Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-28
TAFT GAINS POPULARITY.

commenting on the increased popu-
larity gained by President Taft since
congress passed his Legislative pro
gram. The Literary Digest recalls that
the president In speech at Newark
some time ago referred to the wide
spread popular discomfort with his adj
ministration,' and that Ambassador
Reid in an address at Oxford, startled
his hearers by frank allusion to the
rumors that "the president was not
having the best of luck" The Digest
quotes eminent authority who see
signs OF q great and rising wave of
feeling in favor of the president. The
New York Evening Post is quoted as
saying:
His railway stroke has unquestion-
ably won him new popularity in the
west" and adds that "he nows bids
fair to close the session with longer
list Of his recommendations enacted
into law than Roosevelt was able to
show In the last two years OF his term
thought that sounds like talking IN
superlatiyes."
Favorable action by congress on the
measures that had not been passed
when that paragraph was written,
bears out the prediction made by the
Post.
The New York Tribune is quoted by
the Digest as referring to the rallroau
bill. the chief fruit of seven months
of legislative struggle, as "a giant
stride forward" The Tribune adds:
.'Not only will the new bill clinch all
that was accomplished in the law OF
June 20. 1906. but it will provide for
many things which, had they been
proposed at that time, would have
filled the conservatives in both houses
Of congress with CONSERVATION, and
would probably have sent the holders
If railroad securities flocking to the
bear side Of Wall Street with rush
which might have caused panic.
That bill defined as common carriers
express companies and sleeping car
companies, as we'll as railroads. This
measures includes telephone and tele-
graph companies. The OLD law permit
ted Investigations and decision by the
Interstate commerce commission only
when complaint had been filed by u
shipper or other person interested.
The new bill permits the commission
to institute proceedings on its own
motion and without waiting for COM
plant to be filed. The old law delegat.
ed to the commission authority ouly
over rates and charges. The new law
will extend that authority to include
all regulations and classificat1ons
which may in any way affect rates or
the interests of shippers. The old law
authorized proceedings only after
rate had gone into effect. The new
law authorizes the suspension Of any
proposed rate regulation or classit1ca-
lion for q period not exceeding eleven
onths, pending investigation by the
mmission. The old law, despite the
efforts Of President Roosevelt, includ-
ed a court review clause. The new
measure while not repeating that pro-
vision, meets the objection thereto by
creating q special commerce court,
which will devote It's entire attention
to cases growing out Of the interstate
commerce law, and thus obviate the
tedious delays which it was feared
would result from judicial review.
And one Of the most important pro-
visions Of the new law will be the
placing on the railroads Of the burden
Of proof In all judicial proceedings
suhereby It is sought to waive the de-
cisions of the Interstate commerce
commission, thus relieving the shipper
of the burden OF carrying legal cases
possibly up to the highest court in the
land.
..Those who realize how sincere and
earnest was President Roosevelts de-
sire to secure for the shippers ade-
uuate relief from the hardships to
which they we're too often subjected,
must appreciate the heartiness Of the
congratulations which will be extend
ed to President Taft by his immediate
predecessor on the good work he has
accomplished.
The Tribune adds that had the Taft
administration accomplished nothing
raore than the railroad legislation at
this session, all fair-minded observers
would have been obliged to concede
that it had been crowned with far
more than ordinary success.