The midland journal., 1905-12-01

bodies, nominally responsible to the
country but really responsible only tc
history, will occupy the stage probably
until May 1905, or maybe until July, who
can tell?
~
The uppermost question as it now
seems is Railroad Rate legislation
What is right fair, expedient as between
these great highway corporations and the
millions who directly or indirectly are
compelled to use them. There is no
doubt that the Railroads have made the
country, and there is as little doubt that
the country has made the Railroads
That is the proposition as far as fact and
sentiment are concerned. The question
to be decided, and which will not be
put down by ignoring it, is wheather the
Government is superior to these great
corporations or not. In other countries
the question has been forever settled
by government ownership. Germany,
France, Russia and Austria own their
iron highways just as the public here
owns the mud and macadam highway
that antedate the railroads.
~
The Railroads have grown to be strong,
and strength has generated arrogance
and lawlessness. They have purchased
legislatures, and the press, have bribed
the pulpit, and it is feared they may have
succeeded in bribing the last and greatest
stronghold of the people, the United
States Congress. 1t is said that nothing
is ever settled until it is settled right, and
many think that rate regulations, even
if it is possible to pass it, cannot be more
than temporary palliative, and that
Government ownership by purchase must
come at last. If the question is no,
honestly met by this Congress, it may be
that another unbribed Congress fresh
from the people will take the ques-
tion in hand without gloves. Recent
elections in the large cities have some
big hints as to the latent power of long
quiescent though outraged democracy.
1t is regretted that many other urgent
and too long delayed questions will have
to go over until this railroad rate question
is settled. The most important of them
is tariff and reciprocity. 1t would be an
immense thing for this country and for
this hemisphere if there was mutual free
trade or reciprocity. What is the differ
ence9 If the people could vote on the
unobstructed question, the immense thing
would be realized with such bounding
prosperity as has not been known before.
But tariff reform will be settled by put
ting it off as usual. Mr.. Dalzell and his
school of reformers are quite willing to
admit all the cotton, coffee and lemons
raised in Canada free, providing Canada
will cease to levy tax on the importation
os Pittsburg iron and steel. And thus it
is that petty personal and local interests
interfere with the general veal and even
with cosmic principles.
*x*
Miss Alice Roosevelt, eldest daughter
of the President is at the home of her
Aunt, Mrs. Cowles, confined to her bed
and suffering with nervous exhaustion
1t is claimed that the young lady is not
seriously i'll and that she will be out and
about in few days and that her retire.
ment for the time is more in the nature
of precaution than necessity. Miss
Roosevelt has before her a social season
of strenuous activity and behind her the
trip to China, japan and the Philippines
which United States Senator who was
one of the Taft party told your correspon,
dent yesterday was sufficient to put every
member of It to bed. In addition to the
travelling most of which was done in the
more or less restricted quarters on ship
board and good part of it in very
euervating climate there was such a con
tinnal round of entertaining, dressing
and dining that the strain was greatly
increased. Miss Roosevelt whose ap
pearance is fragile in the extreme endur
ed it all through and came out in rather
better condition than the men or the
women seasoned by many years of so
ciety who name up the party.
The son of the President, Theodore
Jr., does not seem to have the fortitude o
his father nor the endurance of his sistel
or else he has been put to a severer tes
than either. Judged by appearance he
was not built of the stuff to stand such I
trough house" encounter as be met with
in the foot ball game which has laid hin
up for repairs. He is narrow chestet
lad, with weak eyes and pasty colo
that should have been sufficient indica
tion of his un6tness for the game.
In Praise of ChamberIain's Cough
Danadu