Evening journal., 1905-05-26
RESULT OF PROBE
IN FREIGHT RATES
Demonstrates Impossibility
Of a Single Commission to
Adjust Tariffs
THAT IHESTAND OF Fairbanks
81 WnIIam VOC smith.

/ ltellgently ana patiently Investigated
the whole question of railroad rates
when this matter came before the
committee near the close Of the lasl
session of Congress, by the passage OF
the Esch-Townsend bill, the commit
tee was severely criticised because II
would not at once report the bin tc
the Senate, but now IL is apparent thai
the committee acted wisely and fol
the best interests OF the whole coun.
try
No conclusions have been reached
/ by the committee, but the people of the
country are now possessed of a large
amount Of valuable information thai
they did not have when the investiga-
tion began.
RESULT OF THE INVESTIGATION
The investigation has demonstrated
the utter impossibility of a single COM
mission to adjust freight rates ovei
such a wide extent Of territory, where
the interests are so diversified and ir
many cases so antagonistic. Second
that to attempt such a thing would put
a sudden end to railway extensions. fol
capitalists will not put their money-in-
to enterprises they cannot control
Third that the wonderful develop
ment and growth of the fruit ard berry
industries has been very largely due
to the facilities furnished by the pri-
vate car lines for the shipment and
care Of the fruit and berries. There is
no profit in cultivating fruit and ber-
ries unless the product can be market
ed
Until the advent of the private re-
frigeratOr car lines the crop that could
be marketed was very limited. Re-
frigerator cars. prompt transportation
ample icing facilities placed the fruit
In the market in good condition. This
created an increased demand and the
business grew.
1t was also developed that the fruit
growers and shippers We're not COM
planning, and that the feeling against
the private car lines was wholly a
manufactured product to serve the
ends Of a few who did not do business
with the car lines. The public has
been made aware Of this and the peo-
pie will soon wonder at the tempest
they helped to create.
Speaking of this investigation leads
Ito another thought Before it began
many papers were disposed to deal
rather harshly with Senator Elkns
chairman of the committee. because he
was known to be interested in rail-
roads. All are now willing to give
him due praise for the fair candid and
impartial manner in which the inves-
tigation has been conducted. He has
given earnest evidence that he was
seeking after the truth, that the COM
mittee and the public might be en-
Heightened.
THAT FAIRBANKS INKSTAND.
We have another instance Of how a
tempest may be raised in a teapot A
news item went out from Washington
TO the effect that Vice President Fair
banks has purchased at the expense OF
the government a $500 inkstand for
his room at the Capitol and that when
his time of service should expire. he
would claim the inkstand as SOU
venir. Correspondents grew witty
editors became severe, and the public
waxed wrathy, while the news gatherer
who first flung the item to the breeze
laughed.
The facts are, the Vice President has
not purchased an inkstand. but the
secretary of the Senate. in refurnishing
the Senate chamber and the rooms
connected with it, bought the inkstand,
that the Vice Presidents room might
be I'm harmony with the others. and
that it did not cost $500 nor one-half
Of that sum-
So the correspondents have wasted
their wit, the editors their severity and
the people their Indignation. Davy
Crockett once advised his impetuous
friend "Be sure you are right and then
go ahead" The moral is obvious.
ROE, THE SILVER PlLER.
In the Treasury Department there is
employed colored man who entered
the department for a service of three
months just thirty-eight years ago
This man is James ID. Roe, and none
of the employees is held in higher es-
teem Roe has a record in some re-
spects that has never been equalled
He is the champion Silver piler" OF
the Treasury. Every time a change is
made i'm the heads OF any of the sub
treasures clerks from the department
here are detailed TO make a count OF
the money transferred from the out
going to the incoming treasurer.
In nearly every instance Roe is
chosen to accompany the party and
pile up the bags Of silver to be count
ed. His record as a "piler" was made
LAT the recent change Of offices at New
York. In one day he piled up three
thousand bags Of silver, one thousand
silver dollars being in each bag. The
weight Of the entire piling on this day
was ninety tons.
Roe recalls many interesting Incl
dents connected with the Treasury
during his term Of service. "One day
said he, when General Spinner was
lat his summer camp up the Potomac
with a party of friends they saw a boat
coming, being rowed as fast as the
oarsman could row it. Cashier Whelp-
ley was at the stern. and all were GER
tain something out Of the ordinary had
happened. So it proved. The cashier
came TO report the theft of $4,000
from the vault. A party OF visitors
armed with the proper credentials, had
been admitted TO the strong rooms and
after they had departed IL was found
that a package of notes was missing
II was never recovered"
As Manager Chase Of Washington
vaudeville theatre sat at his desk one
afternoon this week the telephone con-
Meeting with the box Office rang and
the ticket seller asked: shall I ac-
|cept the check Of Theodore Roosevelt
for hox?' The reply was favorabls
OF course. and that same evening Miss
Alice Roosevelt and a party Of friends
occupied the box and enjoyed the pro-
gram
THAT inquory from the box offie'
may have sounded strange" said Man.
.agar Chaaa uhut WHOM | onenod I'll.