The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-12-27
New Interstate Commerce
Commission Policy Inter
eStS Public Men.
WILL BE MADE
JUDICIAL BODY
Proposes TO Turn Adminish alive
Function to Commerce and
Labor Department.
By !. c. WELLIVER.

President-elect Tafts announcement
Of a program and policy fo- dealing
with the problems of interstate com
merce and transportation, along entirely
new lines, has aroused far greater in
tereSt among public men than any other
legislative development Of the winter
aside from the preliminaries to tariff
discussion.
This is a fine Illustration" said a
Western Senator today, "Of the methods
We may expect from Mr.. Taft lie Will
devise his own policies, and then ne
will, to a very large extent, work out
his own measures for carrying those
policies into effect. In that regard ne
will be like Mckinley, who was a con-
structionist: he knew both generally
and specifically, what he wanted; he
was a man for details. Mr. Roosevelt
has not worked that way He has a
genius for generalization, OUT not for
details Of construction
There Is already animated discussion
Of the proposal OF Mr. Taft 10 make th~
interstate commission more distinctive
" a judicial body and to turn its ad-
miuistrative functions over to the De
partment Of Commerce and Labor Il
is apparent that the plan viii enjoy II
large and influential support. largely by
reason OF the fact that the Congress
has loaded up the interstate commits
sion with a multitude OF minor duties,
aside from its great ald essential ones,
and has compelled Il % spend its time
on matters Of minor moment II has
investigated, under Crders Of Congress,
pretty much everything under the sun,
elevators, express companies, railroad
consultations. financial operations.
etc; il has been made the public utility
board Of washington so far as concerns
the city railways. and now there IS
pending TO place the telephone business
under its charge. Later there viii be a
proposal to give the commission general
control over the telegraph and tele-
phone business OF interstate character
throughout the country.
Too Much Work.
Congress has Ioadea up the commits
sion with a hodgepodge OF duties more
or less unrelated and inappropriate TO
its general functions. and then COM
planned because the commission hadn't
had time 20 do The big tasks wanted OF
IL. The feeling has been growing for
two years that something would sooner
situation. The ancient enemies OF the
commission plan or regulation have lost
no opportunity to point out deTects, and
Mr.. Taft's announcement Of his sym
pathy with the critics is certain 20 start
a renewed campaign OF opposition and
criticism Of present conditions.
There IS alread- inquiry as 10 who
Will become the spokesman OF the Adj
ministration in the two houses Of Con-
ETess, in carrying forward these meas
ures. The suggestion was sentured to-
day by a Senator who has recently Wis
tied Mr.. Taft, that when this bill comes
into Congress it viii have something the
status Of a Government proposal in the
English commons. Il viii come from the
pen Of President Taft, viii be known as
his bill, and the question of who intro
duces IL viii be rather Of minor i'm
pOrtance- At the same time. il Will
have a good deal OF. support simply be-
cause Of its status as an Administration
measure.
Much interest is taken in commission
circles in the opinions OF DR.. Henry C
Adams. statisticisn and economist 10
the commission, concerning the Taft
proposals. Dr. Adams Will come to
Washington in n few days 10 remain the
rest of the winte~; and it is expected
that whenever legislation is actually in
process Of formulation, his views Will
be much in demand by the committees
Of Congress. and by the President as
well, Dr. Adams, Ike Chairman Knapp,
Is strongly Of the belief that the ses1I-
judicial functions Of the commission