The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-20
JAWS WILL DROP
They Wag: No Rate Leg
islation This Year.
But the Idea That President Roosevelt
Has Been Side.Tr. C led On
This Measure Seems
Erroneous.
Erroneous.
Especial to News and Observer

Especial to News and Observer
Washington, d. c., Sept. 19-The
optimistic conclusions reached by the
railroad press agents and distributed
freely to the newspapers from this
point to the effect that there has been
such a marked change in public SEN
timent on the railroad question that
action by Congress is improbable, do
not appear to be wholly justified in
view OF the facts. Here and there a
commercial organization which form
crly favored the regulation OF rail-
road rates has changed its attitude,
nut in almost every instance the change
has been brought about by the eX-
ertion of persuasive pressure from
the railroads OF the character they
so frequently apply. On the other
hand many organizations have re-
iterated their emphatic demand Tor
relief legislation, and have been join
ed by others hitherto non-commital.
Thus the situation does not appear
to have changed materially in the
past six months for what the rail-
roads have gained in one quarter they
have lost in another which is equally
true OF the advocates of rate regula-
ton.
For some time the railroad lobby
has been congratulating itself that
President Roosevelt had lost inter-
est i'm the proposition or had despair
ed of being able to bring Congress to
his way of thinking. They have been
encouraged in this belief by the ac-
tivity of the President in other di-
rections and the demand made upon
his time by such problems as attend
ed the peace conference the Panama
Canal ETC. But the belief that Presi-
dent Roosevelt has been "side-track-
ed" so to speak, IS likely to prove err
roneouS. Mr.. Roosevelt Is strenuous,
but he is also persistent, and his APP
parent inactivity on the railroad ques-
tion of late can be more properly at
-tributed to his reluctance uselessly
to expend his force than to a dimin-
ished or vanished interest in the pro-
blem.
/. According to Representative Town
send. OF Michigan, one of the joint
authors of the Esch-Townsend bill,
President Roosevelt has invited him
for a conference in Washington on
October first, and Mr.. Townsend is
authority for the statement that the
President is determined that some
thing shall be accomplished at the
next session. Between October 1st
and December 4th, when Congress
assemblies, there will be ABUNDANCE
OF time for Mr. Roosevelt to- organize
his forces. One point in this con
nection has apparently been lost sight
of by the opponents of railroad leg
islation, and that is that the Esch-
Townsend bill was practically an adj
ministration measure and approved
by President Roosevelt before being
introduced. Denunciations of that
measure are therefore criticisms of
the Presidents personal views and
the thorough roasting it has received
at the hands of railroad officials and
their press agents is not calculated
to render the President more tracta-
BILE to their wishes.
f.. p. Bacon, of Milwaukee, chair
man of the executive committee of
the Interstate Commerce Law Con-
vention, has issued call for meet
ing of the convention in Chicago on
October Goth. BY this time the forces
will be fairly aligned for the win
ter's campaign, and it will be possible
to obtain some idea as to the chances
for action at the coming session.
Senator Elkins has announced ne will
introduce bill which viii be in line
with President Roosevelt'S recommen-
dations and which will prove salts
factory to all. Senator Dolliver de-
mands a bona fide bill that Will ac-
complish something, and it is said
his views will be supported by few
OF the Republicans on the Commit
tee and many of the Democrats. The