Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1905-01-20
RATE WAR IS NEAR.

Walter Wellman, correspondent tor the Chi
cago Record Herald, is writing some very read
able stuff about things at Washington and
sending it the Record Herald He is keeping
tab on the position of the various leading mem.
be1s of both houses of congress as regards the
proposed railroad rate legislation. Mr.. Well
mans Republicanfsm cannot be questioned, so
what he says has no little weight. Last Friday
Record. Herald contains one of Mr.. Wellman's
interesting letters, from which we cote the
following paragraphs:
cit looks a little peculiar when congress.
mau who tor years has been able to keep his seat
only through the consent of the general coun-
sci of western railroad suddenly blossoms out
as the author of railroad rate reform measure.
1t looks queer when the aforesaid general coun.
sci comes to town and puts up at the Arlington
Hotel, and, within twenty-four hours, nearly
all of the representatives from his state troop,
one after another, into his room. Of quite the
same sort is a similar incident when the chief
counsel for big railway from an adjoining
state comes to town, and not only the repre-
sentatives, but the senators, from that common
wealth feel called upon to desert their pleasant
evening 6resides and visit the railway lawyer.
As time wears on, it may be necessary to be
little more definite in describing some of these
incidents and episodes.
''Veterans and long.headed public men who
have been through the railway legislation mill,
and who know from sad experience what few
score smart railroad lawyers in and out of the
halls of congress can do when they think it
important to get busy, smile smile or two
when they hear of the confidence of President
Roosevelt that he is going to win out in this
contest with the roads. They have heard such
talk before. And more than once have they
discovered that when the oudly-heralded law
came out of the legislative machine, it was not
worth the paper it was written on. II SINH.
lar outcome is 10 be avoided in this affair, some
one will have to be eternally vigilant.
"That the most of the railroads are against
him the President is we'll aware. Now and
then there is progressive and broad minded
railway manager, like President Cassatt, of the
Pennsylvania, who talks reasonably of the out
look, and does not threaten to use his power
against the Presidents policy. His views are
we'll known. He is willing to give the COM
mission the power to make rates if congress
will give tie railroads the power to pool their
earnings. President Roosevelt is not opposed
to pooling. He admits the time may come,
and come speedily, when congress will be will
ing to legalize an equitable division of earn
ings. But he is unalteraby opposed to having
it put in the pending measure.
"The immediate outlook is for a battle-a
battle in which the President fights in the open
and the railways, with scores ct senators and
representatives lurking in their train, fight
covertly, adroitly, with arti6ce and indirection.
(Which side is to gain the victory? 1t may
take year or more to find the answer, and af-
ter that, another year or more to ascertain if
the supreme court of the United States will sus-
tain the law which congress is expected to pass"