Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-28
NJ. H. SMITHS RED HOT TALK.
President of the Louisville & Nash
willie Discusses Proposed Rail-
road Liquidation.

Louisville. KY. Nov. 27.-Milton H. Smith,
president of the Louisville & Nashville rail-
road, to-day gave out an interview to the
Evening Post, in which he vehemently OPP
poses the pending railroad legislation before
congress. Before leaving the city, he was
seen and asked to give to the public a
statement of his position in regard to the
proposed measures.
las to scalping,' said Mr.. Smith. that is
largely a moral question and an immoral
practice. which the law as it stands should
suppress and the railroads must suppress.
AS to the pooling provisions proposed,
they are not of sufficient Importance to re-
qufre much attention from railroad man
ayers. Pooling will not be obligatory. and
pooling rates have to be approved by the
interstate commission. The whole
thing, is delusive. I should not like to
say the proposition Is intended to divide the
public and the railroads as to the revolu-
tionary character of the proposed legisla-
Il used the word revolutionary advisedly.
the movement is one which should
arouse public attention and secure not pub
lie approval, but public condemnation.
Much transformation has been circulat-
ed concerning the effect of recent judicial
merce commission. The public has been in
formed officially that these decisions have
..emasculated the commission; that they
deprived of power conferred on it by con-
gress to fix rates, and that the power thus
taken away must be conferred by congress
in language not subject to misinterpreta-
ton:
There lie evidently an organized move
ment directed by shrewd and interested
men to confuse the whole matter.
Every assumption Is false. The commits
sion has been deprived of no power given
possessed. it possesses to-day. All that the
courts have done has been to check a tend
ency Of organized political agencies to ex-
THE 1Iblic ShOuld no longer no deceived
The purpose of proposed legislation is not
to restore to the commission something it
never possessed; something it could not use
safely, and something hat never should be
II wish to state the facts with all the en-
phasis of which 1 am capable. The pro-
posed changes are radical and revolution
airy, affecting not simply the railroads. but
1T is not possible for one commission to
fix rates; to settle the innumerable con-
troversies daily arising between lines. be-
Such a power should not exist anywhere
to-day. To give it to a single commission is
the prosperity and the futures of the pri.
vate citizens. such as no government here.
and few governments abroad. have ever
YES this feature of the proposed bill is
ignored in all public discussions. We hear
much of pooling and scalping;. we hear
to congress behind the pooling and anti
scalping measures. claiming approval of the
public upon palpably. false pretenses. These
and the people should not be kept in ignor-
ance of the effect of such a revolutionary
measure upon the whole character of the
government"
The significance of this interview with
Milton H. Smith. president of the Louis
vile & Nashville system. will be under
try. who have tried to interview the gen.
tleman. On all ordinary matters Mr.. Smith
Is rigidly reticent. This interview indicates
the Importance attached by experienced
railroad men to the legislation to which
interested parties are so heartily commend
ing the attention of congress.