Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-12-09

have awakened to the fact that
 they are facing a momentous
 issue. Senator Elkins, chair man of the senate committee on inter- state commerce, declares that govern ment regulation of railway rates is "the greatest legislative problem with which congress has had to deal in for ty years" The fact that President Roosevelt makes this the first question which he treats in his annual message shows how important he regards the proposed step.
 The battle will be in the senate. The overwhelming majority by which the house passed the Esch-Townsend bill at the last session-326 to 17-indicates that there will be no fight worth men tioning in that body. The Eseh-Town- send bill, with certain amendments, has been reintroduced and will doubt less become the house measure. It will then be up to the senate, and in that body will take place struggle the like of which has not been seen for many moons.
 A Vital Matter.
 The issue. in a word, is as to whether or not the power. to fix rates shall be given to the interstate commerce com mission or some similar administrative body. There are minor details. of course, but conceded on all sides that they could oe compromised. The placing of the rate making power in the government is the bone of conten- tion. It is vital matter; how vital the present generation perhaps does not realize. It is fundamental. being the difference between private control and public control. However yelled or befogged, this remains the chief con tention. Stripped of all side issues, the question is simple, Has the nation the right to regulate transportation tolls? However complicated or mysterious the details of rate making may appear. the issue itself is plain and clear. It transcends any mere question as to whether freight schedules are too high or too low or even as to whether there is discrimination or fayoritism. All these things are involved, but they do not constitute the crux of the matter. That turns upon the sovereign power of the United States over It's common carriers. Having got this one point fixed, 1t is possible to wade into the labyrinths of the subject without los ing ones bearings. Before the aver age lay mind tackles c matter so mys- terious as the modern railway rate some such precaution is necessary.
 One other thing is clear, that the rail- road question Is interwoven with that of the industrial trusts. The Standard oil agitation and the beef trust trials showed that. These two concerns were built up largely on the rebate. The same is true of practically every other trust that ships or receives produce. co that in taking up the freight rate matter the president seems to have got at the tap root of the whole trust plant. This makes the issue before congress fundamental in more senses than one.
 More Publicity Advocated.
 Another point is fairly plain-conced ing the abstract proposition that the government has the right to fix rates, then what Is the real evil at which this proposed legislation Is aimed? Is it not this very giving of rebates, discrimina- lion, unequal treatmenti There seems no very general complaint that freight rates are too high. But there Is general complaint of favoritlsm. Attorney Gen