The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-28
RAILWAY LEGISLATION
VIEWS OF MILTON H. SMITH ON
MEASURES BEFORE CONGRESS.
He vigorously Denounces the Pro-
Interstate-Commerce Commission.

LOUISVILLE. KY. Nov. 27.-DIilton H.
Smith, president of the Louisville & Nash
vile Railroad, to-day gave out an inter-
view in which he vehemently opposed the
pending railroad legislation before Con-
gress. 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 moral question
and an immoral practice which the law, as
it stands, should suppress, and the rail-
roads must suppress. AS to the pooling
privileges proposed, they are not of suffi-
cent Importance to require much atten-
ton from railroad managers Pooling will
not be obligatory, and pooling rates will
have to be approved by the Interstate-com-
merce Commission. The whole thing is de-
lusive. l should not like to say the PROPOSE
ton is intended to divide the public and
the railroads as to the revolutionary char
acter of the proposed legislation. 1 use
the word revolutionary advisedly. The
movement is one which should arouse pub
lie attention and secure not public ap-
prevail, but public condemnation.
Much transformation has been circu-
lated concerning the effect of recent judi
cial decisions concerning the Interstate
commerce Commission The public has
been informed officially and through the
press that these decisions have 'emascu-
lated the commission that they have de-
stroyed it's usefulness; that it has been de-
prived of powers conferred on 1t by Con-
gress to fix rates, and that the power thus
taken away must be conferred by Con-
gress in language not subject to mlsinter-
probation. There Is evidently an organized
movement, directed by shrewd and inter
ested men, to confuse the whole matter.
Every assumption is false. The commits
sion has been deprived of no power ever
given it by Congress. All the usefulness it
ever possessed it possesses to-day. All
that the courts have done has been to
check a tendency of all organized political
agencies to extend their power in new
fields The public should no longer be de-
cieved The purpose of proposed legisla-
ton is not to restore to the commits
sion something 1t has lost, but to give it
something it has never possessed, some
thing it could not use safely and some
thing that should never be given it.
Il wish to state the facts with all the
emphasis of which am capable. The pro-
posed changes are radical and revolution
airy, affecting not simply the railroads, but
the whole character of government. It is
not possible for one commission to fix rates;
to settle the innumerable controversies daily
arising between lines, between shippers be-
tween cities. Such a power should not exist
anywhere to-day-to give 1t to single com
mission or to endow it with an influence
over the lives. the prosperity and the fu-
lures of the private citizens, such as no
government here, and few govern
assume in times of peace. Yet,
this feature of the proposed bill is ignored
in all public discussion. We hear much OF
pooling and scalping; we hear nothing or
this other scheme stalking into Congress,
behind the pooling and anti-scalping n.ea-
sures, claiming the approval of the public
upon palpably false pretenses. These false
pretenses should be at once exposed and
the people should not be kept in ignorance
of the effect of such a revolutionary mea-
sure on the whole character of the govern
ment."
The significance of this interview with
Mr.. Milton H. Smith, president of the L. &
N. system, will be understood by newspa-
per men all over the country, who have
tried to interview the gentleman On all
ordinary matters Mr.. Smith is rigidly let
icent. This interview indicates the impor
tance attached by experienced railroad men
to the legislation which interested parties
are so heartily commenting to the attention
of COngreSS. .44.to.a asls .+-