The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-02-13
THE ELKlNS REBATE BILL
FILED IN THE HOUSE WITH FAVOR
ORABLE COMMITTEE REPORT.
A Criticism Of the Bill Was Also Filed by
Minority Members OF the
Committee.

Washington, February 12.--The report Of
the Elklns rebate bill, ordered favoraDly
reported by the house committee on inter
state commerce yesterday, was hled in the
house today by Mr.. Mann Of Illinois.
after the extensive hearings before your
committee on the general subject Of pro
posed amendments to the interstate com
merce law" the report rccltee, sit was
strongly urged by the members Of the IN.
terstatc commerce committee that the pro
visions Of existing laws, providing for pul.
lshmcnt Of the officers and agents ~ rail-
roads, hut rot for punishment Of the rail-
road itself, prevented the enforcement
If the law forbidding rebates a.d
determinations, were inadequate. The OK
perience Of the interstate commerce COM
mission has been that Il is impossible 20
obtain proof of the granting Of rebate
by the officer of railroad TO some favored
shipper unless the officer himself give this
evidence, in which case he is free from
prosecution
Continuing. the report says; The exist
ing law prohibits rebates and discrimina'
tious, but does not prevent the cutting Of
published rates unless discrimination Is
shown. In most cases 1t is practically I'M
nossibIe TO show the discrimination, In
the investigation made by the interstate
commerce commission respecting rates on
dressed beef and packing house products
from Kansas city and Chicago. IT was hnal-
liz discovered that for years the ralIo9ua9
had constantly and haDltuaul dlsltsdl ~
tlelr published tarihs ana lau tSqqit.Icd
snrb products at rates below the puplls1ieeg'
tariff 10 an amount SO great that Nhe III IN
Ference between the published rate anu llS
actual rate amounted 60 millions OF uoiIa1 >
a yenr. The effect OF eucn stSlel S"at'uS II
rotcs is TO place IN the han9S or q sAlat'
Aggregation Of shippers the apsptule ~ w,
nd of The business, because no person 90
AFFORD 10 enter into compeutl"h' VIM N"N'
not receive the cut rates .- ~, az, lii
~ renort sovg ''Ihe Grst and secohu
rropositionS practically EXHAUST rue Iis.
az legislation TO prevent reodlts an ,, io,,s
ordinations through crlhiuot ~ congress
Wa conceive II to he the desire OF CcIle 80
~, abeoIutelv prevent, If possible Tue ~ ~,
inc Of determinations in inc way 81 l'.L
rates 10 favored shippers nlS u ~ tbe
claimed 10 be the greu ~ officers
DIV But we all know thai " IA fhe
~ tho railroads who grant rehaleS aIu M
ctficers of the private corporanoDSs btgt
soIicit and accept them ore nlcn , 90 ,,ies
standing in their respcetEe ,,atter 10 oh
an5 mn II Is q very difficult nati ~ md NM
~ cri5ence sufficient 10 lndlct lheni' ~ ~
I'm I'm mere difficult TO obtain. Judges aND
inrios Who will convict them. .,,,,-,it
Tbe renort further saws; our . u,Nu,s,d
,od ~ Soiieycs that the legislation nrop"se,
b,, the Elklns bill, together WIZ WIZ, nv ahout
onf Interstate commerce Jaw r.,,,,s can
iii the WAYS that thought or l NJ us1rssntina
Jevise or describe 10 prevent 'us NshinneT
~ determinations in favor Of one suipp ~
~ ~ acoinst another. or the buttons sPyaii
one concern through the faYoriusln u '''
road corporations. s-,.rts heretofore
I'm addition 10 the amendments rreostores
nrblished tho house comIInIltleS, oenero'
r.. .a.gs .'wbenever the attorney geuci q,
I'm dircc+ either of his own nloe .i,ll.,,f
sp1 ,, ne reauest of the interstate on ~,
npn,r,Isston.' . which appeared 70 wv ,ri,,st..f
maj draft ~ the hill ana was
nv the senate ,.~, ~ tho commit
fbp six minority members ~ luy ,,r,rlercc
too on Interstate and ioseiTrn Adam
Hcnresentatires Shacbeltord' ,p,a.t,,a,.,son ot
~ Bran and Davis, ana kieData''t, rtc,
Tdt.ms also fled their views Nh
49, tbat thev do not oppoSe ~ III ,,,ct
So,or1ed and that II win not anoIs u 1oot
..c,iet tbev add that tho Hitle +" .,onIl
Hit q, does contain the neope en',, IN
i M, Continuing they say rnacl,in.
,, rennrtcd is not uoarN - ~, -tirb
s,S S re1edfsl rs the dttleheld nllI, ~
~ davs ago. paEsed this mouse on ~,
IN b- unauimous vote. IN Hfpsiit "a .Lal
! ri,.t.aald hill n was freflg nrfnl,',, -.a,
y y rlo,,,d never become q iaw ann III
nreniy charged that its PASSAGE ~ lH'