Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-03-19

&c Leader With the Shippers.
Probably no man in the United
States knows more about the COM
plants of shippers over our railroads
in regard to the classification of
freights and the determinations III
freight rates as well as the almost uni
versal demand on the part of the ship
pers that congress grant power to the
interstate commerce commission to
regulate the freight rates than does
Mr.. Frank W. Barry, commissioner of
the national board of trade and secre-
tary of the interstate commerce law
convention.
A bill has been introduced in the
house empowering the interstate com
merce commission to regulate rates,
and the organizations back of AIr. Bar
ry are attempting to get it through
congress. 1t was referred to the com
mittee on interstate and foreign com
merce, where it is how held up by the
Republican members of this commit
tee working in the interests of the
railroads. Mr.. Barry is confident that
If the bill can be got before the whole
house it can be passed, the pressure in
its favor being so great from all sec
tons of the country that many Repub-
licanS would be compelled to vote for
it. The Democrats of course are in ia
yOr Of this bill-in fact, their leader.
Mr.. John Sharp Williams, has intro
duced just such bill in the house
In an interview in Washington n few
days ago Mr.. Barry said:
MANY railroads object TO any and
all legislation which may seem to cur
tail their unlimited freedom from gov
eminent regulation or control. They
desire free license in the conduct of
their affairs. They seem TO be able in
this congress, as they have been for a
number of years through their control
of committee members. to prevent even
consideration by congress of any meas
ure which does not meet their approval
l think they are shortsightcd in exer-
cising such power - which is derived
solely on account of lack of informa-
ton ON the part of the people generally
as to how things are done at the CAPT
tOl-and I believe that before long they
"-ilI commence te-FeaP the harvest tina
they have sown.
Ever since the decision of the Sill
prcme court which stripped the inter
state commerce commission of the pow
er to correct rates which it may find to
be unjust or unlawful-power which it
exercised with the most benefcent 10
suits for about ten years after the law
was enacted in 1SST-thc commercial
and manufacturing interests of the
country have been persistently plead
ing with congress to so amend the law
with respect to the defect found by the
supreme court as to restore necessary
power to the commission. Bills have
been introduced I'm the last three con-
crosses to this end. In the last con
gress the so called "Elkins law" VIII ch
was but n portion of the measure :.d-
vocated by organized shippers. was IN
acted. 1t has produced. excellent 20
suits in preventing determinations IN
favor of individuals. and slippers hase
profited morally but the principal and
most substantial benefit has been &C.
rived by the railroads. We are nov
striving for legislation 10 further amend
the law so as to stop Determinations IN
favor of localities and classes Of freight
and prevent the eXaction of unreasou-
able charges.
81 believe there is no subject before
the present congress which is of such
great importance in the minds Of the |
people as this question of government
regulation of transportation rates. The |
people realize more and more every |
day that the cost OF transportation il
actually n tax which must be paid 10y
every man. woman and child upon ev-
erything they eat, wear or buy and |
that this tax is imposed under existing |
conditions not by the government. our
duly recognized taxing power. but at
the will of few men who control the /
transportation systems of the country. |
whom the government of the United
States cannot restrain in the exercise /
of this enormous and arbitrary power. /
The people know that merely upon the |
principle we need the money the rail- /
roads have within the past three years
made general advances in rates which !
in 1903 brought to the lines operating
in the eastern and central states a rev.
enue of SAP, OOO, 600 more than they re-
ceived for the same service in 1900.
ut does not seem proper or wise To
permit such taxing power to remain
vested entirely outside of the control
OF our national government. The peo-
pie realize that. in consideration OF
valuable franchises and privileges re
ceived from them. the law holds tho
common carrier and public servant
subject 10 the duties and obligations
very different from those imposed up
on ordinary business concerns. and
they feel that, while there exists a GER
tain right of control by the govern
rnent over the conduct Of the arteries
of commerce. it is now insufficient o.
improperly exercised. This sentiment
is ranidIy and forcibiy growing While
= man may be exempt from or evade
payment OF taxes on real estate or
personal property, he well knows THAI
ba has cot 10 pay the frc.1tt' Real