Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-04-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(FRoM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT

(FRoM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON, d. c., McH. Both.
It is probable that the President
will cease his campaign to ascertain
the actual valuation Of railroad prop
erty. On every hand he has heard
protests against his plan for an ap-
praiscment of the value Of the roads.
He is assured that such a move would
cut the price of securities in two and
that millions and millions of invest
ments would be deprecated. In in
vcstigating the subject of railroads
the President has been in close touch
with the Interstate Commerce COM
mission and it is believed now that
he will turn over to that body the
physical side Of the railroad PROPOSE
ton. The Commission has nearly
sufficient authority to ascertain the
valuation of railroad property and in
determining what is a just and rea-
sonablc rate the commission may in
auire into the value Of the property
of the roads. If he does leave this
troublesome question to the Commiss-
ion Congress would probably be call
cd upon next winter to enact amend
ments to the rate law which would
facilitate such work and the Commiss-
ion which has concerned itself with
a vast variety Of less important mat
tiers would have to bend all Of its en-
ergy and talent to keeping in touch
with the railroad world.
1t will be remembered that when
President Roosevelt was awarded the
Noble Peace Prize of forty thousand
dollars last year, instead of accepting
it for his own Use he announced that
he would give it toward the establish
mcnt of National bureau OF Industrial
peace in which the representative OF
Labor and Capital might have per-
manent organization for the adjust
ment OF their differences and for the
purpose of effccting a better relation
and understanding. Five of the sew
Ell trustees Of the organization, which
is authorized by special act of Con-
gress, met in Washington this week
for the purpose Of perfccting the Or
ganization. While the amount now
in hand is but forty thousand dollars
it is the expectation that other con-
tributions from various sources will
be made and these are being solicited.
Annual conference in Washington
have been arranged for in which rep
rcsentativcs of labor and capital will
take part and arrangements are being
made for the publication OF the results
Of the conferences. The President il,
of course interested in the work and
that it has useful future in spite of
the skepticism of those who believe
that it is chimerical and utopian. He
received the commission and enter
tanned them at luncheon at.the White
House when the objects of the work
and the plans were discussed with
him.
The financial crisis in New York,
the threatened gigantic railroad strike
in the West and the growing custom
of expecting succor directly or indi-
rectly from the White House would
appear to be sufficient to rivet attent-
ion on Washington, but the somewhat
premature presidential contest with
it's centre of disturbance in Ohio make
for the moment financial crisis and
great labor agitations of secondary
Importance and the main question Of
the moment is the contest between
Ohio's great sons Taft and Foraker.
Taft it is true, is far away on the
billow" and Foraker is navigating the
choppy seas of the Brownsville inves-
tigation but the lieutenants Of both
these champions, Burton ON the one
side and Dick on the other with their
various sub-lieutenants are in the po-
litical skirmish of their lives. Sena-
tor Foraker had to fight. He had
burned his bridges behind him and
pitted against the most powerful and
popular man that this age has known
he appears to people at this end of the
line already beaten.
EUREKA!
Yes, ! Have Found II At Last.