The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-03-18
NATIONS MUST CONTROL
RAILROADS, SAYS TEDDY"
ANNOUNCEMENT OF DEFINITE
Plan rs EXPECTED FROM
81 WHITE HOUSE SOON.

- n - - - 0boE- . SlSNs y
WASHINGTON. D. C., March 49,
II President Rooseyelt's present ben,
of mind continues until next winter
he win ask Congress to take action
which will deprive me states Of the
Union Of every vestige Of power over
railroads II at any time the roads car.
ry Interstate commerce. Inasmuch as
every railroad, at One time or another,
carries goods destined to States 9th.
er than the one Of origin. that means
the Roosevelt idea Is to have every
railroad under the exclusive control OF
the Federal Government.
Secretary Roots Capitalization
speech, in which he said that unless
the States corrected abuses the Ma.
tional Government would have to act,
was delivered with Il view to prepar.
ing the way for an announcement OF
this enlargemnt of the Presidents
plan fer still more effective control
OF the railroads.
Instead Of President Stlckney. of
the Chicago and Great Western, being
the originator of the idea 1t appears
it is the Presidents own thought; at
least 50 far as its practical applica.
tion is concerned. But the President
and Mr.. Stickney are in absolute ac.
cord.
Wants Absolute control.
A member of Congress who has dis
cussed the subject with the President
is authority for that statement. In
asmuch as the member took promi-
nent part in the discussion of the coil
stitutional questions raised by the rate
bill passed year ago he cannot be in
error as to the views OF the Presi.
dent.
President Roosevelt would have the
National Government exercise over all
railroads all the power and authority
1t has and exercise over transporta-
ton on the navigable waters of the
country.
He contends that decisions and opin.
ions of the Supreme Court from the
time OF Chief Justice Marshall down
afford abundant authority for claim
that 1t is within the province of the
National Government TO exercise the
same quality and extent of control
over lail commerce. as 1t does over
commerce carried on the nevigable
waters Of the United States.
The first case cited by him in his
discussions with callers Is that of os.
den against a Hudson river steamer.
In that case the CHIEF Justice, Mar.
shall, held that, Notwithstanding that
the steamer in question piled wholly
within the territorial limits of New
York State. 1t was Interstate com.
merce within the meaning of the Con.
stftution ind therefore under the con.
troll of the Federal government.
stiekney's Case May Decide.
Mr.. St!ckney has a case in court
now in which the. State of Minnesota,
seeks to make him obeyva State law.
He has raised the question as TO wheth.
err his road is not I'm Interstate high.
way within the meaning OF the Con.
stituti"n and therefore not amenab!e
to the laws of the State, but only to
those of the Federal Government.
A decision in that case is expectrs 1
In very short time. Upon the way it
Is decided will depend, very largely.
the question as to whether President
Roosevelt will or will not plunge head.
long into fight TO have the Federal
Government deprive State govern.
ments Of any say 4 the regulation OF
railroads which engage IN interstate
commerce.
Apparently several railroad presi
dents have had an lnkling of what the
President has been thinking Of. hence
the anxiety of some of them to have
him make statement on the subject