The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-12-14
DEFECTS In THE LAW
hleberg's Bill Seeks to Cure the To-
terstate Commerce. Act.
IT WILL MAKE IT SELF ENFORCING.
Dillon Is to Be Appointed Collector
at FL Paso.
GOV. HOGG AT TRE CAPITOL.
Tipped That He Is to he Cnrtooned
by Dayenport-FiGht for San An
tonic Postofdce.
'OV. HOGG AT TRE CAPITOL.

Washington, December 1s.-(special -
congressman kleberg's bill, introduced
Few days ago, to amend the act regulating
commerce. is attracting considerable at
tention here amonkg the members ON 10th
sides of the house, and it win have lots OF
friends when tho time comes to push it,
In order to give the people of Texas an
opportunity TO understand the nature Of
TINS measure and the merit 1t possesses,
me Post correspondent called on Mr. Klc-
berg and asked him for a statement OF the
scope and purpose of his bill
The bill was framed 10 meet the yari-
Gus recommendations OF the interstate COM
merce commission aud the changes wrought
ny the recent decisions of the supreme court
of the United States" said Mr.. kleberg.
Under the law as IL now stands the COM
mission has little or no power left beyond
That OF suinmoning witnesses and inquiring
into Determinations and extortions, without
any power to give relief to shippers. The
supreme court in May last decided that the
commission had no authority under the
present law to make rates OF any KIM and
during the present term of the court the
short and long haul clause of the Law was
virtually set aside. The law is sur,her
defective in not giving the comiuisiion au-
thority to compel continuous carriage Of
through interstate freight from point of
shipment to tie point of destination; 1t is
also insufficient in not compelling the rail-
ways to adopt Il general classification of
freight, which is the basis for reasonable
rates; it does not provide Ter IL Irorer
compulsory system Of public ;ctouriins,
which is necessary to determine what rate
Is required to pay fer running expenses
an no In n
the railways, etc
The present law is further delecshe In
not providing that the orders and require
ments Of the commission are seif enforcing
through proper penalties in The law Itself
| for violation OF such orders by the railways.
| Again the present law does not mike iht
I corporations. or carriers, themselves amen
! able 10 any penalties. hut only scoks to
| punish its officers and it is 7>t 10 i'm os-
| sibe to find the officials who are suilty
| OF violations OF the law and brllg them
| TO justice. Express companies, parl0r and
| sleeping car companies are not lncidGFd at
all In the present law, Foreign shli, ers
under import rates, have prefer,nc over
domestic shippers. Freight schedules which
the railways are required n publish can
| be changed in ten days II the rates are
advanced and three days il reduced, a
| time entirely too short for the public to
| be informed and the law IN this respect
| is utterly inadequate and no one can knew
| today what the official rates Of the car
riers are, thus encouraging the railways
to resort to freight Discrimination and tate
cutting
"All these aud minor defects of the pres
ent law have been fully met IN my HI,
| after careful study of The subject 10 he
amended and the law applicable to tbs mat
| ter.
In fact. have spent the grepter part OF
! tn, utn pf no h.
lem and the careful preparation OF my bin
The transportation problem is one inyoiv-
ing every economic interest OF our reoplC
and is fast becoming question OF civiiila-
ton as it must in the future materiSii!
affect the conduct Of our civic INSTITUTIONS
and general government Upon tie col
rect solution depends the prosperity oil oul
people. Under the present haphazird III. n
agement Of the railways, not only do In
vestors in railroad security suffer, but act
ing on the principle of self-pTe-erSatlon
the railways are about to pool their in'er
ests and thus destroy the competitive Ilin
ciple, not only in railroading, hut II al
other industrial enterprises. Ii Is I'M
tendency 10 combination on me Tett 0
the railways which at present encourage
: The growth and maintenance II trusts All
: will OF course assume more ag2resslN'
nrcportions under railroad pool. in iEa
: event competition, both in rates ana tran
service Will cease entirely, ulsCIlHlla'loha
however. will not cease at once, nut VIII &
on all the same between the weaker an
the stronger railway corporations, uatil
roint Is reached where the railroad pooi |
80 powerful that it need not discriminate
hui can absolutely dictate to commerce
Manufacture and agriculture, what 1t Nli
allow the people to sell. manuhacture all
: grow.
.sAll that stands in the way Of such
I course is section OF the present Nv
prohibiting pooling. and this is the las
citadel upon which the railwe's =. Lc'
: concentrating their attack. Wi'h 'his Gu
, Of the way the last barrier between copii
tulisti. greed and the rights Of the peopii
viii have besn removed. Numerous III
proyiding for the repeal CT section al
new pending and Will 10 doubt be passe
: during the present session. To ireet I'M
c onslaught against pooling, ] have prepare
| this bill 10 furnish safe ground TOR M cen
oerats and friends OF the people 10 tax
e their stand, and not only repuisi the tness'
h hui advance upon the enemy with hleas
s IRE which Is al once both coAsefvau'e an
9 vet thc4 ough going in It's PROVISIONS ~
: ALIKE fair to the shipper end carries. +
g giving the commission power TO o.; II AK
r mum ana minimum rates, iurnish sun
= cifsnt room for legitimate competition u
d tween the carriers TO protect the sn ~
Il and shield the honest carrier against vi