The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-02-16
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Cen
eraI Topics from
the Capital.
Feb. 10, 1906.


Texas. has certainly emerged
iuto the limellght in even a more
startling fashion tHau did Con
gresham Littlrheli i few vars
back The quiet Texas lawyer
stirred up a hornets nest that he
did not dream OF when he launch
ell the inquiry about the Peun
sylvauia'S control OF the uumer-
Gus subsidiary eastern lines. He
says that, now ds he Is in the
fight. he intends 10 follow il to
a flush, and if this threat is made
good. there may be even more
important results from his reSU
luton Of inquiry than IRON the
pending ra;e legislation Or,
more properly speaking, the in
curry may do great deal TO force
the attention OF Congress gu the
necessity tor the very legi>la-
tluu that the President Recon-,
meUded.
The reply Of the Interstate
Commerce. Commission TO tue
original inquiry as 20 the extent
ofIhe Pennsylvania control over
tile other coal roads, was just
what might have been expected
under The circumstances. No
body ever accused the chairman
of the commission ut being OF an
extra strong personality. None
OF the work OF the commission III
the past decade has been remarh-
able. aud IN this case 1t did what
might have been expected. lt
Piled to tue resolution hy send
lug 10 Z ongtess merely the facts
that were known To every one IN
teyested and which lad Appeared
IN the annual report almost a
year ago. Nj. GiIlepsie chaIac-
terized the reply as an insult 10
Congress. 1t probably was uot
intended that way 10y the com
mission. but it contained just
enough OF the facts a. 10 tue
practical coutGol If ualf a dozen
OF coal carrying roads by the
Pennsylvania TO warrant a thor
ough investigation II one was
ever needed in the history OF
American rallroadIug.
Il looks now aS II the iuveStl-
CATION was coming aud it may
have a decided effect on the fate
OF the Rate Bill IN the Senate.
Speaker Cannon would much
rather have the investigation
made 10y the In e. State Com
merce Commission. or by the
Department OF Commerce aud
Labor. than by committee Of
the House. But it Is a certainty
tuat au StISation OF some
sort will now De forced. Ii may
have the effect Of most govern
meut inquiries aud end IN smoke.
But The average citizen, who has
been paying almost twice as
much Tor bis coal III the past six
years as he did before, and who
finds himself now Threatened
with auO, her coal strike and
famine prices, will agree that not
Gully Is an investigation needed,
but that a remedy is needed at
the back of the investigation.
I 1t looks as if the Peunsl lvauia
had succeeded in doing within
the law just what the Supteme
Court OF the Uulled States eu-
joined the Great Northern from
doing, aud had effected a plac-
teal merger that was simply eat
ing into the pocket OF the coal
consumer. but OF the retail
dealers and of the miners all
over tue coal producing and coal
consuming region OF the east, aud
also into the pocket OF every
body that uses coal. Mr.. Gil
lrp>ie says that the roads have
levied an unjust tax OF Sll0,
100000 on the people of the
eastern country. and the man on
small salary who has seen the
money lie intended TO save for
life insurance going out in addi
tional coal bills each winter Will
see that there Is something wrong
in the Sy stem that needs remedy.
ing. aud the sooner there is a iulI
investigation aud a remedy ap.
piled the better. The more the
facts in relation to the coal trust.
which is in reality the coal carry
ing roads are brought to light,
the more necessary drastic Ieme
dial legislation becomes appar.
ent, 1t is likely that other lines
besides the Pennsylvania will be
brought into the inquiry, and the
situation developed may do more
to bring the Senate to terms over
the Hepburn Rate Bill than was
surmised when the inquiry was
! launched.
The Navy Department never
has been enthusiastic over the
drastic punishment or dismissal
that is the law in relation to haz-
ing. Since the lnoniry at An