Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-30
Washington Bureau
OF the Ottumwa Courier.
Wa Shinet0n n ~ Nov, oe

Washington, d. c., Nov. IS.
Inc annual convention of the Assoc
citation OF State Railroad commissions
ers, which adjourned here recently
AFTER most animated session, de-
Neioped an unusual measure of sym
pathy with the purposes and projects
o! the interstate commerce commits
SION. Inc resolutions adopted indors-
ed a number of the most important
matters the federal commission fav-
ors.
Ih1s outcome was especially crafty
ing 10 the interstate commission be-
cause 1t indicates that better under
standing exists between state and
federal authorities than heretofore.
mere has been for many years sharp
rivalry between the state and inter-
state railroad regulative authorities.
me state commissions as rule have
peen disposed to view with jealously
an efforts for expansion OF the federal
control, on the ground that 1t was like
~ to minimize the powers and import
ance OF the state organizations. and I'LL
tlmately to concentrate the entire reg
ulative authority in Washington.
RMS feeling has been in no wise
sectional. Indeed, in some cases
southern state officials have been the
pest friends of the federal commission,
"hlle railroad commissioners from
northern states have been most de-
termined in their guardianship of the
state rights of control and regulation.
Inc question Las brought up. time
and again. the ancient but always new
issue of state rights versus centraliza-
ton.
There was a period, indeed. when
some of the most progressive and in
lluentlal state railroad commissions
ueclned to have anything to do with
tne national organization. and remain
ed away from its annual convention,
simply because they regarded it as Il
waste or time to attempt any sort Of
corporation. In these cases the re-
fusal to cooperate was based on the
general feeling that the state commits
sloners We're too much concerned about
aggrandizing themselves and pro-
tectlng their own dignity and import
ance. and too little interested in such
co -operation with the fed al author
tiles as would promote the interests Of
the public in the regulation of both
state and interstate commerce. Even
this year, despite that the state COM
missioners have been taking in re-
cent years a more enlightened and
broader view of the relation, some of
the progressive commissions, as that
or Texas, were not represented.
But the proceedings of the session
Ju9t oiideu JUSTLY the nope that a new
era is dawning. While there was
manifested good deal of the old mar
roWness and prejudice and there was
more or less quiet talk of the "domin-
eering' attitude of the interstate com
mission. yet the general feeling was
much better than formerly. The con-
vention gave Endorsement even
though sometimes in rather unsatis-
factory and hesitating terms, to some
really important projects which are
certain to enhance the importance Of
the federal convention
one of the most important resolu-
tons adopted was that indorsing the
proposal of federal valuation of the
railroads. This has become fixed part
of the policy of the interstate commits
sion, though that body has been cur
iously hesitatng in pressing for con-
gressional authority and appropriation
That the convention Endorsed the
measure, on national basis. is sig
nificant of a much better understand
ing of what is involved in the whole
question. A few years ago many state
commissioners, and some of the inter
state, considered there was no use for
valuation, and that it would be a
waste of money and hard work. Today.
all the authorities directly concerned