Gilpin observer. (Central City, Colo.) 1897-1921, 1910-06-16
Furnished the Observer Weekly by
Clyde II. Tavenner, Special Cores
pendent.


Clyde II. Tavenner, Special Cores.
pondent.
WASHINGTON, June 14,-Indica
tions are that congress will pass
over Democrats and Progressives, a
railroad regulation bill that will not
provide for a physical valuation OF
railroads.
The millionaire colony OF the SEN
ate. some of the members of which
own stock in railroads, fought des-
perately to kill every physical valua-
ton amendment proposed.
A physical valuation would expose
to the country the extent to which
railroad stocks have been watered,
and would. therefore, tend to pre-
vent DISQUALIFICATION in the future
and pave the way for reasonable
freight and passenger rates. This is
why the railroads feAr it.
The Interstate Commerce commits
sion. partisan Republican in make
up. has recommended physical val
uation year after year. The commits
sion. in it's last annual report, some
what hopelessly, as If realizing the
extent to which railroads dominate
congress. says: THE commission
has, in previous reports, expressed
the opinion that 1t would be wise for
congress to make provision for a
physical valuation of railroad proper
ties. and desires to reaffirm in this
report it's confidence in the wisdom
of such measure"
Physical valuation was recommend
ed by Roosevelt time and again. This,
by the way. is at least one Roosevelt
policy that Mr.. Taft has deserted
cold-bloodedly. Taft has raised Meth
er voice nor pen on behalf of physi-
cal valuation, and it is understood
that the idea is antagonistic to his
pro-railroaGi temperament.
Yet the Supreme court, in the Neb-
raska rate case. held that 1.-The ba-
sis of all calculation as to the rea-
sonableness of rates must be the fair
value Of the property being used for
the convenience Of the public"
Presidcnt's Bill Is Nc. Progressive.
AS progressive legislation. rail-
road regulation bill without a provi-
sion for physical valuation, is a
farce.
The national democratic platform
Of 1908 declared in vigorous langu-
age for efficient supervision and
rate regulation Of railroads" and to
that end strongly recommended the
taking of physical valuation by the
Interstate Commerce commission.
But when 1t is considered that Har-
rlman contributed $685. to the Re-
publican campaign fund on behalf Of
the railroads, that probably numerous
other railroad magnates advanced
equally large sums, and that the very
bill congress is about to place upon
the statute books was originally
drawn in New York and submitted to
the railroad interests before being
introduced in congress, it is not so
strange that the physical valuation
amendments received their death
stabs even after passed by a goodly
majority in the House of Representa-
tives.
Oh. American people, you must be
more vigilant than you are if you
would continue to deserve the title
of a patriotic people!
Whcrc Mr.. Taft Gets Suggestions.
Republican senators who most fire.
quently visit the White House are:
Aldrich of Rhode Island, acknow-
lodged congressional representative
OF Wall street and the tariff trusts.
Lodge of Massachusetts, who de-
clares the ultimate consumer to be
q myth.
Depew of New York. chairman of
the board of directors of the New
York Central and Hudson River rail
road, and a director of 81 other trans
portation and franchise corporations.
Senators Stephenson of Wisconsin
and Guggenheim of Colorado, who are
frequently referred to as having
bought their way into the senate.
And here the Republican senators
with whom the president does not
confer: LaFollette of Wisconsin, Dol
iiyar opd Cunmipo NJ Iowo CLAIM of