OCR Text |
Show Why Things Ar Bting Done. That the lower house of Congress passed the Esch-Townsend bill regulating freight rates by such an overwhelming rote is highly, creditable to that body, but it must not be forgotten that Congress merely did what it was told to do. Does any one suppose for a moment that the House would have taken the initiative in this matter or that it would have passed a bill at all had it been introduced by tome member of his own volition instead of being the wish of the President? Theodore Roosevelt is responsible for the passage pas-sage of the bill. The House deserves credit for seeing see-ing the handwriting on the wall and for nothing more. It went against the grain to vote for that Jill but it was almost a case of compulsion. Already the Senate has shown signs that it will acquiesce in the President's wishes when the time comes. The measure will undoubtedly become law and it will not be amended to death before it is enacted, en-acted, either. The conduct of Congress affords an interesting study. At first there was a great deal of hostility to the plan to regulate rates and judging judg-ing by past performances there seemed little likelihood likeli-hood that anything would be done. The President was not dismayed, however. He told Congressmen and he told railroad magnates what should be done and what would have to be done. And it is being done. It is not all Roosevelt. It is the American people peo-ple whom he is representing and representing more truly than most of the men in Congress. The members mem-bers of that body were quick to see that the people were back of the President in his effort to secure fair play and relief from the oppression brought about by special privileges and they did the only thing possible gave up the fight. It is a long time since the people had such a friend in office as Roosevelt. McKinley, excellent as lie was, had many things with which to contend. Undoubtedly he would have accomplished much more had his life been spared, but he was not so free to act as President Roosevelt. The President is a friend in need and a friend indeed. |