West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-04-12
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
The Railway Commission COnYen.
tiOn Makes Report.
AGREES WITH PRESIDENTS VIEWS
Railroad Taxation TO BE Fixed by n
National Law.
From our regular correspondent.

come to the aid Of the majority with
proposal in regard to tariff re.
vision that promises to put the
troublesome question off till after
the coming elections. This is a
move that Will meet the warmest
approval of the majority who do
not want any tariff talk Just now
and yet who do not want to 90
before their constituents at the
next election with the admission
that there has been no arrangement
made looking to a full discussion of
the whole tariff question. Mr..
Davidson's plan is for the Ways
and Means Committee to sit this
summer and bear all the brunt of
the tariff petitions during the hot
weather. 1t is explained that who
ever wants a change in the Dingley
schedules can come before the
committee and tell what changes
they want and why. Even the
most sthide bound protectionists admit
uat there is some need for revision
but they do not want il forced to
an issue just now. They would
rather be able to take the stump in
the coming elections and explain
that the whole matter OF tariff re-
vision by the committee working
over time in the heated term in
order to do full justice to the sub
Ject. The committee, they figure,
could hear the advocates Of free
hides and the producers Of manu-
fac.ures in the Middle West the
farmers who would be willing to
make some reciprocal concessions
TO Canada and Mexico on aericnl.
tural produce and all the thousand
and one interests that will clamor
for hearing as soon as the subject
is opened. This is a very beautiful
scheme and meets with the hearty
approval of most Of the Repu blcans
except the members of the Ways
and Means Committee who would
have TO do the work. It is a way
out of a very difficult situation and
MI Davidson ought TO be the re-
cipient of all sorts of thanks from
the members of the majority.
While the members OF the Senate
who are anxious TO see their names
in print have been warming the
breeze with speeches on the rate
bill, ii is said that the forces Of the
Administration and those of the
opposition have been closer to-
gether and that when the leaders
have done all they could TO align
their forces the debate will he
chopped off short and the voting
will commence. Just what the
result will be it is too early to say.
There are rumors that the Hepburn
bill will pass the Senate without
amendment. There are also rumors
that the opposition have their forces
well enough in hand to be sure of
very material amendment. The
truth probably lies between the two
extremes and there will most likely
be provision for a court review
on which the confreres can finally
agree
1t should be noted that the con-
yention of State railway commis-
soners meeting in Washington
this week recorded themselves in
favor Of such provision. The
meeting is held in the quarters OF
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion and the members Of the con.
| ventlon are from almost all the
states in the Union that have rail.
way commissions. When they first
struck Washington, they we're at.
tackled of course by the railroad
lobby who made a determined effort
TO get them converted to its way OF
thinking, or at least to saying they
were converted which in the present
situation would amount 90 the
same thing. Some members Of the
convention the railway people very
evidently got and there was a aues.
tion whether the meeting would moi
go on record as dead opposed ia
the extension Of the powers Of the
Interstate Commerce Commission
and declare that The power 20 make
rates was a delicate, not TO sa,
sacred function, that could not b.
safely eRtrusted to any people ex.
cept the railroads themselves. ThaU
was the situation up to the lattei
half Of the meeting when the com
mitIee on rate regulation reported
It's report was dispassionate anc