Imperial Valley press., 1914-01-28
Tavenner Tells
Of Trust Control
BY Congressman c. H. Tavenner.

Washington, Jan. 28.-There is ;
lot of loose talk going the rounds
in Washington that the president ha
"let up on special privilege and tina
the administration, having put through
the chief measures to which it wa!
pledged, is now prepared to forgive
and forget past offenses by the rich
malefactors and is intending to lei
things drift along much as they have
been permitted to do in the past.
! Some of this gossip is being spreae
by well-ntentioned persons who are
letting their wishes father then
thoughts. They see that the tariff
and currency laws have not paralyzee
the nation, and now they are trying
to whoop up the stock market and
inaugurate business boom.
If this gossip were confined tc
Washington it would do no particu-
lar harm. But, unfortunately, it is
picked up by the newspapers ane
scattered throughout the country. The
result is that the people who elected
President Wilson to end the economic
injustices which they have suffered
and are suffering are likely to have
the feeling that they have been de-
serted.
In line with this sort of idle gos
sip were the recent newspaper articles
that there would be no trust legisla.
ton during the present session. This
rumor was quite generally credited
here, but it arose when President Will
son was out of the city. When he re-
turned the correspondents who hat
telegraphed this "news" were rueful-
ly compelled to acknowledge that they
were mistaken.
There is now another rumor of the
same sort going the rounds. 1t is
that the president will use his influ
ence with the Interstate Commerce
Commission to have the per cent in
crease in railroad freight rates grant
ed. Some of the wiseacres studying
the presidents trust message read his
comment on the intimate connection
between railroad and general prosper
ity, and, knowing that there has been
considerable influence brought t.
bear on Mr.. Wilson to have him sane
ton the rate increase, made the de-
duction that he has yielded.
The fact is that this rumor, like
it's predecessor, is absolutely false,
The president has no intention of in
terfering in any way with the com
mission. | cannot honorably revea
my source of information as to Mr.
Wilson's attitude, but the above as,
sertion is the exact truth.
A number of Democrats, and infiu'
entail Democrats, regret to say, have
been to see Mr.. Wilson and have urged
him to take stand in favor of the
increased rates. But these men put
political eXpediency before patriotic
craftsmanship. Their argument is
that, whether increased rates are JUS
titled or not, to grant them will be
to bring about a business boom which
the Democratic party in the campaign
next fall could attribute to the tariff
and currency.
But Woodrow Wilson is not that
kind of a statesman. He has told his
callers plainly that his legislation
must stand on its own merits. AS
for the railroads, they must justify
their request for increased rates be-
fore the commission, if they are to
have their request granted. There will
be no executive interference.
The presidents position is simply
this: If the facts are as the railroads
claim, then the increased rates should
be granted; but if the investigation
shows that increased rates are neces-
sary simply to pay dividends on wa
tered stock, there is no justification
for the increases. 1t is a question of
fact for the commission.
Another bit of moonshine is the
story that if the railroads accept the
presidents program of having the
commission regulate railroad finances
he, in return, will intercede for the
increased rates.