The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-05-18
Senators From Many States Do Not
Measure Up To The Senatorial
Standard.
From the Baltimore sun, May Is.

From the Baltimore Sun, May Is.
The student of American political history
must have found much that is suggestive and
edifying in the debate in the Senate on the
Hepburn Rate BILL He has seen the strong.
est and best equipped men in the Republican
party and in the Democratic party measure
intellects on question of far.reaching inn
portance, namely, the proposition TO empower
the Interstate Commerce Commission to sub
stitute for unjust and unreasonable railroad
rf.te just and reasonable rate, subject to an
appeal to the Federal courts. Putting aside
the purely legal questions involved in this
controversy, it is eviden; that the issue, viewed
solely as an economic one, is Of immense
significance. When the Interstate Commerce
Commission was created. in 1887, there was
general complaint that the people were not
given fair treatment by the railroads The
fact that Congress is now about to enlarge
the powers of the commission indicates that
the original Interstate Commerce Act, and the
commission which for 10 years has been
charged with its enforcement, have fallen
short of public expectations. 1t shows that
the people believe the exercise of a much
greater measure of control by the Federal
Government over the railroads is essential to
the nation 5 welfare.
For many years this reform has been i'm
pending Now that the climax has been
reached, it is worth while to look into the
condition in the Senate, where the real fight
has been made. Attention has been directed
heretofore 30 the magnitude Of the railroad
interests in the United States The railroad
interests of no other country in the world are
comparable to them. II has been said that
the railroads in tue United States are organ
lied into few systems. controlled by syndl-
| Gates of capitalists. The heart of these sys
tens is to be found in the city OF New York,
| the metropolis of the richest aud most pop
uous State in the Union. How have the
| Interests OF New York, of lis citizens gvuer
| ally as well as its railroad magnates, been
| protected in the contest in the Senate? New
| Jersey has also large railroad interests, while
| Pennsylvania ranks second to New York
alone. How have the representatives OF these
States in the Senate figured in this tremendous
| struggle?
In years to come the student al history will
be astonished, when be examines The record,
to discover what pitiahe part these States
played IN one OF the greatest economic con
troversies since the Civil War OF the New
York Senators Oue-Mr. DepeS-is a former
railroad president; the other Mr. Plat. is
| the president of express company. The
! Empire State might as we'll have been with
out representation, for its Senators reflected
no credit upon il au6 accomplished 90 good
/ for it. There is nothing more melancholy IN
the annals Of the greatest State IN the Union
than that its influence counted absolutely for
| nothing III this movement for railroad leg'sla
ton. Id the result ia the Senate had bcen
determined By weighty argument alone, Srus
tor Aldrich, Of Rhode Island. would have
been an inconsplcuoas figure. and New Eng
land would have played only minor psvt,
tor even NF. Lodge, Of Massachusetts. has
shown 10 lItie advantage. Senator hBax, OF
Peunsy lyania, the able and experienced cor.
poraiicn lawyer. rescued his State troGl oh,ly-
l0n by pleading The cause ut the railroads.
In iais entire group &c New England aud
other States no SvaAt0g Eith the exception
OF Mr.. Knox proved himself a man Of first
class ability. the other Senators ware either
silent or mediocre and wigbaui weight aF ia-
/ aueace to 8 deliberaiiye body The brains OF
the Republican party IN this 6gai wrre sup
| Piled by the West Without John C Spoon.
pr, Of WISCONSIN,, aud j. b. Foraker. 81 Ohio,
! representing enc element Of the party. and j
| p. Deliver. Of Ioaa, aad X. ~ la Toilette.
/ Of Wisconsin. representing another, the Re
/ publican party would have Appeared 90 sight
| advantage K Is Surprising ibaf Illinois DID
4 aot figure prominently sn th. ds-balr, Whl.e
/ Indiana equally sHCugspicuagss, although
/ the SILVER iopgaei' Beveridse t. one uf is
4 Senators.
/ The poverty OF ia,eliscl whieb the spaigh F.
| cultivated aud highly developed States ct NaR
| England sud the EAs; exhibited Ia The Seaste
| Is 10 sharp contrast to the learning. ability aai
/ strength Of the leading Democratic champions
I OF rate legislation. Senator RayBsr. q Mary
| lamd. Senators Bailey aud Calhrrsaa. Of
/ Texas; Senator Bacon. q Georges. aai Sena.
| tot Tillnau, Of Soplh Carolina. constituted a
/ cnsesle Of dehaisrs Rhe @ere fuoTa RhaB able
/ to bold their o@u Si,h the mlghtiest sps.kss-
men Of the nppasisioH. The laarris ~hIch
Mf. Xavier has son are especially gratifying
/ to the people e Maryland Tie ravizhls
/ position 70 which lhey have attained Ia the
4 Senate demonstrates Aaew the importance II
every State sending 10 The Senate rep7g.nttA
/ lives OF it, highest culture aai craftsmanship
The spectacle which Mes EasisHa sad Mes
/ YORK and other kA-lern States presented
during the Rate debate IS saadeaEas. bai mol
| hopeleSsiy ds>eourAEiag. II Senator's ars ia
/ Any great degree to be the creations II putty
machines, or influenced by vast corporate
interest, the standard 81 statesriAushIp viii Eu'
be high. II wAs nos through such Influences,
If a retrospect may Re permitted. that bauie
1 Webster Vas elected 70 the senate ffou
/ Massachusetts,. Ii the R4fe BID bad come o.
! ia WebsieFs day, haw be NoulG bare gi'am
/ uated the sahjecI wih bis learning Ag-
/ eioQaenee Ii a E1au Of the type II Ssrphazi
/ A. Douglass represented llliuoss lH the Senate
| nov, that magnificent State ~oal3 nos hays
| been relegAted to o5scur:sy ia the debate o.
The rate measure Missouri woald be sell Il
/ the front II the spirit and bratus VI IhomAl
/ H. Benton had been banded dpSa go al h.-
/ successors II the Senate. keaiacky s3as1
always hAve high rank amoaE her sister State
it her Senators measured az TO the intellectual
a. u s.Fff NU.r
/ several strung men % the Seuais siacr The Old
order passed Away. bat none $40 was sholil
the equal 81 judah P. Benjamin. The Sens
tors 81 the old regime we're aol made b
| political bosses aud we're uoE chosen The
champions 81 SPECIAL Interests.
/ If the Senate IS decadeui, Il y NOT necessary
10 20 far 10 lind the cause, nor IS II difficult Il
suggest the remedy. In every Stats ia
| people should determine that no man shaalt
he elected to the SenaIe who dreS nos taeasue,
~ to the Senatorial standard. Experience
has shown that high order Of Intellect. com
bined With al ardent desire 70 promote publt,
interests. will enable Senator 70 serve BIZ
State with more distinction and usefulness.
than a man Sho does not possess these quAi
tiles There is no reason, outside OF machius
politics aud sordid influences, Why The United
States Senate should uos be IS brilliant
bodv nov rs Il ever WAs, representing the bes
thought OF The ages body swayed neither b.
radioaiixm on the Que hand nor By corporai,
| interests on the other, but promoting Ih'
| welfare Of all the elements 10 the body polite
| IN the spirit Of Justice 20 everyone aud favor,
TO none. If Senators were chosen on thu
principle, New York, Pennsylvania and the
New England States would have representa-
lives worthy Of the palm.est days os thes'
States, when John Quincy Adams, Rafal
| Choate, Rufus King, ". l.. Marcy, Rober
| Morris, james Buchanan aud De Witt Clinton
we're examples Of real craftsmanship.
AU. s. Judge Under a Cloud.