Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-03
Small Prospects OF Effective Tariff Revision

the dominant party comes the specter
Of higher freight rates. Traffic assO
Citations are actually engaged in writ
Ing their new freight tariffs. A 10 per
cent Increase is virtually announced rs
impending the country over, and prac-
tically all classes Of freight are to
share the increased burden thus sought
to be imposed ON the consumers.
Advance of Freight Rates.
Reverting to my mention last week
Of the attitude of New York Stock
Exchange members toward the future
as related to the Taft administration,
this question Of proposed increases In
rates becomes a political matter in adj
dition to its economical phases.
In the last session an amendment to
| the law was offered by Senator Till
man providing that proposed increases
| be declared reasonable by the inter
state commerce commission before
| they become effective. This proposal
was defeated through the opposition
! Of Senator Elkins, chairman of the
| senate committee on interstate COM
| merce, much to the joy of the rail-
| roads and also immensely to the EN-
barrassment of the senators and repre-
| sentativeS who assisted in the chlorO-
| forming of that measure.
| 1t transpireS that many constituen-
| cies demanded that power be confer
!, red on the interstate commerce COM
mission to suspend proposed increased
| rates pending hearings as to reasona-
bleness, and when 1t came to, the
| knowledge of those constituents that
their representatives in both houses
| had been party to the killing of the
amendment, according to reliable re-
port, several heads dropped into the po-
litical basket
That this measure will become an
issue again this winter l am informed
in Il manner not permitting unbelief
| The philosophy behind the movement
is: Under existing law. when shippers
desire lower freight rates. they first
must petition the commission and then
prove that the rates asked for are rea-
sonable and not confiscatory.
These shippers therefore argue that
when the railroads desire higher rates
they should prove that the proposed
rates are not confiscatory as to the
shippers business.
Questions That Worry Republicans.
With the tariff and freight rate in
creases staring them In the face, then
the Republicans who direct events JUS
now have plenty to worry about, fol-
there remains the trust issue as ye
practically untouched and its policy
not determined
Like piling PeliOn ON Ossa, these
leading questions have superincum
bent on them the making of Il cabine
to put into effect the administration.
ideas now being evolved. From tn,
far western states has come just on,
request-the recognition of that region
by the appointment of Pacific coas
man as secretary Of the interior
1t comes to light that the politicians
claim signs are visible that the domi
nant party has been hurt politically b,
some of the recent moves OF the int
rior department. and thus the question
goes up to the president elect to d,
: something to placate the westerner
by giving them western man 70
that portfolio
Listening to the cabinet making COS
sip among those who allege to liv
near the throne at Hot Springs, Va
one detects more or less OF materialit
in these rumOrs of western demand
coupled with general wonderment tina
tentative cabinet lists should all b
. made up with no imputed membe
: from west of Iowa, home of the ven
!, cradle secretary of agriculture
I'VE have the major portion of tn
continent" so the western men remin
the politicians, land you eastern pee
!, pie seldom understand us. Give US
then, one who knows our needs and le
him come from the bourdless ives