Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-13
WHAT IS GOING on sPENCERRESUMEs
Inquiries From Business Cen Argues Against the Quares
ters Of the Country. Cooper Bill.
FEELING 0F UNREST CONDEMNS THEREBA ATES
FINANCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL MAKES
CIRCLES GARDING LEoIsLATIoN
Sought
Correspondents That There
is 70 Alarm the Powers Proposed,
Inquiries From Business Cen
ters Of the Country.
A FEELING OF UNREST
IN FINANCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL
CIRCLES.
congressman Have Sought to Reassure
Their Correspondents That There
is No Cause for Alarm.

Senators and Representative who keep in
touch with the business interests OF the
country have been fairly overwhelmed in
the past twentyfour hours with inquiries
by wire and by long-distance phone, from
New York. Philadelphia, Boston, Pittsburg
and Chicago, and by wire from far-western
cities, as to what is going on at Washing
ton Some Of the inquiries are almost
frantic, indicating great anxiety as to pros
pective legislation, and they all tell Of a
disturbance Of business and financial condi-
tions as the result of uncertainty over pros
pective legislation.
The presence in Washington of the great
trunk line presidents and railway manag-
ers, the repeated assertions that railway
rate legislation Is imperatively demanded
by the President; the reported activity Of
administration congressman in getting up
BILL which it Is assumed will hit the rail-
ways, has resulted in thoroughly alarming
certain business circles. The uncertainty as
to an extra session of Congress and reali-
zauon of the possibilities of such session
when called has added to the dismay, it is
said.
A Feeling of Apprehension.
In a word, the agitation of the past week
has resulted, it is claimed, in producing a
feeling of apprehension In financial and in
dustrial circles which has called forth the
earnest inquiries in high Congress circles
as to what the future has in store.
The answers thus far sent have inva-
riably been reassuring. Men whose names
stand for all that is potential in Congress
affairs have agreed in advising their friends
that there is no occasion for alarm; that
Congress is not on the point of any kind
of radical legislation that could seriously
affect business
While deploring the agitation which has
ty-ott Oh, tba
ness circles, these statesmen have pointed
out in their answers thatsthe agitation did
not originate in Congress and that there
is no reason to fear, that Congress is on
stampede.
Reassuring advices as to prospective rail-
way legislation are emanating from these
Congress leaders. They say that there will
probably be railway nate legislation at
this session, but that this flefnition does
not imply that the legislation will be ln-
imical to railway interests. 81
There is no disposition a9ong the leau-
ers in Congress TO run amilck against the
railroads and on the other hand the rail-
roads are not averse to reasonable leglsla-
ton.
MI Hepburn's Bill.
For example, Chairman Hepburn of the
House committee on interstate and foreign
commerce is known to be preparing rail-
way rate bill. 1t will deal with the SUBJ
ject mentioned by the President in his mes
sage, but not to the detriment of ranway
interests.
So, the responses of the well l-posted
statesmen to the inquiries coming in are
reassuring and calculated to stop what
seems to be a causeless stampede in indus
trial and financial quarters.
THE country perhaps, does not pause to
remember that it is a far cry. between rec
ommendation and enactment when it comes
to 1egislation,' - said one of them. we
are telling our correspondents not 10 get
panic stricken