The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-06
LAW IS BEING VIOLATED
Many Ways of Railroad Dis
elimination.
AS INSTANCED BY KNAPP
Chairman o. the Interstate Comm erce
Commission Before the Industrial
Commission-Problems OF
Transportation.

Washington, Sept. 5.--The industrial
commission resumed it's sittings to-day,
hearing the members of the interstate
commerce commission on questions af-
fecting railroad transportatio Chair
man Knapp being the first to be
heard.
Replying to questions, Judge Knapp
dwelt at some length upon the subject
of discrimina tons. He said there was
no doubt at the present time there was
more or less discrimination on the part
of the railroads in favor of indi-
viduals. There are none, he said, or
comparatively few cases of direct re-
bate paying, but there We're many other
means of reaching the same result. as,
for instance. by false weighing, false
billing misdescription or the purchase
of supplies. A favorite means was grant
ing concessions on purely state traffic.
while observing the requirements of the
law on Interstate business. He said
there were still instances of violation
of the long and short haul clause, not
withstanding the supreme court decis-
ions.
He thought the Interstate law could
be amended so as to prevent the prac-
stce, He would make it criminal mis-
sdemeanor. He also recommended the
repeal of the antitrust law and anti
pooling laws, coupled with more
stringent regulations concerning con-
tracts. He would have the corpora
Hions themselves indictable. He con-
blended that there could be no COMPETE
Etion between individuals in the matter
sof railroad traffic, which was his rea-
Ison for advocating the abolition of the
fanti-pooling clause. Only capitalists
had secured the benefit of the antitrust
land anti-pooling laws.
Mr.. Knapp said he had received only
erecently a letter from the receivers of
fthe Baltimore & Ohio railroad con-
ffessing discrimination in the past and
expressing an intention to abandon the
ipractice. He did not believe that gov
sernment ownership would put stop to
discrimination on the part of the rail-
troads, because of the favoritism which
lis likely to go with political control.
Commissioner Judson c. Clements
advocated a national inspection law.
He also spoke of excessive rates, say,
ing that, contrary to the general opin-
ion, there were still unreasonable rates.
Those were generally found in rates to
intermediate points where the through
rates were excessively low, and said in
such cases the high rates We're practic-
ally in violation of the long and short
haul clause of the interstate commerce
law Under this condition there was
much discrimination in the interest of
the trade centers and against the small
towns.
Commissioner Prouty explained the
operations of export rates. showing
that in many cases the rates for arti-
cles to be shipped abroad had amounted
to only about half as much as in cases
where the articles were intended for
local consumption. Investigation had
shown that the benefit of this discrim-
dnation was reaped entirely by the for
eigners. He did not believe it possible
ITO build up or maintain a commerce
dealing with staple commodities with
out discriminating freight rates.
Mr. Prouty expressed the opinion that
rates were even now being cut by the
roads. He advocated giving to the in
terstate commerce commission the pow
+. er to fix rates.