The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1904-12-16
congress WILL NOT
MEET next Spring
PRESIDENT DECIDES EXTRA SEES
SION FOR REVISION OF TAR
IFF IMPRACTICAL.
QUESTION OF SESSION
IN FALL IN ABEYANCE
Roosevelt Will Make Southern Trip
Question Of Extending Powers of
Interstate Commerce Commission
to Be Pressed.

Washington, Dec. 12.-No extraor-
binary session of congress will be held
next spring for revision of the tar
President Roosevelt announced this
decision to several of his callers Sat-
urday. The president said he had
abandoned any idea of calling con-
gress into extraordinary session in the
spring, as it did not seem practicable
to hold a session for tariff revision at
that time. He indicated, however, that
he might call session for next fall,
although no absolute determination of
that point yet has been reached. In
view of this decision the president
told Representative Cooper, CT Texas,
that he had decided to make a south
ern trip early next spring.
Greater Power for Commission.
Enlargement of the powers of the in
.erstate commerce commission is one OF
he questions which will be pressed Wig
orously at the present session of con-
gress. 1t can be said that in the mind of
President Roosevelt, no problem more
important than this to all the people
of the country is likely to engage the
attention of congress this winter. In
conferences with members of both the
senate and the house of representa-
tives the president has emphasized the
arguments he advanced in his mes
sage in favor of an extension Of the
powers of the interstate commerce
commission. With several members
he discussed the subject Friday. earn
estly advocating the recommendations
contained in his message.
Must Stop All Rebates.
To two paragraphs in the message
he has directed particular attention
In a talk with Mr. Graft, of Illinois,
he indicated these points of the mes
sage:
Above all else, we must strive to
keep the highways of commerce to all
on equal terms-and to do this it is
necessary to put complete stop to all
rebates"
81 do believe that, as fair security
to shippers, the commission should be
vested with the power, where a given
rate has been challenged and, after
full hearing found to be unreasonable,
to decide, subject to judicial review,
what shall be q reasonable rate to
take it's place, the ruling of the COM
mission to take effect Immediately,
and to obtain unless and until it is
reversed by the court of review"
Question Of Great Importance.
Until 1897 the interstate commerce
commission exercised the power to
regulate freight, rates, but the SUI
preme court then decided that under
| the law the commission had no such
authority. Western members of con-
| gress, especially, have urged, on be-
| half of their constituents, that the
power recommended by the president
| be conferred by law on the commits
sion. They have told the president
that no question is Of greater impor-
lance to the people than this, and
| they really are more interested in it
| than they are in the proposed revision
of the tariff The president is in en-
| tire agreement with this view, and
| proposes to exert his influence to
bring about consideration of the sub
ject at the present session.