The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1907-08-01

which the people are not ready 10 act'
To inject the government ownership
question into the next campaign would
simply give representatives OF the rail-
roads chance to dodge the Issue OF
regulation and deceive the public.
So far, the railroads have been success
full in preventing effective federal regu-
lations, and state regulation has, as
rule, been restrained by the United
States courts. 1t is about twenty years
since the interstate commerce comlniH-
sion was created. 1t required about ten
wears for the courts to find out that the
powers conferred were insufficient, and
then it took about ten years to secure
an amendment. The railroads fought
the amendment al every step, and the
president was finally forced to compro-
mise with the railroad republicans in
the senate n order to secure their sup
port. Even that amendment secured
after tremendous effort, falls short OF
what it should be- 1t aims to stop re-
bates and passes and the railroads pro
fit pecuniarily by both the stoppage
of rebates and the prohibition OF passes
but extortionate rates still exist, and
state legislation for the reduction OF
rates has resulted in an agitation on the
part of the railroads for legislation
which will deprive the state of author
ity and centralize all regulation in con-
gress The democratic party must meet
the issue presented; it must resist the
encroachments upon the authority OF the
states. 1t must insist upon the exercise
of federal power for the regulation of
interstate commerce, and 1t must insist
upon the exercise of state authority for
the exercise Of all of the power vested
in the state. This questi on has grown
in importance during the past year and
its prominence will be increased if any
attempt is made to impair state author
ity. The republican party is as impo-
tent to regulate the railroads as it is to
extermnate the trusts and to reform the
tariff.
The democratic party has In three
national campaigns demanded effective
railroad regulation, while the republican
national platforms have been silent upon
the subject. The president has partial
ly adopted the democratic view on this
subject, but so far the republican leaders
have resolutely refused it. The presi-
dent is helping to educate the people up
to the need of railroad regulation but
his party, under its present leadership
is powerless to accomplish this or any
other important reform. If the demo-
cratic party will clearly aud unequlvo'
cally demand, first, the ascertaining of
the value of all the railroads; second
the preventing of overcapitalization;
and third, the reduction of rates to a
point where they will yield only rea-
sonable return upon the real value OF
the roads-if the party will do this, it
will commend itself not only to demo
Gratis but to those republicans who have
been led to study the railroad question
The railroad situation presents vital
issue, and the issue should be 80 stat
ed that everyone can understand the
partys position While democrats may
differ as to the relative Importance of the
trust question, the tariff question and the
railroad question, all must agree that
the party must take the side OF the COM
mon people on all three questions.
Let the line be drawn between those
who want to make this a government
OF the people, by the people and for the
people and those who want it to be u
government of the corporations, by the
corporations and for the corporations. -
The Commoner.