The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-15
PLOT SLAUGHTER
OF RATE LAW AND
ALL ITS FRIENDS.
Railroads Prepare to Attack
Constitutionality of the
Recent Legislation.
Think Supreme Court Will
Sound Doom of the
Measure. >-t =: - j
Mark Administration Sen
ators for Defeat in Next
Elections. 49,. .-..-
Hire NewsDaDers TO WAGE
Hire Newspapers to Wage
War on Men Who Served
the People.
Plan to Put Safe and Sane
Man in the White
House.
distinction

w. Some light has been thrown |
today on the meeting IN
Chicago this week of the counsel for
many western railways to consider
the legal aspects of the, new rate law.
In Washington is the headquarters of
the publicity bureau of the associated
railways of the country-associated
for the purpose of fighting against
rate regulation. Samuel Spencer, presi
dent of the Southern Railway com
panv, is at the head of the associa-
ton, and manages the publicity pro-
gram. The publicity bureau is showing
signs of unusual life, and it is an
nounced that it is to continue it's
work. The presumption was that this
bureau would go out of existence with
the enactment of the rate law, but it
seems there is still important work
to be done.
It is said that the counsel, who have
been meeting in Chicago, are to de.
eide that the new law is unconstitu-.
tional, and are to follow that decision
with the recommendation that it be
contested in the courts. While this con-
test is going ON, it is the purpose of
the publicity bureau to supplement
the work by the preparation of a
series of articles giving the grounds Of
the alleged unconstitutionality and
preparing the public for the blow
which the railways believe is to fall
upon the announcement of the supreme
court decision.
Wars on Senators, Too.
This same publicity bureau is to
move also in the matter Of endeavor-
ing to create sentiment in a number
of states against certain United States
senators who are friendly to the Roose-
welt policy, and who come up for re-
election next winter. Already it is
said newspapers have been found in
all states where senatorial fights are
to be made which will publish the
series of articles regarding the uncon-
stitutionality Of the rate law, and fol-
low that with attacks upon the SEN
ators who are marked for slaughter
The publicity bureau in Washington
seems to be well informed regarding
the meeting of the railway lawyers
in Chicago this week, and to know
that these lawyers are to decide that
the law will not hold water and ought
to be tested in the courts. The alleged
unconstitutionality is found in the
clause giving rate-making power to
the interstate commerce commission
under circumstances which it IS
claimed involve direct delegation of
legislative authority.
The railway attorneys say that if
the new law had directed the use of
explicit means of reaching a rate, as
for instance, by Senator La Toilette IS
suggestion of basing it upon the valua-
tion of railway property, it would be
invulnerable. Instead Of doing that,
however, the law delegates the entire
question of a rate to a commission,
leaving it to exercise it's Judgment
as to what is fair rate. The railway
contention is that there should be no
room for the exercise of Judgment, but
that the rate fixed should be mathe-
matically correct and susceptible of
mathematical demonstrations 49,.
Aim at Presidency.
The "judgment' of the commission
as to what is a fair rate involves the
exercise of a legislative discretion, say
the railway attorneys, and on this
point they hope to have the new law
knocked sky high.
Should this be accomplished, the rail
ways of course understand that the
country will demand a new law to take
the place of the old one, and so they
want to elk" the senate in the mean
time so as to make sure that when the
question comes UP in that body again il
will be on different basis from thai
which is occupied in the session of con
gress just adjourned. Roosevelt vii
then be out Of the White House and hi
place filed: if the great corporate in
terests can have it so, by some maj
who is safe and sane.' Without tn,
White House stimulus it will be diff
cult to create public sentiment, ant
with no public sentiment the senate