The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-09-29
PRESIDENT PLANS
REFORM MESSAGE.
Railroad Rate to Have Foremost
Place-Life Insurance to
Come Next.
BY w. w, Jermane,

BY w. w. Jermane.
Washington, Sept. I29-The president
will have crowded two weeks ahead
OF him when he returns to Washington,
about Oct. l. 1t is his present inten-
ton to start On his southern trip Oct.
IL, and before that date there will be
vast amount Of business to be attended |
to at the White House.
Since the southern trip will consume
not get back to Washington much be-
fore Nov. 10, and as this will not give
sufficient time before the opening of |
congress to complete the president $ an
nual message, it is assumed that consid- |
cradle attention will be given the docu-
ment before the start for the south. |
When Mr.. Roosevelt gets back from his |
summer home, great many more mem
bers of congress than he has seen dur
ing the vacation, will call on him at |
the White House, and on these confer
ences will depend, to an extent at least, |
many of the things which will be set
forth in the message.
1t is practically certain that the pres
ident has fully decided to make strong
recommendation. He, better than any
body else, perhaps, realizes just how
strongly lntrenched are the pro-railroad
interests in congress, especially in the
senate, and he must realize that little
tact and diplomacy, as we'll as vigor
and strength, must be used if anything
is to be accomplished.
The sch-Townsend Bill.
It has already been definitely an
I nounced that the Esch- Townsend bill,
exponent of the administration s view
on the, question of railroad regulation,
will be again introduced. The ques-
4 ton as to whether this measure, as it
. will be amended by its authors, will be
made an issue in the house, or whether
action until the senate can do some
4 thing, will be decided by the house lead
ers in consultation with the president
4 before the session begins. At present
Z sentiment seems to incline toward hav-
ing the house wait the action of the
{ senate, all the serious opposition to the
! bill being confined to that body, and all
the serious obstacles to legislation. The
house has passed a rate bill, and will
4 pass another as soon as the time is ripe
Meanwhile, it is urged that by demand
ing that the senate now take the lead
public sentiment can be focused on that
body, perhaps in a way that will compel
action.
The chances seem to favor a refer
{ ence to the matter in the president IS
MESSAGE very similar to that of a year
ago, with, perhaps, some additions in
d tended to call attention more clearly to
the necessity for regulatory action, and
7 the senate committee on Interstate
commerce during the hearings which
took place early in this year g vacation.
Presidents Former Statement. T.,
In the message to congress last De-
eemner, the president commenced his
statement about the railroad situation;
by saying that "above all else, we must
/ strive to keep the highways Of com
merce open to all on equal terms.' He
I continued:
80, "To do this, it is necessary to put a
| shipper OF the railroad is TO- blame
& makes no difference; the rebate must
be stopped, the abuses of the private
car and private terminal track and side
4 Jrack systems must be stopped, and the
4 legislation Of the Gfty-eighth congress-.
4 which declares it unlawful for any Der,
/ son or corporation to offer, grant, give,
4 solicit or accept or receive any rebate,
I concession Or discrimination in respect
to the transportation of any property
IN IN o. interstate or foreign commerce,
device whatever be transported at a
rate less than that published in the
tariffs published by the carrier, must
be, enforced.
'.For some time after the enactment
NAMED mooted question whether that
4 act conferred on the Interstate com
merce commission the power, after it
had found a. challenged rate to be I'M
reasonable, to declare what thereafter
should, prima facie, be the reasonable
maximum rate for the transportation in
dispute. The supreme court finally re-
] solved that question in the negative, SO
that as the law now stands the commits.
sion simply possesses the bare power tc
denounce a particular rate as unrea
sonable. While I am of the opinion
that at present it would be undesirable
4 if it were not impracticable, finally tc
clothe the commission with general au
thority to fix railroad rates, do be-
live that, as a fair security to shippers
the commission should be vested with
/ the power, when a given rate has beer
l challenged, and after full hearing founG
( to be unreasonable, to decide, subject tt
] judicial review, what shall be a reason
able rate to take its place, the ruling
4 Of tho commission to take effect i'm
& mediately, and to obtain unless an(
4 until it Is reversed by the court of re
view. The government must in increas
ing degree supervise and regulate tn
workings Of the railroads engaged il
interstate commerce.; and such increased
supervision is the only alternative to al
/" increase of the present evils on the on
hand, or still more radical policy o,
the other. In my Judgment, the mos
regards the regulation of corporation
n is this act to confer on the interstat
Ri commerce commission the power to re
81 wise rates and regulations, the revised
x rate to go into effect at once, and t.
III stay in effect unless and until the cour