The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-02-20
ELkINS REBATE
BILL IS PASSED
Measure Goes Through Houss
Under Special Rule Almost
Unanimously.
THE MINORITY PROTESTED
Richardson Insisted No EFFICIENCY Elk.
listed Such as Would Warrant the
Stringent Rule Announced,
But House Adopted 1t.

Washington, Feb. 16.-The ElkiEe
rebate bill passed the house by a vote
OF 241 to 6. Those voting in the Mega
tive we're: Cochran and De Armona
OF Missouri, Glass of Virginia, Hooker
OF Mississippi, Klutz OF North Caro-
lima and Neville Of Nebraska, all DEM
ocrats.
The committee on rules presented
q special order to the house to-
twenty minutes debate for con.
s~ideration of the Elkins rebate bill;
at the end.of one hours debate, a vote
on the bill and the committee amend
ment is to be taken without any in
terventng motion.
Richardson. democratic leader. pro-
tested there vas no emergency which
required UGH a drastic course as the
special order proposed. It permitted
no opportunity to amend or recommit
the bill.
General William Booth Of the Saliva
ton Army delivered prayer at the
opening OF the senate this morning.
Many members OF the Salvation Army
were present.
The Indian appropriation bill was
reported, and resolutions calling for the
correspondence OF naval officers re.
garding the military occupation Of the
bays Of Panama and Colon were
agreed to.
Report on the Bill.
The report on the Elkins rebate bill
f~aVorably reported by the house COM
mtttee on interstate commerce., was
filed In the house yesterday by Mr.
| Mann Of Illinois.
In extensive hearings before you
committee upon the general sMbject OF
proposed amendments to the Interstate
| law the report recttes. Il,
j was Ctrnn 0tu 1tfcroa h1y fha -, -
! the interstate commerce committee thai
the provisions of the existing law pro.
V1d1ng for punishment of the officers
and agents Of railroads, but not fol
! punishment of the railroad itself, pre-.
I vented h enforcement of the law for.
bidding rebates n Determinations
The experience of the interstate com
merce commission has been that it is
impossible to obtain proof of the grant.
ing of a rebate by the officers of a rail.
road to some favored shipper unless The
officer himself give the evidence, IL
/ which case he is free from prosecutions
\ Continuing, the report says:
The existing law prohibits rebates ant
denominations. but does not prevent tn,
cutting of published rates unless discrim
ination Is shown. In most cases it il
practically impossible to show the dis
elimination. In the investigation mad,
by the interstate commerce commission
respecting rates on dressed beef and pack
AA6 0oS pAOQUClS slTOIN hdOSdS CITY ant
Chicago 1t was finally discovered that 10:
years the railroads had constantly ans
hapltuatly disregarded their publishe,
rates below the published tariff 10 al
amount SO great that the difference be
tween the published rate and the actua
year.
After reviewing provisions of the bill
the report in part:
We all know that the officers of the rail
roads who grant rebates and the officer
Of the private corporations who solicit an,
accept them, are men of high standing II
their respective communities, and thar i
Is a very difficult matter to obtain evi
dence sufficient to indict them. and still
more difficult to obtain judges and iurie
who will ,convict them.
Your mmit believes that the legis
lat1on proposed by the Eikins bill. to
sether with the present interstate com
merce, law, covers about all the WAYS tha
thought or language can devise or de
nations in favor OF one shipper as agains
another OF the building OF one concerl
through the favoritism Of railroad cor
| porationS.
Views of the Minority.
The six minority members of tn,
committee on interstate and foreip,
commerce, Representatives Shackie
+ ford, Dayey, Adamson, Ryan, Dayi
n Richardson of Alabama, also file,
their views.
AFTER saying that they do not oppos,
n bill as reported, and that it vii
~ afford much relief, they add tina
the little good that it does contain n,
people Should have.
Continuing, they a
The bill now reported is not nearly $
Tar REACHING and remedial as the Little
field bill. which a few days ago passed RI
house on a roll call by a unanimous vote
The minority says it has been open.
! y charged that the passage Of tn.
Llttleheld bill was for the Sinister
belief that the dominant party wa.
willing to enact legislation limiting tn
evils OF monopoly; that it is to b
thrust aside and the Elkins bill ane
the nelson publicity amendment sub
st1tuted for it, and that no other anti.
trust legislation is to be enacted"
The minority proposes tina the Bill
be amended by adopting the principal
features OF the Littlefield bill.