Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1907-01-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Rsg.la, Correspondent.

Everything points to a demand |
for further railroad legislation
by Congress when the present in
vestigation OF the Hartman and
Hill lines shall have been conclu.
ded. No one can tell yet W ha Il
remedial form such legislation
will take for the government is
bound to confess that it is con-
fronted with a very serious situ-
alton. Much has been made over
the governments victory in the
Northern Securities case, but all
reports indicate thatitwas ahol-.
low victory, and while the North
ern Security Company was off,
ciaIly dissolved, it's effects have
remained, and Mr.. Hills two rail
roads, the Great Northern and
the Northern Pacific, are work
ing in just as close community OF
interests, and as effectually avoi-
ding all competition, as though
their stocks were actually in pos
session of a holding company.
The distress of the communi-
ties served by these two roads is
shown by the fact that another
investigation Of their relations is
now projected by the Interstate
Commerce Commission. All ofthe
facts too, brought out by the In
vestigation Of the Hartman line,
Iso far as that investigation has
proceeded, indicate that they are
working in complete harmony
, land aultching the whote terrific
Try they are supposed to serve, 81
effectively as though they wer
being operated by o holding CON
ipany.
The worst of the situation il
that the government does moi
know exactly what to do about
nit. If winning a suit and getting
Ian offending company dissolved
does not remedy matters, some
thing radical will have tobedon
to make the federal government
master OF the situation. 1t cal
hardly go to work and confis
icate q railroad or any otherprol
n erty that a man owns and yet i
0 wouldlseem from thepresent out
look that nothing short ofconfif
cation would meet the require
ments in the case. There is
great deal of discussion as +
whether or not government al
pointed freight agents would &C
as a remedy, and yet this lead
= very strongly in the direction q
i. ultimate government ownership
J. The same situation is being ia
d ced in connection with the stan
dard Oil suits, and the questio
o. has been reriously raised by tn
Dept'ment Of Justice as to whet
er the Standard could be dissol'
ed in a practical way that woul
be of any benefit to the consun
eer.
al Another question which it
ne understood will shortly be trea
Us ed by the President in q speci'
lmeasage, is that OF forcing Il
n. railroads to move coal carsthr
.e. the fuel famine districts OF t h
Of northwest. President Hill OF Il
Great Northern, has solemn
= assured the Government. tn
he is doing everything in his pc
er to help the situation, but it
: claimed that 1900 coal ears a
being held up in Minneapolis
the result Of q minor quarrel |
" tween the railroads and the shl
re. pers over demurrage charg'
nd The President wants the Int
al. state Commerce G Commission 6
en- authority to deal with c
shortage as vigorously and
: promptly as it may now W
rate complaints, and it is und
stood q bill to this end will sht
= ly beintroduced in Congress.
There is scarcely any longer
effort to conceal the fact tn
Of the Brownsville riot dispute !
I'll, ceased to be anything other th