Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-01-25
THE NATIONAL CONGRESS.
The Week in Congressional Matters, as
Related BY our Special Wash
ington Correspondent.

| dklkO III CNduluk bilc laws vi tIlc COuu-
try that Congress can't keep up with
them in enacting, and it will not be
surprising to see them exerting every
influence to have a measure put
through Congress at this session that
will absolutely mean nothing when
| its enforcement is attempted. AttOr-
neys representing the Atlantic Coast
Line and the Louisville and Nashville
roads remarked this week: "The
question to be considered most care
fully is what will be the actual effect
of pending legislation authorizing the
Interstate Commerce Commission to
fix rates when it should declare them
| unreasonable. That is the keynote
to the fight. The Commissioners de-
cisions will have no effect. That is
the way the railroads propose to have
it. When the Interstate Commerce
Commission was first created every
one thought it had plenty of
power to whip the railroads into
line. 1t did not take long for the big
roads to demonstrate that the Commits
sion had very little if any power. The
long and short haul clause from which
SO much was expected has proven a
farce. So now we find that to COM
bat any legislation, particularly
federal supervision Of rates, inimical
to their interests, "a railroad sys-
TENS comprising practically every
railroad in the country are being
merged into a concrete unit. The
alliance is to be offensive and de-
fensive, but owing to the nature of
the combat which the policy of
President Roosevelt has created, it
will be largely offensive. The
determination of the railroad COM
panies to act as unit in the fight
to prevent the legislation has al
ready buried some of the individual
antagonisms which have existed
for long time between presidents
of different systems. The fact that
Samuel Spencer of the Southern and
A. J. Cassatt of the Pennsylvania
came here this week was of itself
regarded as significant, as these
two railway presidents have long
held antagonistic views ON many
railway matters. The combined
power of the railways of the country
in Washington is held to be greater
than that of any other combination
of interests. With all their energy
and power concentrated upon a single
purpose. they are counted upon to
make fight that will test the
strength of President Roosevelt
The feeling in official circles now
seems to be that the most that can
be expected from Congress is a
moderate BILL OF course the
public will understand that this
will mean victory for the roads.
The repeal or amendment of Wash
ington's smoke law has agitated the
entire community the whole winter
long, even including President Roose-
velt. The tall smokestack of the
plant of the Potomac Electric
Power Co. is within view of the
White House windows and the
President has been annoyed in more
ways than one by the great quantities
Of black smoke lowering over his
yard. In great indignation the
President wrote to the "powers
that be"-the District Commits
sioners-and inquired why the
Electric Co. was not amendable
to the law, which prohibits alb
solutely the emission of black smoke
by any old chimney even for one
second. 1t turned out that the
representative of the Power Co.
had been arrested no less than
sixty-six times in forty days-some-
times three times day, and fined
from $40 to $50 for each offense.
At Congressional hearing this
week upon the subject to repeal the
law, General Harries, Vice President
of the Electric Co. said that
the Government Buildings were
also quite lavish in spreading
their smoke over Washington. "We
can prove that the Treasury Build.
ing and not the powerhouse OF
my company is responsible fol
the trouble at the White House.
Why, the Treasury Department
spoils the Presidents weekly wash
every week." he added. "Ano
you have to pay the bill," suggested
the bill, agreed General Harries.
1--WE would be very glad to pay
the bill direct, but the President
insists upon having the laundry
done at home"
The Swayne Impeachment case was
before the House again this week anC
after heated discussion the notet
case goes to the bar of the Senate fol-
| trlM. DuTluS tue ueDdte hepre
sentative Clayton, of Alabama, who
favored impeachment exclaimed 8
repel the charge that the judges o.
this country are guilty of putting
up at boarding houses at $l.25 day
charging up $40 and pocketin,
the SS. 75." Representative Lacey
of Iowa who opposed Impeachment
quoted Secretary Shaw as sayin,
that one-half of our judges tool
the full amount of their expens,
allowance. Mr.. Gaines, of Ten
nessee, said he was willing tina
judges should write down $50 man,
eggs, so many miles, so man,
cigars, so many cocktails, or any
thing else necessary to hold court
to be paid by the Government. ,
Representative Maynard is en-
thusiastic over the reception ac
corded his recently introduced bill
providing for increasing the salar,
of the President and pensioning hin
after active service as President
Everyone comments favorably ol
it," he said today. II, myself
don't think the President Of tn