The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-04-11
THE PRESIDENTS POSITION.

pouring over the country, and out of
1t come many of the misconceptions
that pass for public sentiment. Just
now there is famous debate in pro-
gress in the United States senate over
the railroad rate bill which was passed
by the house in response to very
general desire that the national gov
eminent should assume closer super
vision of the affairs of the great rail-
way lines. Of the country. The bill
was considered in the house under
rule of that body which prohibited
amendments being made to it, and
its authors asserted in substance that
it was SO nearly perfect in every way
that it did not need amendment. They
also allowed it to be understood that
President Roosevelt wanted it just
that way. ,,,, -.t ...,. j.. ...,:
AS, the bill did not. provide that the
rate orders of the inter state. com
merce Commission should"be open to
review by the courts. thus leaving the
commission the sole and only jul ge
Of the. legality of such rates. the
senate. under it's right to amend bills
coming from the house. sought.to make
careful inquiry into that particular
phase of the question. In doing SO
it had in view the fact that the Town
send-Esch railroad rate bill which
passed the house near the close of
the last session of congress contained
court review clause. 1t also remem-
bered that the president in at least
two messages had favored court re-
view. ...
Notwithstanding these incontrovert-
ible and historical facts the flood of
transformation to which we have re-
ferred has conveyed to the public
mind the idea that there is a wide dis
agreement between the house and the
president on the one hand and the
senate on the other; that the senate
is undertaking, by subterranean
methods, to carry out the wishes of
the railroad corporations, and that the
president stands alone in Washington
as the peoples champion. This view
of the case, unfounded as it is and
oil inc
it to be, does great injustice to the
president himself. because it puts him
in the dangerous attitude of one who
doubts the sincerity and patriotism of
other man sworn, as he is. Sworn
to do their duty as they see it.
That there may be no mistake about
the presidents position on this most
important and far-reaching question
We give below the exact words of the
president himself. In speech deliv.
cred by himself at Raleigh, North Car
DINA, less than six months ago, he
said:
but IN my judgment the most I'M
portant, thing to do is to give to this
administrative body (the interstate
commerce commission) power to make
its findings effective, and this can be
done only by giving it power where
complaint is made of given rate as
being unjust or unreasonable, If it
finds the complaint proper, then itself
to fix maximum rate which It re.
CARDS as Just and reasonable, this rate
to go into effect practically at once,
that is, within a reasonable time, and
to stay in effect. unless reversed by the
courts. earnestly hope that we shall
see a law giving this power passed by
congress-"
That the senate will follow the pres
ident's advice, amending the house
bill SO as to provide for court review,
need not be doubted. That it should
not do SO would be to discredit the
gospel Of "a square deal"