The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-07
PRESIDENT WILL
NOT OPPOSE REPORT
Action Will be Confined to Bet
ter Enforcement Of the Law /
Against Rebates and Stricter
Punishment Of Violations
Of It-Agreement Reach
ed With Railroads.
from our Regular cor esypondent.

.,s WtlSttlNlIIONJs tHlI. ", ~ MAY -. l llS
next Congress will not enact legislation
giving 10 any governmental agency the
power to fix railroad rates. The Inter-
state Commerce Committee of tho Senate
has not completed its hearings ON this
subject but 1T is learned from i vel:
informed and wholly reliatlc source that
n programme has been mal,red out which
meets with the approval OF the patty
LEADERS, and which Will nor be opposed
by the President himself.
This programme includes a bill which
shall provide better means for obtain
ing testimony by the Interstate Commerce
Commission in the matter OF prosecutions
Of rebate cases: 1strlcter enforcement OF
the law against Rebates. go as 70 make
lit apply to private freight ear lines and
railroad terminal companies. But thore
will be nothing done looking to taking
over Of the rate-making power by tho
Government or any agency there of.
Presidents Position.
The President has not backed down
from his original position on the sub
fject3 OF rate regulation. Ii is s..l.eu. SutS
he las been made to see thnr ~ con "
stinuance on the course 6laTped5 out IN
his last annual message would result IN
5arraying against him and his adminstra-
stion the entire capltalistic class Of this.
He does not wish to do this. and \ to-
avoid twill accept the law Wnicn lie
has been assured by party !eao srs IN
the Senate and House is tho only one
which can be- enacted. Us 8
lit is$S understood that the opponents Of
lateS egislation have emphasized the fact
that WHEN a. Jaw Is onc, /. asseo It's
extre mely3 difficult to secure IT'S = epc>ll
If the 4 law comforting upon he interstate
ff,r
late rates IS once placed On the statute
books N and is then! found % he unWisef
1t Will be much more difficult to bring
about its repeal than it W1.; to secure
Its enactment. Therefore,. the President
was induced to assent to a proposition
to 60 slowly, allow the law timed above
to be enacted, and then fight for fur
ither ileglslaton#ir it shall be silowp hat
more is needed. It remains to be saeii5
whether the people Will approve tho
agreement. The sentimnt in favor OF q
law empowering tho Commerce Commits
sion to regulate rates was so over-
whcllnilg last winter that all parties
had 10 acknowledge It, 1T was th.s sem
3ti.nen't thut forced the House Of Repre-
sentntiyes to pass by almc st unanimous
vote the Esch- Townsend bill. The Sen
alto did not act upon this measure, brt
II had the good excuse OF lack OF time
owing to the SWayne impeachment pro.
ceedings and the pressure of appropria-.
ton bills $ sf5$i q
There can be no question that the nom
enforcement of the law ngainst granting
{rebates is one Of tho greatest evils mat
affect the American shipper. I tho law
proposed can prevent those, and can III.
some way curb the greed of the private
car lines, which hold tho railroad ocm-5
spanies at their mercy. 1t will como near
to accomplishing that which tho Presi-
dent is believed to desire most
Hearing to Continue.
Meanwhile, the hearings OF the Intor-
state Commerce Committee will be con-
tinued i. though 1t Is unders TODD that the
committee ana the railroad interests un-A
derstand thoroughly that the Commerce
Commission Is not to be given the rate-
making powcr Tho hearings henceforth
viii be for the purpose OF preparing
jnublic sentiment for the reception of the
programme outlined. It Is noticed that
there has been notable absence Y CT
facts presented to the committee since lt
hapon fits sessions All the proceedings
have been nrgumentatlve entrely, uiiu
8the committee now refuses to hear tho
shippers who are appealing 10 pc .alloWeu
TO come before the committee. IN view
OF the fact that the programme OF lesis-
lation has been agreed on, ana tnat tle
hearings of tho committee are ho" lor
the purpose of putting the PUBLIC IN inc
humor to receive the news of tho agree
ment. 1t would not be at all wise to
allow the shippers to have the last say
TO the country.