The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-13
RAILROAD RATE
SITUATION ACUTE
Railroads Play for Delay, Even
Planning to Induce Two Year
Wait.
BY w. w. Jermane.

Washington May 13.-The railroad
rate situation has become more acute
since the president at the Denver ban
quet and later in Chicago declared
himself, more radically than ever be-
fore, in favor of giving the govern
me 2rt the rate.maklng power.
large in the president is 50 great
that popular sentiment is in danger of
crystallizing solidly in favor Of any
policy he may advocate, provided he
strikes while the iron is hot, and so
when he says that government regula-
ton OF railway. rates is essential to
be quite ready to believe him.
That the foregoing statement cor
rectly, describes the situation is adj
mltted by the leading railway men
now In Washington as well as by mem
bers of the senate committee on inter
state commerce. These men. are
alarmed at the popular response to the
president s recent utterances.
. Iron Is Hot for Striking.
The president would strike while the
iron. is hot if he were to call an extra
session, say in August, or early Sep
tember. Public opinion, still at high
heat, might in such an event force the
| enactment of such legislation.
But there is no likelihood that the
president will convene congress earlier
! raj way people regard this leeway of
forty to fifty days as important. They
now admit that the president will
write a message that will present the
rate-making idea in it's most attract
i've and convincing form. =
AS the session progresses. and the
treasury deficit and other important
| RI n
however, the senate will try to con-
vince the president that it would be
unwise to project the rate question as
an active issue in the off-year cam
paign Of 1906.
Postpone Two Years.
The senators will try to secure his
ton until after March 4, 1907, when
they will be willing to take it up at a
special session and dispose Of it in ad-
vance of the presidential campaign.
The chief argument to be used with
the president in favor Of this postpone
ment will be that the present discus.
sion is educational and should be con
tinued until the public can securely
grasp the elementary principles upon
! Meanwhile, taking advantage Of this
delay, the railways, Of their own ac
cord, will clear the atmosphere by the
correction of many of the practices com
planned Of. This done, it is figured
that when March, 1907, arrives, the
railway rate will no longer be popu
lar issue.
/ In short, the president seems to have
the railways on the run.
l.. Railroad men admit that if the preSi
dent can succeed in forcing action al
the coming session Of congress, they will
be greatly harmed, in addition to which
the country will be started toward gov
eminent ownership, or at least, drastic
government regulation. x -.F-s=s ~.
Legislat ton at the next session would
also mean a more liberal statute, from
railways care to accept. Any compro
mise act, they fear: might be vetoed
with message that might SO stir up tn
country as to remove from public lif
many of the men upon whom the cor
porations for years have depended fo
protection.
Railroads Need Postponement.
Every consideration, it will thus b
seen, demands, from the railroad view
point, a postpOnement.
Of course, the real reason for thi
postponement could not be presented a
the White House, and so the presiden
, is to be approached with the, argument
!. of political expediency and the nee
: for education.
President Highly Elated.
i The president is highly elated owe
8 the response the country has made
his Denver and Chicago speeches. H
f believes " the country wants him
: stand fast for the policy he has ou
lined. p
t This feeling Of confidence will man
q fest itself should he decide to acceI
8 an invitation to deliver an address b.
fore the international railway congress
; now in session in Washington. It
expected that this address, if delivere
/ will contain clearer exposition of h
e policy than has yet been made, and {
the same time indicate to what e:
i tent his attitude has undergone
a. change since, in his message to co,
6 gress. last year, he said that "at pre-
u ent it would be undesirable, if tn;
were practicable finally, to clothe tt
commission with general authority
fix rates. .... ...-