The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-06-16
Washington News Letter.

lngton special correspondent or Inc
Reporter.)
Washington, d. c., June 11.-Indi-
cations are that congress will pass
over the protest of democrats and
progressives railroad regulation
bill that will not provide for physi
cal 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 valu-
alton amendment proposed.
A physical valuation would expose
| to the country the extent to which
railroad stocks have been watered,
and would, therefore, tend to prevent
over-capitaliZation 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 makeup,
| has recommended physical valuation
year after year The commission, in
it's last annual report. somewhat
hopelessly, as if realizing the extent
to which railroads dominate congress,
says: The commission has, in prev
louS reports, express al the opinion
that it would be wise for congress to
make provision for physical valu
alton of railroad properties, and de-
sires to reaffirm in this report its
confidence in the wisdom of such a
measure.
Physical valuation was recon-
mended 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 neither voice nor pen on behalf
of physical valuation, and it is under
stood that the idea is antagonistic to
his pro-railroad temperament.
Yet the supreme court, in the
Nebraska rate case, held that the
basis of all calculation as to the rea-
sonableness of rates must be the fair
value of the property being in use
for the convenience of the public
Presidents Bill is Not Progressive.
AS progressive legislation, rail
road regulation bill without pro
vision for physical valuation, is a
farce.
The national democratic platform
of 1908 declared in vigorous Ian
guage for efficient supervision and
rate regulation of railroads" and tC
that end strongly recommended the
taking of physical valuation by the
interstate commerce commission.
But when it is considered that
Hartman contributed 100000 tC
the republican campaign fund on be-
half of the railroads, that probably
numerous other railroad magnates
advanced equally as large sums, and
that the very bill congress is about tc
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 theil
death >stabs even after passed by a
goodly majority in the house OF
Representatives.
Oh, American people, you must be
more vigilant than you are if you
would continue to deserve the title Of
a patriotic people!
Where Mr.. Taft Gets Suggestions
Republican senators who most fire.
quently visit the white house are:
Aldrich of Rhode Island acknowl-
edged representative of Wall street
and the tariff trusts
Lodge of Massachusetts, who de-
clares the ultimate consumer to be a
myth.
Depew of New York, chairman OF
! the board of directors of the New
York Central and Hudson River rail
: road and director of 81 other trans
portation and franchise corporations
Senators Stephenson of Wisconsin
and Guggenheim of Colorado, who
and frequently referred to as having
bought their way into the senate.
And here are the republican SEN
ators with whom the president does
not confer: LaFollette of Wisconsin
, Clapp of Minnesota, Dolliver and
Cummins of Iowa, and Bristow OF
Kansas.
Rainey was Right. After All!
Attorney General Wickersham
former sugar trust attorney" is quite
proper, after all.
When Representative Henry T
Rainey of Illinois, made the above
reference to Wickersham some time
. ago the latter professed to have beer
2 greatly outraged, and had a Letter
!, read on the floor of congress il
which he Indignantly denied the ac
: cusalion.
By cross examining Representa-
tive Mckinley, of California, who wa
praising and defending Wickershan
: in congress with information furnish
ed him by the attorney general, Mr.
Rainey has just brought out thes
:. admissions:
That Wickersham and Henry w
Taft, the residents brother, wer
formerly members of the law firm o
Strong & Cadwallader; that for ser
vices rendered the thieving suga
trust Brother Henry" received $26,
$50; that this sum was turned owe
to Strong & Cadwallader, and tina
Mr.. Wickersham drew down ant
pocketed his share of the fee withou
indicating any insurgent tendencies
"Wickersham, former sugar trus
attorney" is, therefore, legitimat
appellation for the attorney genera
= of the United States, who advise
J. that there be no congressional inves
tigation of the sugar trust because
might give immunity" to the high
4 er up's!" Selah!
RaIfipUap Gill poyonnaf,I