The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-17
RAILROADS CHANGE
RATE FIGHT PLAN
BY Accepting Part of President S
Scheme They Hope to Spoil
the Rest.
WILL ASK ROOSEVELT
" TO MAKE COMPROMISE
Points They Would Accept Would
Work Greatly to Their
Benefit.
By w, w, Jermane,

BY w. w. Jermane.
Washington, Oct. ia report has
been going the rounds of the daily press
of late, that certain railway managers
of the country, among them E. 81. Har-
riman, James J. Hill and the Moore
Brothers, have become convinced Of the
justice Of the president s position on
the rate question, and made up their n,
minds not to oppose him further. This
statement is not strictly true. .s
The railroad interests Of the country
have, after mature deliberation, changed
their plan of campaign, and are now try
ing to have it appear that they and the
president are very close together on
the rate situation; that the differences
is the purpose of the railway interests
to advocate legislation at the earliest
possible date. ....
Railroads Shift Position.
Originally, the railways tooka defiant
stand against the president. This was
last spring, continuing thru the hear
ings before the senate committee on
Interstate commerce. AS the summer
advanced, and the people began to
make themselves heard, it began to
dawn upon the railways that their atti-
tude of direct opposition to the presi-
dent was not the best one to adopt. 1t
something definite to talk about, made
every important road in the country a
target for criticism, and helped the
president rather than hindered him.
The railway managers. then set to
work to find a better policy of opposi.
ton. They concluded that they would
concede every point in the president 8
commerce commission power to name
rates which should Immediately become
effective.
How Plan Works. .,-.,
It is interesting to note just how this
new policy works out in the concrete.
The presidents policy, as reshaped in
the new Esch Townsend bill, covers six
points, as follows:
First-That the interstate commerce
commission shall be given the power. to
decide, upon complaint and after full
hearing, whether rate is unjust or IN
lawful; that the commission shall have
authority to substitute rate which
shall become Immediately effective, and
50 remain unless and until reversed by
the courts. ~ -.
Second-The commission shall, have
the authority to declare that rate
charged for shipment on private cars
Is unjust or unreasonable, if it be 80
and that the common carrier shall be
held responsible for such charges.
I Third-Giving the interstate com
MERGE commission jurisdiction over ter
minal railroads.
4 'Fourth-A reassertion Of the; lon
4 and short haul provision of the origina
Interstate commerce act:
Z Fifth-A provision relating to tn
Z shipment Of merchandise by water an,
! rail, SO as to prevent alleged manipula
A ton Of rates made possible in sue
e1reumstances under the present law
Sv4h ha mi CO. f,,1
authority to examine the books an
records Of the railroads, and to pre-
scribe the general form and name
in which such records shall be kept.
( Will Plead for Compromise.
The railways, in conformity wit
their new plans, will to some exten
peace conference. They will, after d.
I claring that they want legislation, an
in the main are in hearty accord wit
the president, assent to five of the ST
points outlined above, and having don
that, they will insist that they are
a position to demand some compromis
as to the remaining point, the first OF
Of the series. The strategic weight
a. such position will be readily see
-mand will declare that the rate-fxir
. power Of the interstate commerce cor
mission be exercised subject to revie
by the courts, no given rate to becon
fixed until after the courts have a
proved it.
AS to the other points above enume
ated, however, it should be borne
mind that the railroads are in earne
when they say that they indorse the1
For years they have been bled by Il
terminal railroads, by the "midnig]
tariff by the private cars
This is all there is to the report q
. luded to at the beginning of this art
Gle.
Senate Committee to Meet.
After the president comes back fro
: his southern trip, and before the 8
sembling of congress, it is the purpo
of the railways to send committee
see the president to ascertain if som
. thing can be done to secure his asse
to their program. They will say tn
having yielded so much, the preside
himself should be willing to yield
little bit The senate committee
interstate commerce is to meet he
about the middle of November for s
ditional hearings and to agree upon
report. It is probable that the eff
to win over the president may be {
> ferred until the committee gets
gether, for good many railway m
III will be in the city at that time, a
M the matter can be attended to til
with the least loss Of time.
, GRAND DUKE CYRIL, A