Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-01-04
Fourth District Congressman Is
For Government Control Of
Freight Rates
WITH THE PRESIDENT
Declares There Is No Question of tho
business and Need Of Such Lcsisla-
{ tion--Will Himself Offer Measure
Prepared by Eminent Attorney-car-
ries Out Presidents Recommended
ton.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Northwood, Jan. 4.-Congressman G..
NJ. Haugen OF the Fourth district has
come out In favor Of modification OF
the Interstate commerce law giving
them power to fix freight rates, along
the lines suggested by the president.
In an interview printed in the North
wood Anchor this week, Congressman
Haugen states his position fully. He
says:
II think that there can be no ques-
ton as to the Justice and need OF such
legislation at this time. As the mat
ter now stands and has stood since the
decision OF the supreme court seven
years ago. the carriers themselves
have the exclusive power to fix the rate
and the public has no voice whatever
Thru the instrumentality of a dozen or
more railroad magnates the rates over
tho 100000 miles Of road is fixed to suit
their pleasure. These few acting in
combination, have been able to carry
1t to point 80 that they now absorb
as net earnings, half Of the total in
crease of the wealth of this country:
and rates are still being increased year
by year; and nobody knows when or
where they will stop, or what the linn
1t of their ambition will be along this
line. What does this mean? Take in
To- fN, lv,r A11n@ raS
portation companies see fit to advance
the rate on corn SO as to affect the
price cents per bushel on her 400.-
100000 bushels here, we would have
an item or $s,000,000 on corn alone.
But / will not 60 into details or en-
deavor to show exactly the number of
millions of dollars unjustly exacted
from the people thru these unjust
and exorbitant rates, as believe it is
clear to everybody that some legisla-
ton is needed and should be had at
once. The question then Is which Is
the best remedy? The universal opin-
ion seems to be to enlarge the power
OF the interstate commerce commits
sion, or give 1t the power which it
was supposed to have under the act of
Feb. 4, 1897, and which 1t exercised
for ten years; that is, to give the COM
mission the power to enforce its find
ings. AS 1t now stands, we have a
commission that is ornamental, but de-
void Of the power to establish just
rates. 1t may denounce rates as UNI
reasonable, but 1t has no power to de-
clareswhat rate shall be established. or
to enforce its findings. The Quarles-
- To- .t,a -, Ev~nv 51v
There seems to be wide difference OF
opinion as to this measure. 1t is con-
tended on one side that 1t provides for
an endless chain of litigation. Sec.
provides: That every order as to its
justiceness, reasonableness and lawful
ness shall be Renewable by any circuit
court of the United States. or any dis
trict thru which any portion of the
road Of any carrier named in such or
der shall run. This gives the carriers
the privilege of selecting one Judge
out Of more than one hundred Judges
of the United States circuit court to
brings proceedings before, to review tho
order.
ut is claimed that thru the endless
chain OF litigation which the bill
provides FOR. It would take about eigh-
teen years to secure final decree.
With the increased litigation the bill
would give. 1t would probably take a
century before cases could be reached
If the contention is well founded 1T
would seem that the process is slow
and expensive. What we want Is
simple and speedy method Of hxlns
the rates OF railroad transportation.
Something that goes directly to the
point of contention, and some remedy
for this universally admitted great
evil.
THE president in his message rec
commended That the commission
should be vested with the power where
a given rate has been challenged, and
after a full hearing, found to be UNI
reasonable, to decide, subject to ju-
dicial review, what shall be Il reason
able rate to take its place, the ruling
Of the commission to take effect i'm
mediately, and to obtain unless and
until 1t is reversed BY the court Of re-
view A member Of the executive
committee OF the interstate commerce
convention, representing several hun
dred commercial and manufacturing
oganizations: also q number of state
oranges. has sent me = copy of q bill
prepared by Mr.. j. II. Call of Califor-
MIA, a lawyer of high standing, and
much experience, which is claimed
will carry out and give effect to the
resolutions adopted by the national
interstate commerce law convention
held at st. Louis this year.
1T is commended also that this bill
will not only carry out the recon-
mendation made by the president. but
will make the commissions decision
final, except for manifest violation of
an error of law. All that is asked in
this bill, is to give to the interstate
commerce commission the same power
to deal with the Interstate traffic that
the Iowa commission has in dealing
with tariff In the state. The Iowa law
has worked no hardship to the rail-
roads, and 1t SENS to me to be just
and conservative measure.
/ have been requested to introduce
this bill, copy of which enclose, by
the member of the executive commit
tee above referred to, which I will do
at the reopening Of congress after the
holidays. This is a matter which
have given considerable thought and
attention securing what data and in
formation I could on the subject; and
my best efforts Will be put forth as 1T
has In the past, to secure the much
needed legislation at the earliest pos