The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-11
RAILROAD COMMISSION
QUESTION IS DISCUSSED
Manufacturers Association Makes
Plans for Proposed Legislation
to Govern Shipping Rates.
PRINCES ENTERTAINMENT

After an elaborate dinner at the CONNER
cial Club last night, members of the Manu-
facturers' Association of Indianapolis dis
cussed at some length the proposed railroad
commission bill. paper written py
Charles S. Bash of Fort Wayne. who was
unable to be present at the meeting, was
read by c. B. Riley. secretary of the lndl-
ana Shippers Association. The paper dealt
with the different phases of the railroad
commission question, pointing out the i'm
perative need of such law in the State Mr..
Riley also read paper on the same subject
After the papers there were many express
sions from the manufacturers present all
of whom favored the purposed railroad COM
mission dill.
However, it was stated that the move
ment is not a radical attack on the rail-
roads, and the general feeling was that
the purpose was not to do anything to an
tagonize the railroads. The object of the
movement is to create an impartial COM
mittee which will give justice to both the
railroads and the shippers and manufactur-
ers.
Mr.. Bash whose paper was read last night,
is a member of the legislative committee
of the Indiana Shippers Association, which
| has made a draft of the railroad commits
sion bill. In his paper Mr.. Bash says:
Speaking generally of the sentmeni J
| throughout the State. / find very decided
| expression of a railroad commission ana
| sentiment favorable 10 a reasonable ENFORCE
| ment or the car-service rules, operaIeu ny,
| on reciprocal basis. The commercial world
believes that il is right to enforce reason
! able rules which create an incentive on the
part of the merchant to load or unload cars
promptly thus enabling the railroad COM
panies to secure the fullest use and greatest
revenue from their equipment The snip
pers. however, feel that an incentive on the
part of the railroad companies would DC
proper and that a bill should be drawn
which would be reciprocal in its nature
LAS soon as the committee TO which the
matter of legislation along this line mas
been referred report on a concentrated line
of action the cooperation of every organl
zation of manufacturers and shippers II
the State will be asked, together with tina
of the farmers and industrial classes. Int
benefits to be derived will be general.
have been accosted with the statement
| hundred times or more from Shippers aht
| farmers that the railroad companies are
getting more unreasonable and exactlng
that their management is becoming more
centralized that their tariffs are advanced
] in the face of an extraordinary increase ii
both net and gross receipts.
Merchants and farmers, cities and VII
lagos are all crying out against the un
Just discrimination of the railroad com
panies That the commercial world lis yer.
tired of the present abuses goes withou
saying. The question now is how 10 SOW
the problem without going to such ex
tremes as would be unreasonable or unfair
The outcropping of contemplated leglsla
ton I'm many States indicates the unres
and dissatisfaction now existing ana i
daily crystalliZing into a public senumen
which will sweep everything before H.
THE question has been asked as I
e whether it would not be advisable TO nav
a reciprocal demurrage bill passed by ou
Legislature in addition 10 the railroad com
mission bill. 1t has been suggested tina
should the Governor appoint rallroa
| commission that would be unmindfui to TN
interests of the people TO SUCH an exten
that il would make impossible the desire
I relief and on this account 1t would be ao
. visabe to have a bill passed that woui
! give us relief irrespective of the railroa
y commission"
> William Fortune and A. f. Potts, mem
> hers of the committee which has in charg
: the entertainment of Prince Pu Lun, VII
u will be in the city May Is appeared befor
!, the manufacturers meeting last nlSh
II pointing out the Importance of the visit {
: His Imperios Highness from commerci'
Z point of view, and suggested that the ass'
citation make his visit the first step In IN
movement for better trade relations Wit
China and other foreign countries.
Lewis Hoover, secretary OF the CONNER
. cial Club called the attention OF the mar
II ufacturers TO the visit of the Philippir
e | commission He SAID the Commercial Gu
. had appointed a committee to prepare II
r the commissions reception, and asked ths
" the manufacturers appoint a similar con
" mittee to cooperate in the entertainment
II | The Manufacturers Association Will al
point a committee of five this morning