Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-04-20
G. A. PRouTY FOR CONGRESS
Washington Despatch says He Will
Continue Fight aEaiust Railroads
In That Body.

brooklyn. --AarNs, Gor2,,.
n,crce Commissioner G. 4. Trouty. who
has been one of the most aggressive ad-
vocates Of federal regulation OF freight
charges. has informed his friends In
Washington that he will lsave the COM
mission return To his home in Vermont.
secure an election to the Congress and
continue his fight against the railroads
on the floor Of the House, saws a Wash.
ngton despatch to the Eagle.
HE has made up his mind to devote
his future to the correction of what hs
regards as one of :he gravest evils 1t
the day-the growing power of the rail.
roads.
1T is not known whether Mr.. Prouty
viii voluntarily retire from tn, ccmms-
sion or whether his intention to separate
himself from his present position is the
result Of hints from the White House
that the President would like 10 have his
resignation. Mr.. Frouty's term does not
expire for three years yet. SO II he leaves
tho commission he must either resign
or lie removed. 1t was intiinatcd pretty
stroraly a. few months ago that the
President intended to reorsaniGe the
present commission and that only one
member. Chairman Knapp, would be
retained. At that time Mr.. Prouty let
| it tc known thn. if he were dismissed
he woulh call on the Presider. for I.
statement of the cause cf removal. The
law provides that Interstate comn,is-
| sioners may not be removed save for
ncc,npetency. neglect OF duty. or NAL
feasanoe i'm Office. The commits sioners
.lieve they can bo truthfully charged
| with OOie of these faults.
| "A couple Of years ago the President
and Commissioner Prouty were on the
best OF terms. II is said that the latter
was responsible for the deep interest
which the President developed in the rail
way rate matter. lie saw Mr.. Roosevelt
| fre1ucn.'y and X y pouring into his car
stories OF the unlawful granting of re-
bates. OF allowances Of special privileges
to the - shippers Of the growth of the
private car evil and other abuses. Those
who kncw what was going OF supposed
that the two men understood each other
tho 'oughly and that such thing as an
estrangomcnt was out of the question.
Lately. however, things have changed.
Mr.. Prouty has not been to the White
House for months, and has not con,mu-
nicated with the President directly or in
directly. He believes that the railroad
maGnates have poisoned the President :
mind against him, and that he is marked
for removal Commissioner Prouty is
said tobclievo that prominent railroad men
have Informed administration officials that
thcy will agree to the enactment OF soms
reasonable restrictive legislation prov .dcd
Mr.. Prouty is removed from the interstate
commerce commission.
Judge Prouty is confident that he
could be elected to Congress from his
home in Vermont without much dim.
Guilty. lie believes that he could be
useful on the foor of the House in
promoting railroad reform. lie is
more Thoroughly interested In this
matter to-day than he was when he
first went on the commission. At
that time he informed his friends that
he would be satisfied II. during his
term. "A law were passed to enlarge the
powers OF tho commission so that It
might accomplish something In the
way Of regulating unjust rates. He
is still active In agitating this ques-
tion. and delivered a speech on the
subject at Chicago the other day tina t
was described as sensational. Judge
Prouty believes that the time has
, come when the country must choose
between regulation and socialism. He
thinks that the real socialists to-day
arc the railroad magnatcs and he
openly aud publicly says so."