The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-01-31
ROOSEVELT APPROVAL VS.. IN
suReENT cARP1Na.

One not acquainted with Congress
sional procedure and proceedings
might suppose from insurgent carp
ings that Senator Kitt1edge had been
guilty OF some serious betrayal of
trust In his attitude toward rate
legislation in the 59th Congress,
Instead of having acted the part of a
wise counselor aud prudent states
mar. Some Of these critics are so
blinded by prejudice that they
q see nothing good in Kittredge,
even when he happens, In matters
of legislation, to travel arm In arm
with their idol, LaFollette.
No subject before Congress in many
years has caused so much confusion
In the public mind and produced so
much demagoRic defamation as the
railroad rate act Of 1906. 1t seems
to be assumed by tue insurgent press
that the people consider the railroad
companies a sort OF yellow dog
entitled only to a tin can annex and
. swift kick. There is a painful
silence, however, regarding the re.
cord recently sprung on Governor
Crawford by "a Man with q Mem
Org" According to that record,
Nj. Crawford promised much but
failed in performance-which is ~
striking contrast with the record of
Senator Kittredge. Although the
Senator would not talk for publication
regarding railroad rate legislation
until he had had opportunity
thoroughly to Investigate the subject
and examine the maltitudes Of bills
and amendments, It vas a. certain
% ANYTHING could be that bis action
would be In accord with intslliuent
public sentiment. When the time
arrived for him 70 act he made .
EDcord that cannot legitimately be
assailed.
Tho railway rate bill, as 1t finally
passed, vas not the Esch bill, nor
The Townsend bill, o the Esch-
Townsend bill, nor the Hepburn bill,
nor the composite bill which ORIGIN
ally passed the House. The bill
which passed tho Senate Was radical
II different from any Of the House
bills and more effective than all
combined. In fact, in many respects
the bill Ia the form In which it
originally passed the House, as we'll
q the several bllls which had been
introduced In that branch Of Con-
gress, was crude and unfinished.
The bill which reached the White
House was essentially a Senate pro-
duct and 1t not only received the
Pfesident's formal approval but he
pronounced 1t 'sexcellent."
Whather Senator Kittredge at any
time asld be had not read any partic-
ulsE Houae bin We DO not know or
ears. Senator LaEoilette made
sxactly such Z statement regarding
the DILL which originally passed the
House. aud our insurgent friends, so
far a. Ne have observed. never have
cllticized him for it. One thing is
certain and that is that both Sena-
tors K,ttredge and LaFollelts read
and ~faMiliarized themselves with the
bill In ample timesto enable them to
do what each conceived to be his full
duty with reference thereto. Both
offered Important amendments aud
both we're successful In securing
notifications u, the till Kittredge
supported the LaFollette amendment
proyiding for liability Of common
carriers In cases of injuries sus-
talned ny employees in the line of
duty. and Senator Baccn's amend
ment prohibiting passes to senators,
representatives ana judicial officers.
The South Dakota Senator also Vas
successful in bringing sleeping and
parlor car companies within the pro
visions Of the act, aud co-operated in
formulating and adopting another
amendment which resulted In SUBJ
jecting express companies to the law.
These are facts about which the
:aptious critics of the insulpent
wing OF the party In this State are
either ignorant or they have been
guilty Of wilful Misrepresentation.
Two years ago the opposition to
. nator Nelson in Minnesota con
ductedia campaign against him very
much like the one the insurgents in
this state are conducting against
Senator KittredRe. The Minnesota
sinsufgents accused Senator Nelson OF
insincetity In his record on rate
Legislation and declared. as their
political kinsfolk In South Dakota
are declaring Of Senator Kittredge.
that he came into camp when lie
found that. his vote could not defeat
Ythe till A citizen Of Minnesota
40 desired a statement Of the facts
froll the highest authority, w,ote a
sletter Of Inquiry TO President Roose-
gvHslt. Here IS the answer which lie