Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-13
New Argument in the Rail-
Way Legislation Debate.
VIEW OF OPPOSITION
WILL BE REITERATED AT COM
ING CONGRESSIONAL SESSION.
Claimed That Too Great Temptation
Would Be Placed Before Commits
sion-Cotton Graft Pointed To.

People who opposed to having Con-
gress confer upon a government commits
sion power to fix railroad rates are con-
WINGED that the probability OF having sucn
ieglsla ton has been materially weakened
by the public discussion of graft IN one
form or another that has been going on III
the press OF the country during he past
several months. They declare that in me
public mind there has been a perceptiblc
weakening OF confidence in the proposition
10 confer upon body of men such vast
mower for good or evil Is contemplated
by the formation of a commission to pass
upon all the railroad rates of the country.
They say the fact that the percentage
of officials who have been derelict to their
duty is very small does not affect the case
of a Icsscned confidence in such a commits
sion on the part of the public. The advo-
Gates OF a raje-fixiug commission ii Is
said lave held up 10 vast body of the
people the idea that absolute justice TO all
interests could be expected from a non
PARTISAN commission with power TO settle
The disputed question of rates that a1eciS
such large interests. The government COM
mission they declare WIS eulogized as
source of justice that would never fail so
long as II should be removed from partisan
influence.
Great Temptation.
When the Senate committee on inter-
state commerce held it's hearings on the
subject Of railroad rate legislation early m
the spring the railroad companies through
their representatives declared time and
again that the vast power that would Do
given such a body OF men would place De
fore them such great temptation 10 proh'
by their Coutempla ted action as TO cause
great danger. This idea was secuted by
the advocates of the ESCh-ToWnSend Dill
They pointed to the courts as an evidence
hn N
such a body Of men without danger. ne
railroad men replied that the cases were
not compare ble-that the courts. being
guided by long-eStablished preccdentS Eau
a "a faglIard that such a rate-hxlng commits
sion as was proposed would not have 1Or
AT least many years to come.
But all the argument tending to destroy
confidence in the proposed commission had
a trififug effect on public sentiment, II -
said. III comparison with the various eA-
posures of graft and charges or Sra1t that
were subsequently made.
Opponents to railroad rate legislation are
now suggesting the great opportunities that
would lie open to member Of such rate
fixing commission if he desired 10 profit by
stock speculation. They declare that tue
lowering OF rates on railroads might Cic-
ate almost panic in the stock market 50
far as the particular road was conceFhSu,
They also suggest that various ACTON ny
such a commission might so greatly alletS
the value OF railroad securities tnat "ouiu
give great opportunities for a thrifty spec
ulator on the inside
Fallibility of Officials.
The reliability of government inspection
4. also brought into question by the peo-
plo who see in the proposed railroad legls-
Iat:on only trouble. They say that the con
ditIons in the Equitable Life Insurance
COMPANY would have been uncovered long
b, fore had the work of inspecting officers
been performed with the proper degree OF
care. They point TO the Philadelphia gas
scandal as an evidence of the power OF
u, liticfans when given control over mate
rial interests that permit pront ne COZ
ton scandal IS instanced by them as an EVIL
dence of the temptation that would CON
front members of railroad rate hXln2
commission.
When Congress meets and rate legislation
* a subject for discussion all these matters
Will be brought up by the opponents OF
such legislation as an evidence of the dan
ger that would be met by such a course
They will claim that the Interstate com
Intrce commission has all the power that
it IS safe 10 iutrust to any commission
On the Other Hand.
or the other hand men who favor such
action declare that the attempt to connect
the graft scandals with the proposed
rate legislation will prove of no avail
They say that the power which it is pro-
posed TO give to such a commission is now
practically lodged in the hands OF railroad
officials and they would prefer trusting
commission of government officers amen
able to public criticism and subject to re-
ruuyal by the President upon the showing
Of any improper conduct than officials OF
railroads who are beyond the reach of the
public so far as removal from office Is con-
cerued The influence of public criticism
on such government officials, they declare.
would be extremely great and they do not
believe that i'll results would follow.
But whether the graft scandals ac-
tuaIly affect the proposed rate legislation
one way or another. il is quite certain that
they are being given great prominence in
the minds of men who are interested in
preventing such legislation well as of
those who are advocating the appointment
OF commission to fix rates. Congress will
indulge in considerable discussion of this
question in the coming session and graft
viii then he referred to prominently as an
important factor in the debate.