Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-02-09
Especial Washington Letter


81 fore long President Roosevelt.
Va the Democrats in house and
senate and a minority of Re
publicans in house and senate will be
lined up together on one side, while the
trusts and Il majority of the Republic
ans III house and senate will be lined
up together on the other side i'll a strug-
gle of farreaching consequences to all
the citizens of the republic-indeed, to
all the people of the world
Sensible Democrats will not suffer
themselves to be placed in the prepos-
ferrous attitude of fighting a Democrat
ic measure simply because it happens
to be recommended by a Republican
president. Fhe more Democratic meas
ures he recommends the better it will
be for the country and Democrats
should support him every time he pro
poses a Democratic measure His
tendency seems to be toward Democ-
racy, one which he is to be congratu-
lated on and on which the country is
Bryan is said to have congratulated the
president face to face during his recent
visit to the White House on his stand
as to regulating railroad freight rates.
Colonel Roosevelt, having announced
definitely that he will not again be a
candidate for the presidency. is in POI
sition to advocate such measures as
seem to him good without having in
any way or for any reason to consider
the effect on his own political fortunes.
No man ever had freer hand to work
for what he deems the public welfare,
and he appears to intend to avail him
self of his opportunity. The more he
urges measures for the public veal the
further he will get from majority Of
his party and the more he will be COM
PEELED to lean on the Democrats, to-
gether with a minority of his own par
ty. He undoubtedly has his heart fix
ed on regulating freight rates, but
many persons believe that no remedial
legislation will be enacted on that sub
ject at the present session of congress.
The following excerpt from the Wash
ington Star q stanch Republican pa
per- is apropos here:
Several of the prominent railroad attor-
neys. general counsel for the big trunk
lines, who have been in Washington for
the past six weeks keeping an eye on
prospective antiraiway legislation have
left the city and returned to their homes
confident that there will be no legislation
at this session of congress inimical to
railway interests, The fact that the house
of representatives will pass railway rate
bill does not cause uneasiness. and these
attorneys who have made it their bust
ness to look into the situation have con-
Guided that there will be no legislation
that will hurt.
The Democrats of the senate are con-
templating move to put the Republicans
in an embarrassing position Efforts are
now under way to secure. if possible.
agreement among the Democrats upon a
railway bill if it comes over from the
house. with an invitation to the admin
iStration senators to join them in prop
osition to put the bill through Some
Democratic senators who have been look
ing into the situation say that there is
possibility of securing enough votes from
western Republicans who are in favor of
railway rate legislation to make a major
ity of the senate if the solid Democratic
vote could be polled. In that event the
spectacle would be presented of the pres
ident of the United States and small
portion of his party in the senate backed
by the unanimous Democratic vote, stand
ing for rate legislation which was denied
by majority of the Republicans of the
senate. The Democrats say this would be
an object lesson to the country that relief
must be obtained through Democrats.