Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1905 — REFORM LONG DELAYED [ARTICLE]

REFORM LONG DELAYED

The President Outwitted by the Railroads. 4 CONGRESS LIKELY TO DO LITTLE. Republican Politician* Cannot Be Relied Upon to Regulate Rate* or Curb the Treat*—A Political Revolution Must Precede Reform Legislation. Last winter President Roosevelt set himself up as the regulator of the railroads, the curber of trusts and the champion of tariff revision. The people everywhere acclaimed him their champion and are still looking t 6 him as their deliverer and leader. Since that time there are signs that the president has weakened on the strenuous campaign he outlined against corporate aggression. His Intention to call congress together In extraordinary session and recommend that body to enact the necessary laws has been abandoned, or at all events postponed to such a late day as to be practically a concession to the railroads and trusts. That this view of the president’s nonaction is not alone the way the Democrats look at it Is shown by the fact that even such a stanch friend of the president's policy as the Chicago Tribune, through its Washington bureau, sums up the situation by saying: Delay was the one thing asked for by the railroad companies. When they secured an agreement from the president that he would not call congress in extra session before October, and possibly not at all, the railroad managers believed they had the battle half won. The various railroad managers who today are contributing money for the support of an Independent press bureau which is endeavoring to influence public opinion have sent out confidential advices to practically every large railroad tn the United States to the effect that the president has "changed his foot" and he ts no longer convinced of the necessity of railroad rate regulation along the lines he laid down so successfully in his annual message to congress last December. It openly Is claimed by other railroad officials that they have succeeded in throwing dust in the eyes of the president and there will be no legislation in the direction of the absolute regulation of railroad rates at the next session of congress. As the Tribune is the great Republican authority of the west, it is probably right in its information of tbe machinations and intrigue that have encompassed Mr. Roosevelt to prevent him from action. But it is impossible to believe that he did not understand the reasons advanced for delay were the stratagems of the enemy and that if given time they could use their vast influence and wealth to blind the eyes of enough of the people to turu the tide of battle. If the fight is lost against the plunderers of the people President Roosevelt will be to blame, for he had the result of the campaign in his own hands if he had called congress together in early session. That would have focused the public eye on their doings and compelled them to take up the legislation they were specially called together to consider. To meet two or three weeks before the time for the regular session will be useless, as it was last year. The time will be frittered away, and the real work of the session will be postponed, as usual, until after the holidays. The president may still be as strenuous as ever for the necessary legislation to control the railroads and revise the tariff, but with all his power he cannot hurry congress to action except by calling it in special session at such an early date that there would be nothing else to do but act on the presidential recommendations. The president has made a great error as a political tactician, and having excited the people to believe they would attain relief their disappointment will be great If they do not obtain it The crucial test, as President Roosevelt has told us, is “doing things,” und his popularity will be in the scale until he ac-* compllshes what he set out to do. Tbe Republican party is so Inextricably involved with the railroads, the trusts and the tariff beneficiaries that It is perhaps an Impossible task for any Republican reformer to accomplish anything of moment. Probably nothing but defeat at the polls and the retirement of Its leaders to private life will Insure a reformation of the Republican party. Forty years of power have debauched the Republican politicians, and a reformer such as President Roosevelt is looked upon as a danger to their grafting propensities. As It looks now the president will have more aid and assistance from the Democrats than from the politicians of bls own party.