois, and it was returned to
the house, and the democratic
house again struck out all except
the enacting clause and substituted
the Reagan bill. The Reagan bill
went to conference where the demo-
Gratis found it impossible to get any
legislation at all unless they would
accept the Cullom bill, and after a
prolonged wrangle the democrats
of the house finally yielded to the
republican senate and agreed to &C
cept the Cullom bill as short step
in the right direction. This is a
historical statement of fact.
In all the long years Of republi-
can supremacy since that time the
republican party has made no effort
to relieve the country Of the evils
complained of at that time, al
though these evils have been in
creasing at rate which has since
attracted the attention of the en-
tire country. With all due desire
to give President Roosevelt credit
for sincerity in his present attitude
there are substantial reasons for
believing that he is only making a
grand stand play to the galleries
by posing as popular hero. The
railroad and manufacturing inter-
ests nominated and elected him.
He has been the beneficiary of cor
porate favors from the time he
first took the oath Of office as presi-
dent of the United States. The
railroad in particular have furnish
ed him with special trains for the
purpose of carrying him over the
country two years ago, and he
never travels to and from Wash
ington and his home without a
special car or a special train. Har.
riman, the head of the great North.
ern Securities trust, went to the
republican national convention as
the head of the New York delega-
tion boosting for the nomination Of
Roosevelt, and contributed to the
republican campaign fund to secure
his election. The Hartman rail
road interests have since been am
ply rewarded by special legislation
which gives them an absolute mon
oply of all the carrying trade be-
tween the U. s. and the Philippine
Islands. Another Hartman inter.
est, the Pacific Mail Steamship Co.
has today an absolute monopoly o.
the carrying trade between thu
Panama railroad and the Pacific
ports of the U. s., although the U
s. government now owns 9S pei
cent. Of the stock of the Panama
railroad, which was included in tn,
purchase of the Panama cana
enterprise from the French com
pany. The Hartman interests ar,
also the beneficiaries of legisla
ton just enacted, and which
President Roosevelt signed only
last week, which guarantees
TIM TT g rvovororo mont ~ nov fop,