The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-05-13
TAFTS PLAIN TALK
TO RAILWAY MEN.
Savannah News,

Secretary of War Taft talked to the
delegates to the International Rail-
way Congress at the banquet given
, BY the American Railway Association
on TUESDAY night on the question Of
government regulation of interstate
transportation rates in way they
couldn't misunderstood. He told them
that legislation in the direction indi-
Gated was coming. and that il would
be better for the railroads 10 consent
to II rather than oppose IL.
Ii IS ne doubt. the purpose OF the
administration to bring about such
regulation Nothing the president has
/. said since he sent his message to con-
gress in December has indicated that
his mind has undergone a change on
this subject. He said then that the
government must do something 10
: prevent. rebates and determinations,
/ and he said rs much in his speech at
| the Denver Chamber of Commerce
meeting on Tuesday. Secretary Taft,
who is close TO the president. SO close,
in fact, that he doesn't hesitate TO
speak for the administration on that
and other subjects in the presidents
absence, says government regulation
OF railway rates must come
1t is a question. of course, whether
or not the president can control the
senate The testimony that has been
taken thus far by the senate commit,
tee that is investigating the railway
rate subject indicates that it is the
purpose OF that committee TO report a
bill that will meet the wishes of the
railway companies rather than those
of the president. II that should prove
TO be the case the chances are thai
there would be d contest between TIE
+, president and the senate, because
\, there is no doubt that the president Is
going TO persist in demanding the rail
way legislation he wants. He is 20
ing to persist because he thinks the
government should exercise its author
lily 10 put stop to rebates and dis
ordinations and because he believe:
that IL is the wish of the people tha
! there should be some legislation.
\ Secretary Taft said that there wa.
no doubt there was danger of rebate:
. being granted and determinations be
ms ~ 0NCil II IlCiC OQkul u
he. he said, tribunal that would ap
ply the remedy for these evils. Rail
way men see the difficulties that ar
going to be encountered if the gov
eminent undertakes 10 make a maxi
mum or any other kind of a rate, and
hence. they are putting forth ever
4 possible effort to prevent the threat
ened legislation. AS matter of fact
they are planning to put stop to re
: bates and determinations by the sys
TEN of consolidation that is being pei
fected. The railways are now CONTROL
ed by a few men, ana in the half dozel
years the number will be much small
er than it is now. When that plan /
completed there viii undoubtedly com
,, demand that the government fix
maximum rate, because the consolidai
ed roads viii endeavor to get the higf
: est rate they can.
The railways claim the traffic rate
are lower in this country than in an
E other That may be true. but it is dI
: fcult to make the people believe the
E are The quickest and surest way Z
T make them believe il is for the go-
: eminent TO take a hand in maxim
: rates-or at least in making a max
mum rate.