Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1906-05-25
EQUAL TO THE EMERGENCY.
Grand Forks Evening Mime

Grand Forks Evening Times.
Yesterdays Washington dispatches
announced that the rate bill had passed
the senate. This settles for all time
the wild and unfounded stories that
the bill would either be killed out
right in that branch Of congress or else
so mangled that it would bear no re-
semblence to the one asked by the
president or the one which some time
ago passed the house. The truth is that
the bill which passed the senate was
more drastic and comprehensive in its
terms than it was when it reached that
body from the house.
In the senate the true friends OF
rate legislation refused to be swept off
their feet by the clamorings of the
senationalists and extremists who were
far more interested in playing to the
galleries than in giving the country
rate legislation that would stand the
test of the courts and at the same
time, remedy the evils complained of
without working obstruction to pro-
perty interests. They believed that
whatever evils had grown up in the
management of the railroads could be
rectified without turning the country
over to reign of Industrial anarchy.
Because of this stand the members
were accused of being under the
domination of the railroads. In the
face of this charge. they insisted that
the bill should be carefully considered,
and as the debate progressed it be-
came evident even to the layman that
in their ardor those who had been
1oudest in their demands for particu-
lar bill had left many glazing defects
and at the same time had placed in it
many features that were highly in
furious to the public interests.
tuSSS uSlSClS WSlS lCuSSlSo III IuS
senate and as a result the bill goes to
conference, in every particular salts
factory to the president and much
stronger than it was when it came
from the house which was supposed
to be largely representation of the
wish of the people as to the character
of the bill required by the public.
When the law becomes operative as
it will in the proper time, the methods
of conducting the railroad business of
the country will be reyolutionized. But
the change will be made so great as to
amount to a revolution. The remedies
which have been provided will relieve
the public of any burdens under which
they may have been suffering but the
railroads will still continue to be the
great mediums of communication and
commerce between the different parts
of the country.
The conservatism of the senate has
furthermore given the country a bill
which will be able to stand the test of
the courts 1t has been the policy OF
the interests affected by legislation to
accept almost any law without protest
and then resort to the courts on the
constitutionality of the same and de-
feat the very purpose of the legislation
4 This was notably the case in the cele-
brated income tax law enacted by the
democrats in the last Cleveland admin
istration. It is so of nearly, if not all
n of the hastily considered legislation.
III But in the rate bill the constitutions
atty of every phase was thoroughly
considered by men thoroughly qualified
to sit on. the supreme bench. Many d
the changes were made to avoid the
I dangers on this point 1t is therefore
I safe to say that the law when it be
comes operative will be in as little
danger from attack on constitutions
d grounds as any that has been placed
upon the statute books for years.
Along with the passing Of the bill
BY the senate has passed one Of th,
hopes of the democratic party fol
success In the congressional and stat
4l,s