New-York tribune., 1909-11-12
ONE OF HIS GREATEST
PROBLEMS.
IN Authoritative Exposition of
It's Features and the Rea-
sons Therefor.
- - -. Bur.su }

uhich are inevita bly, involved with all
questions Of railroad legislation He is
entirely alive 70 the fact that even In
determining the reasonableness OF q rail
road rate the Interstate Commerce Com
mission is face 70 face with the question
- equitable rates for transportation. the
'shor question. the question Of justice 70
the capital invested. the question ~
eauitsble capitalization Of railroads and
other problems which only deep students
NJ worldwide railroad history can sde-
quately apprehend
Therefore. IN taking up the question Of
-er1slsrive recommendations 20 Congress
relative 70 the Interstate Commerce law,
Do made no secret cf the fact that he
ronsidered II one Of the most important
tasks of his administration He had
1e1-ned from Martin A. Knapp, chairman
~ the Interstate Commerce Commission.
- TO pitiable condition OF the English
-snr1ads. due % the fact that they had
reid cut most OF their earnings as divi-
serds and increased their capitalization
when improvements were necessary. and
~ov ind themselves staggering under
immense issues Of stocks. on which they
rsn barely psy meagre dividends.
Prophetic observers declare that within
few years the British government viii
- forced 70 come 70 the assistance OF the
railroads. not because they have not been
eroncmicsIly and capably operated. but
because they have followed q short
sighted policy which President Taft and
the Interstate Commerce Commission are
snxious American railroads should avoid.
Wis ADVISERS EXPERTS
This was only one 81 the multitude ~
r-oblerns which confronted the President
u.hen hs resolved last spring 10 pick up
-he unfinished ends of railroad legisls-
-ion and start il on its way 10 complete
solurion-s solution which would be Just
20 both railroad and shipper. and which.
although II might require some years ~
evperimeufinE. would in the end place
ths railroads Of the United States on a
secure basis, knowing what 10 expect
from the government and fully cognizsnt
ri what would be expected or them
Thus, when President Taft called IN HIS
ADVISERS on this subject il was not sur
prising that they we're all men Who had
given the railroad question serious study
THE Attorney General, the Solicitor
General Of the Department 81 Justice.
Chairman Knapp, Secretary Nagel ana
Represents tive Townsend. Of Michigan,
whose work on the rate law entitled him
- recognition as one OF the most sd-
vsnoed and capable students of railroad
legislation IN the country.
There were no emotional radicals in
shat gathering, II was prepared TO deal
with the questions logically and ssnely.
Us atm was 70 DO justice 10 the shipper.
- the consumer and 20 the railroad.
ever bearing in mind that the prosperity
- the country depends largely on the
r-snsportstion facilities and the prices
tor which these can De supplied, but
likewise remembering that thousands Of
'aborers depend on the railroads for their
income. and that, in the words OF James
J Hill. ten thousand miles Of railroad
should be built each year in order 10 in
sure the shipment Of all necessities from
one section Of the country TO another"
PLAN CAREFULLY PREPARED.
When the President enunciated hts
rsilrosd policy At Des Moines on his
Western trip IL vas not an of-hand
Utterance conceived between two davs.
bur the result OF hard study and con-
siderafion by the sblest officers Of the
government. II contained the best judg-
uaent Of men who have spent much OF
their lives in deliberate study Of the
rsilrosd question, and IL meant the enun-
c.stion ~ = legislative programme which
is destined 20 perfect the railroad policy
~ The United States.
Msnv who read the Presidents recon-
r7endations without digesting the res-
sons for them. inquired where the nAoes-
sity exists for changing the rate law
Was n not giving the commission ali n
could attend to- Were not complaints
hsing answered and cases settled7 The
Presidents answer 20 these questions is
'ouno IN his speech. The cases were not
being settled rapidly enough. nor were
81 Questionable cases covered under the
HepbUrn Law.
The Presidents Des Moines speech was
fhe most important he delivered on his
Western trip. IN n he proposed = pro
F-amme for Congress which viii tax us
legislative powers 20 the utmost and can
into play the deepest thought % the
leaders 20 both parties He made IL
ciesr that he VIII seek. IN q most thor
ough manner. 20 put stop - disorimi-
rsrions of any character whatsoever on
Tho part - the railroads In the matter of
charges. He realizes. in spite of the de-
ferrninsrion snd efforts ef Congress 70
eradicate such practices. that they still
sxist ~ some extent. although they are
csrried on in ways more subtle than
those hitherto employed
To approach the solution ~ the intri-
cate problems presented by the neoes-
Eity for additional legislation President
Taft proposes 20 take the shortest route
m - well known by the experts whom he
Consulted that the fault IN the Hepburn
rste Law which most frequently hsndi-
osps the Interstate Commerce Conmis-
sior Is the long delays which often ensue
between the decision OF the commission
Erc itx ultimate enforcement. In many
cssee this delay has worked great hard
chip 20 TIE complainsrts who have been
foroeo 20 tolerate what the commission
hes pronounced unreasonable oondi-
CONTINUED on fourth page.
Cardinal s.ftro,-s r,rees al Catholics 10 ne