Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-25
CALLS IT ILLOGICAL
YALE PRExY SAYS RATE REGU-
LATIoN PLAN Is IMPRACTIcABLE

BOSTON. February 2fs-The Evening
Transcript today publishes article by
President Arthur t. Hadiey of Yale Uni
versity on the present status of the rate
regulation contest in Washington DR..
Hadley argues that the proposition of the
Hepburn bill to make the decisions of the
Interstate commission final in all questions
of fact is illogical and impracticable. He
declares that similar plan tried in Eng
land in the seventies did not work and
vas finally repealed. He declared that the
common law gives the shipper more pro-
lection than statutes. as was shown in the
Chesapeake and Ohio coal case recently
decided by the Supreme Court. Yet. in
spite of these considera tons, President
Hadley expresses the belief that the pass
az. of the Hepburn bin would be better
than any compromise thus far suggested.
He says In part:
"In the first place, il the railroad men
attempt to have the bill modified IL Will
be regarded as selfish effort to block
the wheels of legislation for their own
private interest. This is always blunder.
From the standpoint of railroad manage
ment alone. the good from preventing the
be nearly as great as the harm which
would come from assuming an attitude of
factious opposition. The Hepburn bill will
not greatly hurt the railroads. If any
body Is much harmed by Alasory attempts
to limit rights Of appeal il will be the ship
pers. Should the Hepburn bill be passed
in substantially the form in which 1t comes
from the House of Representatives there
is fair chance that after few years
OF unsatisfactory operation 1t may be re-
pealed. But II the compromise measure
is adopted nobody will know who is re-
sponsibie for the failure. Each party will
cast the blame upon the other. Ten years
hence We shall see that We have accom-
plished nothing. but we shall be totally an
able 10 tell whose fault it Is.
Wave Of Moral Sentiment.
But apart from any consideration of
selfish interests or any attempt 10 fore
cast the future there are immediate public
reasons against factious opposition to any
popular measure Of regulation of moderate
type. The country is today In the midst
of a great wave OF moral sentiment This
has been aroused by the insurance inquiry,
by the evidences of political corruption In
powers which have come to light. II the
spirit of reform is allowed to have Its own
way ii Will result in a good many wise
acts and some foolish ones also but the
good is pretty sure to outweigh the evil
If. on the other hand this sentiment IS
resisted every case of unintelligent resist
ance Will give rise to deep-seated misun-
ders standings; will intensity the evils and
dangers Incident to the movement; will
make radicals out of those who should have
been conservative and will, during the next
time of commercial crisis, leave us face to
face with the danger of bitter class strug-
giles.
"Of this movement of public sentiment
President Roosevelt is the recognized leads
err" President Hadley says. He is man
OF such manysided activity that very few
people believe that he is right in every
thing, but great majority of the Ameri-
can people have confidence that he Is right
in general. Therefore, If the President to-
day approves of a law there is more than
ordinary reason for giving weight to his
views. The position of many OF the sena-
tors and representatives that they will
stand for bill which has the approval
of the President and not for one which
fails 10 have his approval Is, In my judy
ment, wise one