Churchill standard. (Fallon, Nev) 1903-1908, 1906-01-20
RAILROAD LEGISLATION.
HOW TIE RATE MAKING CUES
TON STANDS BEFORE
CONGRESS- TO-DAY.
Interstate Commerce Commission
Bills Administration Measure.lhe
Foraker blll and tbs ElkinS biii NJ
ternaIiVeS.

Fnraksr I'M aud ths Elkins Bill Al
ternaIives. :.
After its usual little furry OF busl-
pees before Christmas, followed by the
holiday period, Congress is now ready
10 settle down to the serious Woik OF
the session. Probable debate looms
nm large on the Panama Canal quSs-
tiou the railroad rate issue u ihe
fariff of these the railroad question
is undoubtedly the most important at
least il is the newest subject; anu
willie no legislation may be desired
on the other issues, If a railroad rate
bill is to be passed, as is the an
nounced desire of the leaders n the
President. practically unlimited deDate
will ensue. 1t has been stated thaI
the House would likely act promptly,
as II did last year, but it Is something
of a problem as to what will be the
procedure In the Senate. The inter
state Commerce Commission rate hItl
appears to have taken the place OF the
Esch'Townsend bin of last session.
Technically there is TO be no Admins
tration bill, which designation was ae-
corded the Esch-ToWnsend measure,
hut with the members of the inter
state Commerce Commission in hearty
accord with the President. 1t IS I'm.
derstood that the Commissions bill
contains the basis of the Administra-
tons demands.
On the other hand. the Foraker rate
bin and the Elkins bill are the prin-
cipal alternative measures before
Congress.
The issues, then, would be thus
Joined. and the two houses would
likely struggle with it for a large por-
ton of the session, with the probable
itv hat in the end a compromise
would be reached. This contemplates
some notifications of the Presidents
measure. which will not necessarily
mean defeat for him or give him cause
for embarrassment. Ii is conceded,
even by those who are ayoWedly sup.
porting President Rooseyelt's railroad
rate policy. that he is too stanch a
partisan TO embroil his party in dan
gerous strife on the verge OF a general
Congressional election that will be
fraught with unusual importance to
other policies which the President
heartily desires should be carried out
as Administration measures backed by
a practically solid Republican support.
Tariff revision, or REIMBURSEMENT
is one of those policies which IS said
TO be close to the Presidential heart.
and a new and practical assertion OF
the Monroe Doctrine. particularly
with relation to such threatening
muddles as that in Santo Domingo, Is
said to be another.
Protests From Shippers.
A rather peculiar development of
the railroad question is the action OF
great numbers of large shippers who
theoretically are the very men who
should favor stringent rate legislation,
but who are vigorously expressing
themselves as adverse To radical &C.
ton. Since Congress met, great mum
hers of letters and protests have been
received from shippers all over the
country. declaring that they are ad-
verse to giving the rate-maklng power
to the Interstate Commerce Commls-
sion. or to any other political tribunal.
The protests coming from shippers 10
members of Congress are very ell
fectiye. since the shippers are usually
among the most influential men IN
Congressional districts.
The situation is full of possible
complexities and changes, the only
apparent developments thus far being
a less radical public view of railroad
matters, which is being reflected IN
the more conservative attitude on the
part of the thoughtful Members OF
Congress and Senators. There seems
to be a growing recognition OF the
fact that the subject Is one full OF
intricate and complex conditions
which make final action inadVisable
without a very full understanding OF
what the practical effect of any pro-
posed legislation would be, not only
upon transportation interests, but up
on the hundreds Of thousands OF peo-
pie throughout the country who con-
stitute the shippers.
Democrats to Support President.
There has been such a stampede OF
Democratic Representatives and Sen
ators to the support of any rate bill
which the President may want on
the ground that any rate bill is good
Democratic doctrine, that many OF the
Presidents political advisers are
warning him that he may be In the
position of having to dodge an alliance
with the Democrats, which is exactly
what the President does o want.
HDlle II lb SeueIdl4g DSlINN'u IAHt
the House will promptly pass the
Administration" bill, yet Speaker
Cannon said not long ago that while
it was impossible to say what Con
gress would do, he felt convinced that
the House would not again pass the
Esch-Townsend bill. Yet the Inter
state Commerce Commission bill Is a
much more radical measure and IL
every way is more ~far-reaching
Whether this is to be made the basis
of a compromise or whether the Pres
ident will insist that a commission
appointed by him shall be invested
with this ~plenary power of constitu
tional ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, jude
ial and executives a matter OF som
conjecture.
In connection with the foreign ant
domestic policies above mentioned, l
is said alike by friends and critics o
the President hat he is facing a cru
cial period. not only in his " career
but also In that Of his OWL party
Party harmony, to the end Of con
tinued party control, is known to b.
quite as inspiring a motive with Pres
fdent Roosevelt as are those grea
social, political, and industrial re
forms with which his fame is linked