Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-04-21

existed. Tt is estimated by the rail-
road LOBBYISTS. who have already come
to Washington with the hope OF pro-
tecting their clients, that the free com
petition of steamship companies of the
Panama railway will result in the low
ering of freight rates between New
York and San Francisco, via Panama.
from So a ton, the rate now charged,
to 81 "a ton. Passenger rates. it IL
claimed, Will be lowered from $l15 to
500, meals included. or course the
railroads will still com mand the situa.
ton where time is factor, but with
freight which demands no haste and
with passengers who are willing to
take their time, the Panama route will
prove the favorite unless the railroads
lower their rates to accord with the
new water rate. The capacity of the
Panama railway will also be limited
but it has been decided to double the
track which will somewhat offset that
factor.
The railway lobbyists maintain that
it will plunge their clients into bank
ruptcy to meet these rates. They do
not say, however, that this would be
the case only because OF the extent to
which the railway stock has been wat
cred. Nevertheless, there will be
strong pressure brought to bear on the
President to take some step which will
save the pampered railways from the
effects of fair competition and there Is
no doubt it will require great moral
strength on the part of the President
to resist. If the President proves in
vulnerable then the lobbyists will turn
their attention TO Congress and it is
entirely possible that in that quarter
they may prove successful. Ii, how
ever, the President and the Congress
prove true TO the interests of the peO-
pie the railways will doubtless be COM
PEELED materially to lower their trans
continental transportation rates.
The people of the United States are
not the only ones who have suffered
from the monopoly OF the trans isthm
ian line, as is shown by the protest of
seven South American ministers who
have filed protest with the State De-
partment against the renewal of con
Tracts with South American steamship
lines which they claim have been rob
bling the people Of their respective
countries.
AprOpos of the railway question,
considerable interest attaches to the
hearings which are to be given on the
subject OF railway legislation by the
Senate Committee on Interstate Com
merce, OF which Senator Elkins. OF
West Virginia, is chairman. The men,
bers of this committee are Senators
Elkins, Cullom. Aldyich, kean, Dol
liver, Foraker, Clapp, Willard, Till
man, McLaurin, Carmack, Foster, Of
Louisiana, and Newlands. The first
OF the meetings called to deal with this
su bject under authority of special
Senate resolution, will occur next
Monday and it Is expected that they
will be held almost continuously for
several months. or the above mem.
bership, Senator Aldrich is still in Eu-
rope, Willard is in Nebraska and Till
man is ill at bis home in South Caro-
Ida, although it is hoped he will be
able to attend and Sena. or Willard will
probably return to Washington before
long.
1t is generally expected that as re.
suit of these hearings the committee
| will report some form of railway legis
lation TO the senate as soon as tnat
body conYenes, although those familiar
with the attitude ana affiliations OF b
| ma ority of the committee expect that
any measure which will be reported
| will prove either Insufficient to accom-
plish the desired end or, and this il
more likely, will be 80 drastic as tC
prove unconstitutional when submitted
to the Supreme Court. IL will remain
| therefore for the real friends of the
| President and of railway rate reform
to amend the bill on the floor of the
Senate until it assumes q form both
practical and adequate. The next ses
sion of Congress will prove an unusual.
| ly interesting one. Great interests OF
the public will be at stake, no one oil
more importance than this one of rail
way rate regulation, and the attitude
and votes of every member of bOtt
houses will be. or should be scrutiniZed
closely by their constituents.