The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-09
RAILROAD LAWS
HANG ON HEARING
Public Sentiment Falling Below
President s Level of Thought
in Rate Question.

14CoAA0Ab ASNel u AAouSAo
in Rate Question.
BY w. W.. Jerinane.
if, for the average citizen, the hearings
before the senate interstate commerce
committee will mean great deal.
Much testimony, all of it necessarily
ex. parte, is being taken, and it's mass
tends to popular confusion. But the
work is important. Later on, by the
time congress is ready to proceed to Sc
rious consideration Of the transporta-
ton problem, this testimony will be
some view to systematic classification.
Not until this work has been performed,
will tho lawmakers themselves know
precisely what the hearings have offered
toward a solution of the problem. 1t
is not strange, therefore, that the aver
age man will get little comfort from
the hearings.
there were protracted hearings before
committees of both houses as to the
merits of the Esch-Townsend bill, the
Stevens private car bill, and all the
other bills aimed at better control of
railways and rates. The hearings were
similar to those now in progress, and
the testimony they brought out will be
compiled with the testimony now being
taken. This testimony, now being
published, will make a dozen, or more,
large octave volumes. - r.
digging out the salient points developed
in these hearings will be done by ex-
perts- employees of congress who have
| had much experience in such matters
and it will extend over two or three
nonths. An elaborate alphabetical in
dex will be one Of the conveniences
Without such helps congress would not
supporting or opposing the arguments
back of the agitation.
No Hint in Hearings.
It need not be expected that the hear.
ings, for the present, will throw much
light on what congress will ultimately
do. The congressional program will de-
pend upon the president s message, the
state Of public sentiment, and the facts
which the hearings will develop.
So far as the president is concerned
his San Antonio speech and his speech
at Denver yesterday may be taken as
an, index Of his policy. Unless he
should undergo change of front, there
fore, it may be expected that his mes
sage convening congress in extraordi
nary session, in October, will repeat
substantially his recommendations OF
last December. .. ~. -...
Public sentiment, however, is not
quite holding itself up to the presi
dent s level Of thought: 1t has saggec
perceptibly in many places, noticeably
| in the middle west, where the Esch
Townsend bill originally had the strong
est support. Many men who last win
ter We're with the president, in favor Of
giving the interstate commerce commits
sion the power to Ak rates, subject tt
| appeal to the courts, are now elatet
because the Esch- Townsend bill did mo-
go farther than the house of represen
tatives. These men still demand relie1
from oppression by the great transpor
tation companies, but they are begin
ming to ask themselves whether thi
relief can be secured thru, federal con
troll OF the rate.making power Som'
are coming to, believe that for the pres
ent the. government ahould not under
take to control ,rat,s,s but should ad
dress itself to the regulation Of private
car lines, the 'emifdnight tariff" an,
to terminal switching and elevate
charges, arguing that thru such polio,
met more satisfactorily than thru "sucl
policy as drastic as that which tn
Esch- Townsend bill proposes. -.
Flood of Light on Question.
The hearing will throw a flood o
light upon the entire question, and mex
winter congress will be much more sur
: Of it's ground than during the sessio
which closed in March. When tina
data upon which to predicate legisla
ton that would afford the needed relic
t and at the same time do no injustic
t to the railroads. T.
8 Almost without warning, the countr
., and congress were asked to pass jude
Q ment on the highly specialized questio
of railroad operation and control. Ne
q Their the country nor congress had SUI
t fcient exact information to warrant
j. definite opinion, much less any attemI
q to express that opinion in the form {
:. statute. When the house of repr,
n sentatives, always sensitive to the pol
+ u!ar demand, passed the Esch-Townsen
y, bill, not score of it's members, asiC
from those on the committee on int
!, state and foreign commerce, understoo
+ even the elementary principles unde
~ lying it, or had any adequate idea whs
= it would mean when put in active O
= Grafton. ..s... -
,. But the campaign of education, b
- gun last winter, is proceeding satisfa
,I11 torily, and by next winter the COUNT
II and congress will be in position fair
IL to demand certain things.
The Esch-Townsend bill represen
# one extreme Of the present situatio
y and the policy of delay, with view
y doing nothing, represents the 9th
II extreme. To hazard guess, it may
a said congress will take middle grou1
!, between these two extremes, leavil
n the future to determine whether tt
n Esch- Townsend bill is economical
n sound. This middle ground may tai
e, the form Of legislation declaring II
private car lines common carriers
le accordance with the decision of the S
le preme court. It may also strike at tt
"a midnight tariff and at the rebat
r paid under the guise of terminal switc