Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-18
Commissioner Knapp Speaks for the
Cullom Bill.
fHEINYERSTATE COMMISSION
Had Been Crippled by Decisions of
the Courts.
OTHER MEASURES DISCUSSED

The Senate committee on interstate COM
merce today resumed its hearings upon
the Cullom bill amending the present in
terstate commerce law. Judge NJ. A.
Knapp of the interstate commerce COM
mission addressed the committee in favor
Of the proposed bill. He said that the
situation, so far as the present law was
concerned, had resolved itself into this,
that the original machinery-the present
law-crude and ineffective in some respects.
has practically broken down. The propos-
ed bill Is to provide new machinery by
which the principles involved in the orig
inal law may be made effective. Unless
these cardinal principles are maintained,
Judge Knapp thought. it would be better
to take away the power which the inter-
state commerce commission In supposed TO
have. He said. however. that in 225 formal
proceedings of people aggrieved In not a
single instance did the railroads Set up a
want of authority on the Fart of the COM
mission.
Judge Knapp explained that the courts
had seriously affected the law By their de-
cisioEs.
Senator Tflmaa inquired what reason
there was for believing that the courts
would not refine away the proposed bill
as they had the present law.
Judge Knapp replied that ii was impossi-
BILE to foretell what the court might do.
THE best we can do" said he, lis care
fully and thoughtfully TO lesislate upon
this subject"
1T doesn't seem," said Mr.. Tillman. that
pain English alone is sufficient as applied
to railroads.
''Or as applied to section D." interjected
Senator Elkins-
CoLtinuing his statement. Judge Knapp
said that section CT the present law had.
in its operation. been seriously crippled by
the decisions of the courts. The proposed
substitute for that section, he said, is prac-
tically the British law. and mas received
the approval of the commission after the
n ost careful thought.
LAS II is proposed" SEid Judge Knapp.
"the section will be in entire harmony with
the measure as a whole, which confers the
right upon carriers to establish rates that
are higher for short than for longer dis
tances."
One provision of the proposed bill. Judge
Knapp explained, made IL imperative upon
railroads to publish their freight and pas
senger tariffs In that respect he deemed
tie existing law faulty. Another important
amendment to the existing law, Judge
Knapp believed. was thai which reads: No
change shall be made in the schedules of
| iates. fares ard charges filed and published
as aforesaid. unless the carrier files with
the commission statement OF such
changes and posts new schedules as herein
before provided, plainly indicates such
changes upon those already posted, at least
sixty days before the taking effect of such
changes
Judge Knapp explained at length some of
the other provisions of the proposed bill,
describing the technical differences between
them and these of the existing law. He
had not concluded when the committee ad-
iourncd.
Rights of Indians.
The House committee on Indian affairs
has agreed on the bill to submit to the
Court of Claims the questions to the
status and rights of the Delaware Indians
in, h. ha
Choctaws in the Choctaw nation. the
Chckssaw freedmen in the Chick.saw aa-
tion and the intermarried persons in all
three of those nations.
Material for Minor Coins.
The House committee on coinage, weights
and measures has favorably reported to
the House a resolution authorizing the
Secretary Of the Treasury 10 make expert
ments TO determine the best material for
n inor coinage and to submit new designs
for coins to Congress. The committee says
the copper penny becomes dingy, dirty, iull
and by corrosion poisonous; the cent
nickel, tEree-querters copper, is too soft.
Switzerland, Austria Hungary and Italy
have adopted pure nickel for their minor
coinage with very satisfactory results. she
coins being hard, durable, magnetic. vel
vety to the touch, retain their color and
30 not corrode.
New Date Of Inauguration Day.
The Senate committee or privileges and
elections today authorized a favorable re-
port on the amendn1 ent to the Constitution
of the United States. introduced by Sena-
tor Hoar, changing the time of year for
the expiration of the terms of the Prcsi-
dent, Vice President. senators and repre-
sentatives in Congress from March until
the last Wednesday in April. The change
is made TO take effect in 1901. and If the
amendment should be accepted by Con-
gress and be ratified by sufficient number
of states, II would have the effect of ex-
tending the terms of President NICK nlsy
end Vice President Hobart for Almost two
ncnths.
The object of the amendment is to avoid
the harsh weather which sometimes inter-
feres with Inauguration cerem monies when
held on the 4th of March.