Omaha daily bee., 1905-10-05
PRESIDENT STANDING PAT
Determined That Railroad Rates Shall Be
Regulated by Government
CHANGES IN THE ESCH-TOwNsENO BILL
One of the Authors of Measure
Says that ~ VIII BE
Made wider in Its
Scope.

WASHINGTON. oct. l-"President
Roosevelt is dead in earnest on the subject
OF railroad rate legislation and is just as
determined as ever that legislative regula-
tions shall be enacted looking to federal
supervision of the freight rate situation" ."
This statement was made by Representa-
tive Townsend OF Michigan. one Of tho
authors of the so-called Esch-Townsend
railroad rate bill
Representative Townsend called today to
talk over the general subject with the
president and of the necessity for the max
ing of changes in the measure which he
and Mr.. Esch proposed last winter. Mr..
Townsend did not have opportunity to go
fully into the subject with the president
today, but the president requested him to
call again tomorrow.
II have no authority to represent the
presidents views as to railroad rates"
said Mr. Townsend, but can say that he
entertains now the same views and princi-
Piles he expressed in his message last De-
cember. The crux of the whole matter is
not that the commission should fix rates,
but that 1t should have the power to
substitute a reasonable rate for one found
on investigation to be unjust without
such authority the evils complained Of
could not be reached"
Have any suggestions been made OF
changes in the Esch-Townsend measure?'
Changes May he Made.
Some changes may be made" replied
Mr.. Townsend, but they will be for the
purpose of making the bill clearer on GER
tain points. 1t is intended, of course, to
include in the regulations private cars,
refrigerator cars and terminal charges. We
thought they were covered by our meas
ure but in order that there may be no
question about them they will be included
in the bill in a definite way. One thing Is
quite certain: There will be no narrowing
of the scope Of the bill-no modification of
the principles involved"
Mr.. Townsend said it was expected that
the senate committee on interstate COM
merce would prepare and report a measure
to regulate railroad freight rates While
he did not have a definite idea as to the
scope of the senate measure he regarded
it as doubtful whether the members OF the
senate committee would agree with Sena-
tor Foraker that the proposition involved
only a question of methods.
Interest In Ohio Campaign.
Senator Dick. chairman of the Ohio re-
publican executive committee, had con-
ference with President Roosevelt today
relatlNe TO the pOntlCal situation In that
state The president is particularly inter
ested in the approaching Ohio election and
told Senator Dick he would do everything
in his power to insure the success of the
republican cause there this kllI Senator
Dick Is anxious that as many members of
the cabinet as possible may make speeches
in Ohio during the campaign and it has
been agreed tentatively that Secretaries
Taft Shaw Wilson and Bonaparte and At
torney General Moody will participate in
the campaign.
President Roosevelt had a talk today
with Representative Charles B. Lands of
Indiana on the work of the committee
which is to investigate the conditions in
the government printing office. Members
OF the commission are said to believe It
easily possible to reduce the expenses of
the government printing office at least
81, 100000 year.
Weston VIII succeed Randall.
The president tonight decided to promote
Brigadier General John F. Weston, now
commissary general of subsistence Of the
army, to be a major general to succeed
Major General Randall. to soon be retired.
General Weston will take his place in the
line of the army and will be assigned to
the command of a division of a department
| when vacancy occurs.