The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-04-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Ohio His advisers are divided in their
conviction as to the policy of such an
address, but they agree that If he is going
to give his views to the public the sooner
he does it the better He is being i'm
plored by hundreds of people who have
pecuniary interests at stake to say reas-
suring word and it is known that Secre:
tary Cortelyou who at first urgently
advised him not to speak on the subject
has changed his views and is now coming
around to the opinion that such an ad.
dress might be useful in allaying the
uneasiness which is felt in industrial
circles. IT is said to have been the i'm
preston of the delegation of the Indus
trial Peace Commission which he enter
tanned that public utterance from him
now might be effective in preventing the
threatened railroad strike on the Western
roads, and that a reassuring word from
him as to his policies with reference to
the roads and corporations generally
would do much to allay the fears of the
timid ones who have money to lend but
who are afraid to lend it while the condi-
tons are so unsettled. It is thought that
it would restore confidence and tend to
prevent the financial and industrial peril
which now menaces the country.
1t is probable that the President will
cease his campaign to ascertain the actual
valuation of railroad property. On every
hand he has heard protests against his
plan for an appraisement of the value of
the roads. He is assured that such a
move would cut the price of securities in
two aud that millions and millions of
investments would be deprecated. In
investigating the subject of railroads the
President has been in close touch with
1.-THE Interstate Commerce Commission and
it is believed now that he will turn over
to that body the physical side of the
railroad proposition. The Commissie n
has nearly sufficient authority to ascer.
tain the valuation of railroad property,
and in determining what is just and
reasonable rate, the Commission may
inquire into the value of the property of
| the roads. IF he does leave this trouble
some question to the Commission Con-
gress would probably be called upon next
winter to enact amendments to the rate
law which would facilitate such work, and
the commission which has concerned
itself with vast variety of less important
matters would have to bend all of its
energy and talent to keeping in touch
with the railroad world.
~
There are eighty witnesses on the list
of those who will be examined by the
Military Committee of the Senate investi-
eating the Brownsville affair. Others
will of course be added and it looks as if
the Committee would be in Washington
all Summer. Sometime during the hot
season the entire Committee will go in a
body to Brownsville to examine the spot
where the shooting up occurred and if
possible to elucidate the mass of contra
dictory and mys,ifying testimony that
has thus far been produced. 1t is said
that the Committee has now decided to
carry on the examination in relays. That
is several of the Senators will remain in
Washington and have charge of the case
while others go to their homes to attend
to private business and erect any political
fences that may have fallen down during
the session. By taking turn about this
way every man will have chance to
escape to his home for little while
without interruption of the proceedings.
~
| 1t will be remembered that when Pres
ident Roosevelt was awarded the Nobel
Peace Prize of forty thousand dollars last
year, instead of accepting it for his own
use he announced that he would give it
toward the establishment of National
Bureau of Industrial Peace in which the
representatives of Labor and Capital
might have permanent organization for
the adjustment of their differences and
for the purpose of perfecting, the organ
izations While the amount now in hand
is but forty thousand dollars it is the
expectation that other contributions from
various sources will be made and these
are being solicited. Annual conferences
in Washington have been arranged for in
which representatives of Labor and Cap
ital will take part and arrangements are
being made for the publication of the
results of the conferences The President
is, of course. interested in the work, and
it has a useful future in spite of the
skepticism of those who believe that it is
chimericsi and utopian. He received the
commission and entertained them at