Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-15
A|LR0ADLEG|SLAT|ON
Speculation on Outcome of Ma
tionaI and State Crusade.
FAR-REACHlNG INFLUENCE
Roads on the Eve of Future Develop.
ment.
PRESIDENT IS LOOKED T,
To Give Word as to Future Moves to
Regulate Traffic - Recent
Slump in Market.

The political and legislative sharps are
cheering up and taking heart of courage
What threatened to be dull spring and
tedious and prosy summer are now roseate
with promise of a most lively and interest
ing discussion, fraught with the deepest i'm
portance to the Industrial and political in
terests of the country. Indeed, public atten-
ton Is likely to be aroused to an unusual
degree from the fact that the public pock-
etbook is concerned as the question affects
investors Of all classes.
President Roosevelt will be the central
figure of this new controversy and discus
sion. He will be in the limelight every min
ute as 1t flashes and his name will be on
every ones lips as they ask What will
Roosevelt do with the railroads? What leg
islation will he recommend next year? What
will be the outcome of the crusades against
the railroads by national and state au-
thorites?'
Far-Reaching influence.
There is thought to be no doubt that the
railroads of the country are on the eve of
developments in state and national legisla-
ton which will have far-reaching influence
upon their future. 1t is evident that the
federal government is not done with it's task
of regulating and controlling Of them, while
the state legislatures are just getting a
taste of blood. AS frequently pointed out,
the railroads are more fearful of aggression
from the states than control by the govern
ment. but they are keeping wary eye upon
the latter proposition also.
The fears and hopes of the railroads may
be classified mainly follows: They fear
the federal government will try to attack
the present system of capitalization and
establish a connection between freight
rates and capitalization. They hope the
or orr he eylIiS nf
protecting interstate commerce, force the
states to keep hands off the roads to a
considerable degree.
President Roosevelt is looked to by the
public. it is said. to give the word for flu
ture moves to regulate the roads. Back of
him stands a host of ambitious politicians
in every state, ready to reinforce his eff
forts, and. if necessary. go them one better.
The public will have to differentiate be-
tween the public-spirited and the merely
selfish politicians, and that effort will keep
the public busy for awhile.
Incensed Against Railroad Manage
ment.
All outcroppings of public opinion ap-
pear to indicate that the country at large
Is very much incensed against railroad
management, and very suspicious of the
game as it lies. Harrimans conduct of
high financing of railroads is held $50
sponsible for this suspicion, and the diff
| Guilty the public is now experiencing in Sc
curing adequate accommodation of freight
traffic creates the complaint
There is much comment In Washington
| over the fizzling out of the efforts to get
| the eastern railroad magnates in confer
ence with the President and the simuIta-
neous announcement that he has invited
| some western men to confer with him on
the general railroad situation in the mid
| die west. While this conference is believed
to relate particularly to possible future In
vestigatfon Of the Hartman Rock Island
deal. II is said in ofiicial circles that it
viii also embrace the general SUBJECT OF