The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1910-05-12
TAFT may GET
INTO THE FIGHT
srANpPATTERs SAID TO BE Ex.
PEcTING TO RECEIVE. HELP
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.
ANNOYED BY OPPOSITION
Chief Executive Declared to Be on
Verge Of Denounelne Progressive
Republicans Who Are Unable
to Favor Administrative
Measures.

nVSOpIIC0U0 WIN ARC OUdOI0
to Favor Administrative
Measures.
Washington.-Whf;e in that indef.
mite way in which all things come
from the White House, until there is a
public declaration made as to the pur.
poses of the president, the information
is given out that the president is be-
coming SO irritated by opposition in
congress to his Legislative program
that he is going to speak right out
In meeting against the Progressive Re-
publicans.
OF course this Is not official, but 1t
has the stamp Of being authoritative.
1t is said that he is Indignant about
the way in which certain men in the
house declare publicly they are for
the administration bills. and then go
into session and vote against what he
regards as essential features of these
measures. The Progressives at
whom all this Is directed, continue to
make arguments and force the votes
in the house upon amendments to the
rate bill which they consider essential
and to be in the interests of the pub
lie.
One of the things which the Pro-
gresstves have succeeded in doing to
the bill is the adoption of an amend
ment providing for the physical valua-
tion OF all railroad property This was
not In the Wickersham bill 1t is not
in any scheme which has been put
forth by the president for the control
of railway rates and services. The
amendment adopted by the house,
which was introduced by Representa-
tive Madden of Illinois, was in all es-
sentfal features the same amendment
which Senator La Toilette has had
pending in the senate since 1906.
Victory for La Toilette.
! The claim is made at all times dur
ing the discussion upon this bill that
the railroad rates In this country are
satisfactory and that there is no COM
plant about excessive rates. The only
complaint is that rates are unequal as
between localities. Shippers complain
of determinations, but 1t is asserted
that the charge is nowhere made that
the rates are not reasonable Senator
La Toilette alone takes the ground
that the rates charged by the railroads
are too high. and that the only way
to determine whether they are rea-
sonable or not is to obtain some stand,
ard of measurement. The standard
of measurement must be fair return
upon the fair value of the property.
In the determination of this he has
contended that the first essential is
the making of the valuation of the
railroads. So reasonable was this
proposition that notwithstanding the
personal opposition which there is in
congress among the Standpatters to
La Toilette, they we're compelled to
accept his amendment, and when put
forth by Mr. Madden of Illinois. 1t
went through the house by a vote of
131 to 81.
An effort will be made to take 1t out
of the bill when the final vote is. ta-
ken in the house, but there is no ques-
ton but that It will remain in. The
hope Of the railroads then is to get 1t
out in conference.
Democratic Faction Alarmed.
The impression which the Progress.
sive Republicans are making upon the
country is evidently having it's effect
upon those members of the Demo
cratic party who are allied with the
big financial interests just as the AL
drich- Cannon organization with the
Republican party is allied with those
interests. So long as the Progress
sives were but handful in the sen
ate or the house, incapable of making
any impression upon legislation, there
. did not appear to be any danger and
the Democratic minority could aligr
, itself with these Progressives witt
impunity.
!, Now, however, that the Progress
sives in the senate and house are in
i creasing In numbers and in force the
situation is changing. Some of the
Democrats begin to see real danger
in the Progressive movement. Fol
six weeks 1t has been known that
some Of the Democratic leaders were
4 to take the floor and fay the Progress
sives. It was said that Senator Bailey
! of Texas was the man who was te
do 1t. but the first note of this at
tack came from Senator Rayner o.
Maryland, and he was followed b,
Senator Bailey. The only construc
tion which could be placed upon these
two speeches was that they we're de
livered in the interests Of the Aid
rich organization. They were deliv
cred with the evident intention to dis
credit the whole Progressive move
ment. Mr.. Bailey and Mr.. Rayner dit
not voice the opinion Of all Of th'
Democrats. and the Bailey speech wa
!, replied to the following day by sena
i tor Clay Of Georgia. who. from. I
e Democratic standpo oint, took the sam
81 ground that was expressed by Senate
:. Dolliyer in the reply which he mad
to the Rayner- Bailey argument.
a DolIiver Answers Democrats.
Ak Senator Dolliver said lin part: y Il
''In 1894 when the Democratic parf
had unrestrained liberty In reWritin
= the tariff law. with which they wer
4 dissatisfied, they allowed the very Y