New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1907-03-20
A POINTER FOR ROOSEVELT
Gov. johnson Suggests Plan for
Overcoming Discordant Rail-
way Legislation.
Would Have President Call Con-
gress of Federal and State
Officials.
Achievements of Insurance Con-
ference an Evidence Of What
Might be Accomplished.


A national conference of state gov
errors, railroad commissioners and at
torneys general, to discuss the ques-
tion of railroad control with President
Roosevelt and the interstate conf
merce commission, is suggested by
Governor John A.Johnson.
He advanced the idea in an interview
on Saturday and will probably follow
it UP with an official communication
to President Roosevelt.
Governor ohnson agrees with the
president that great harm and confu-
sion are likely to come from state and
federal control of railroad rates ex-
erted at the same time and over the
same territory. He does not believe
that the states can relinquish their
control of traffic within their borders,
but does see the necessity for harmony
between the two systems at this time.
To this end he believes that a general
gathering of state and national offici-
ais, like the famous Chicago conference
on uniform insurance legislation, can
accomplish a great deal in bringing
about the adoption of a comprehensive
and harmonious program.
ST agree with the president, says
Gov. Johnson, ''that thorough and
efficient supervision of railroad char
ges by the national government, en-
tirely replacing state regulation,
would be the ideal system. Probably we
will come to that some day. In the past
the only regulation has been by the
states. With it's increased power the
interstate commerce commission is
now beginning to supervise Interstate
rates. The two systems must operate
side by side, and hopeless confusion
must come unless there is method of
getting at uniformity.
''The president has been credited
with a desire to confer with some gov
errors of states on this question. 1t
seems to me that the best way to bring
order out of the chaos will be for him
gress of the governors, railroad COM
missioners and attorney generals Of the
states. to meet with the interstate COM
mission at some central place, such as
Chicago, and discuss this whole ques-
ton. [ believe it would be entirely
consistent for the president himself to
attend such meeting. The conclu-
sions of such gathering would not be
binding, of course, but believe that
much good would result from the ex-
change Of ideas and putting all con-
cerned on a common ground of under
standing. Whatever state Legislation
should be recommended by the concen-
sus of men of such standing would
have excellent chance of adoption by
the legislatures. The experience Of
the insurance conference has demon
strated that.
ssThat insurance conference at Chi
eago, in my opinion, was the greatest
civic gathering ever held IN the coun.
try, and it resulted in the best move.
ment in the line of insurance reform
that was ever put under way. The leg
islation recommended by the commit.
tee of fifteen seems likely to be adopt
ed very extensively. In our state it is
going through with hardly change
z I am told.
''We had insurance officials before
us at Chicago, and I think railroad
men should have a hearing at nation
al congress on that question. The
most progressive railroad men of the
country want government control
They want it to be effective and theil
views on the subject would be OF value
to the conference.
ssThe railroads, in fact, are more ii
need of government regulation to pro
tect them from themselves than the PEG
pie need it to protect them from thu
railr Dads.
ST have not gone into the question
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