Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-10-05

New York American.
Perhaps there was no one in the Unleeo
States more pleased over the railroad
regulation speech which President Iall
made in Iowa than ex-Congressman VIII
liam Bailey Lamar, of Florida, who Is
at the Waldorf-Astoria with Mrs. Lamar
for a visit of some weeks.
Mr.. Lamar was member OF the mouse
of representatives for six years, and dur
ing that time a member Of the committee
on interstate and foreign commerce. he
was a central figure, along with Repre-
sentative d. w. Shackleford, of Missouri,
in the railroad bill fight in that commit
tee.
In addition to reporting the Democratic
caucus bill, q nondescript, withdrawing
bit Of prospective regulation, this militant
pair insisted on reporting from their COM
mittee the railroad regulation bill intro
duced by William Randolph Hearst
This report, a minority one, was made
in December, 1904. At the next session. in
December, 1906, John Sharp Williams, the
minority leader, removed both Lamar and
Shackleford from their important commit
tee This precipitated an angry debate on
the floor Of the house between Lamar and
Shackleford and Minority Leader VIII
liams. Through both their speeches ran
the thinly yelled accusation that the DEM
ocratic minority leader had removed them
at the behest of the railroad interests.
Mr.. Williams said he removed the two
men because they were not in harmony
with the Democratic majority on their
committee.
Mr.. Lamar was for IA years attorney
general of Florida prior to entering into
his congressional life, and during that
period conducted many strenuous fights
against southern railroads
1t is this record both in his home state
and at the national capital, that gives
particular point to an interview which he
gave an American reporter recently IN
his apartment at the WaldorI-Astorld.
Mr. Lamar said:
cit was a notable speech that President
! Taft made in Iowa yesterday. His sug-
gestions are far in advance of the Hep
burn railroad rate bill passed by congress
in 1906 The presidents speech was not
too advanced. nor was it radical, in the
sense that railway men use that term.
THE general government has entered
upon the mueh-needed policy of regula-
ton of interstate railroads. That regu-
lation must be thorough and efficient, OF
il will be simply impOtent and ridiculous
The latter result would begin great ma
tional movement for government owner
ship of interstate railroads.
Twelve or fifteen billions Of dollars rep
resents the apparent value Of the 22O.OoC
miles and more OF railroad property in
the United States. This vast engineery
of commerce, state and national, holds q
vast power for good or evil over the heads
of the American people.
'It can make and unmake towns, cities
and individuals by rebates, discriminatory
rates and favoritism. 1t is impossible that
a free people can submit TO the uncon-
trolled exercise OF this vast commercial
power in private hands.
railroads are chartered by the public
! and their roads are public highways. The
public can condemn the railroads, pay q
| fair value for them and own and operatt
! them in the public interest, just as the
public, through the officers control, owr
| and operate the postal department This
power is the basis of the power to regu
| late railroads by the public through its
officers.
william r. Hearst was the first pub