Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-11
THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE
Regulation Of Railroad
Freight Rates.
AN EXTRA SESSION
UNLESS QUESTION IS TAKEN UP
BY PRESENT CONGRESS.
As to the Tariff, the President is Will
ing to Leave the Matter
With Congress.
AN EXTRA SESSION

President Roosevelt continued today his
conferences with members of Congress on
the subject of tariff revision and of legis-
lation providing for an increase of the
powers of the interstate commerce COM
mission. One statement, which stands out
almost with the pre-eminence Of an ofii-
cial announcement, Is that unless Con-
gress, at the present session, should enact
legislation looking to a regulation of rail-
road freight rates, an extraordinary ses-
sion of the Fifty-ninth Congress will be
called by the President to deal with that
problem.
1t can be said that the President re-
CARDS the interstate commerce commission
as the paramount issue now before the
American people. AT the conference last
Saturday he informed those whom he had
summoned into consultation that, in his
Judgment, the question of railroad freight
rates was far more important than that
of the tariff and that, while he desired
1eadjustment of the existing customs du-
ties, he would not permit any radical DIFF
ferences in the republican party on that
question. He said definitely that he would
call an extraordinary session of Congress
to consider interstate commences legisa-
ton, unless definite action is taken by
Congress on the subject at the present
session. At that session. he hoped tariff
revision to the extent he had indicated
might be accomplished but he made It
perfectly clear that, in his mind. the over
shadoWing issue was thai of railroad freight
rates.
In talk today with Speaker Cannon. who
is recognized as being opposed at this time
to any revision Of the tariff the President
reiterated his statement made at Saturdays
conference that, while he desired action on
the question, he was willing to abide by the
Judgment of the republican leaders in Con-
gress, as he regarded the tariff matter as
one which the chosen representatives of the
American people should determine. He in
dicated, in so many words, that, while fifty
years hence practically nobody would be
able to say whether the tariff duties on any
given article at this time were fifty per
cent ad valorem or five per cent ad va
loren, and nobody would care anything
about what the duties were the interstate
commerce question involved a principle
dear to every right-thinking and right
minded American, precisely as the whole
matter of dealing with corporations in
wolves principle, and he would fight for
that principle with all the power that In
him lies.
The President corroborated today the
statement attributed to him that the tariff
question was one merely of expediency
which would be solved without friction be-
tween him and the Congress. Any serious
differences he is known to have said be-
tween him and the Congress on the tariff
revision matter are quite impossible.
Speaker Cannon declined, when he left the
Wnte House, TO discuss seriously the tarlH
revision question.
''You gentlemen said he, addressing the
newspaper men in response to inquiries,
''have exhausted your imagfnations on the
subject of the tariff Now give US some
thing on the death of the devil or some
other Kindred live topic
Pressed for statement concerning the
prospect of an extraordinary session,
Speaker Cannon replied that Theodore
Roosevelt was the only man in the United
vfran ord or1y
session, and that he would announce in
due time his decision.
Says There Will Be Extra Session.
Representative Murdock of Kansas
talked with the President today about the
interstate commerce question When he
left the White House he said he had no
doubt that an extraordinary session of
the next Congress would be called to con-
slider railroad rate legislation, unless
some thing of practical nature should be
accomplished at the present session.
AS Mr. Murdock had just come from a
talk with the President, his remarks were
significant. There is no use putting off
doing something because somebody wants
to go to Europe this spring. said Mr. Muir
dock. The country wants legislation on
railroad rebates and ought to have it,"
Mr. Murdock presented some constituents
OF his who are large shippers and they en-
couraged the President in his attitude of
Murdoch has several times talked with the
President on this subject and the Pres
1dent has found him earnest and active in
the advocacy of railroad legislation.
Will Be Left With the House
The President mas expressed his views on
the tariff but he has no idea of trying to
force these views upon Congress. If the
leaders there, who are supposed to be fresh
from the people, don't want an extra ses-
sion to consider the tariff it will not be
called. On this subject, therefore, the Pres
ident is willing to leave the responsibility
in the hands of the direct representatives
or the people, but on railroad legislation he
expects TO nave something emphatic to say.
lie would, II there is sufficient opposition,
conflne his call for an extra session wholly
10 the question of railroad legislation
Ignoring the tariff altogether
Ihat the sentiment of the House may be
fully tested on the question, thorough
poll OF that body is now being made, and a
report will be submitted to the President
Representative Sibley of Pennsylvania,
after calling on the President said: 1T is
due the President to know the sentiment
of the leading republicans of the country
as to tariff revision, but feel free to say
that 1 believe it will be found that COM
paratively few members believe that tariff
revision would be wise. The feeling is that
the few benefits that would accrue would
be more than Offset by the decentralization,
the uncertainty. the setbacks that would be
sure in the business world. We are doing
well now, and it certainly would seem lln-
wise to disturb satisfactory conditions