Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-03-17
WAYS IN CONGRESS
Their Republican Friends Hold
Up Needed Legislation.
RATES SHOULD BE REGULATED.

Frank w. barry Tells Of Holdup
by Republican Members of Commit
tee on Interstate Commensurate
1oads Control Congress-DemOcrat
&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 in
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, commissioners 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 Mr.. Bar
~ are attempting to get it through
congress. 1t was referred to the COM
mittee on interstate and foreign COM
merce, where it is now held up by the
Republican members Of this commit
tee working in the interests Of the
railroads. Mr.. Barry is confident that
II the bill can be got before the whole
house it Gun be passed, the pressure in
its favor being so great from all Sec
tons of the country that many Repub-
ucans would be compelled to vote for
It. The Democrats of course are in fa-
vor Of this bill-in fact, their leader,
Mr.. John Sharp Williams, has intro
duced just such a bill in the house.
In an interview in Washington few
dayszago 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 q
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.
I think they are shortsighted 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
will commence to reap the harvest that
they have sown.
"Ever since the decision Of the SUI
preme court which stripped the inter-
state commerce commission Of the pow.
Or to correct rates which 1t may find to
be unjust or unlawful- power which 1t
exercised with the most beneficent re.
suits for about ten years after the law
was enacted in 18s7-the commercial
and manufacturing interests Of the
country have been persistently plead
ing with congress to 60 amend the law
with respect to the defect found by the
supreme court as to restore necessary
mower to the commission. Bills have
been introduced in the last three con-
gresses to this end. In the last con-
Rress the 30 called "Elkins law" which
vas but portion Of the measure ad-
vocated by organized shippers. was en-
acted. It has produced excellent re
suits in preventing determinations In
favor Of individuals, and shippers have
profited morally, but the principal and
most substantial benefit has been de-
rived By the railroads. We are now
striving for Regulation to further amend
the law % % to stop Determinations IN
favor Of localities and classes Of freight
and prsvsnt The sxaction Of unrsason-
able chaEeeA
II balisvs thsre = no subject beeera
1he pr6saak eoagress whieh = 6 eueh
great impeetanss n IT, snin6s q III