Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-22
OF THE FINES
Opponents Of Rate Legislation
Encouraged.
SAY THEY'RE UPHELD
DECLARE EXISTING Law IS
ENOUGH TO CONTROL RAILWAYS.
Contrary View is Also Set Forth-Aim
of Interstate Commerce
Law Convention.
SAY THEY'RE UPHELD

The fining of four officials Of a great beef
packing establishment of Chicago for con-
spring to obtain rebates from the railroads
has proved to be very encouraging to rail-
road people who are thoroughly opposed to
further rate legislation. Throughout the de-
bate that has been going on for many
months over the proposition to have Con-
gress authorize the creation of a commits
sion to fix rates. railroad men have pro-
tested that the law is sufficient to control
the railroads and to prevent the discrimina-
tons The conviction and fning OF four of
the officials of Schwarzschild & Sulzberger
has caused those who take that view of the
situation to declare that the way is now
clear for the President to proceed further
against people accused of that practice.
They are satisfied that when Congress
meets and 1t is seen what success the ad-
min.stration has had in bringing convic-
tions in such cases there will be no likeli-
hood that Congress will pass any legislation
for the fixing of rates. What they do expect
and approve having Congress do is to make
clear by legislation that private car lines
and terminal facilities are subjected to the
same class of legislative restriction that Is
placed on the railroads themselves. This
can be done by declaring that the private
car lines and such terminal facilities as
exist in connection with the business of
shippers are engaged in interstate COM
merce.
The Contrary View.
But the advocates of rate legislation are
protesting that 1t was only the circumstance
Of the four officials pleading guilty that
Leo to the bringing of fine against them.
The wheels of the courts they have con-
stently declared, turn too slowly to catch
such men under the present law. and they
believe that there can be additional leg!s-
1a$l 20 60 I'll; ;tptA hn or
men who conspire to obtain rebates or
railroad officials who give them.
The interstate commerce law conven-
tion, which will meet October rs next. Is
expected to give special attention to the
events that have been brought out by the
prosecution OF the beef packers for con-
spring to obtain rebates. This convention
has been called by Mr.. E. P. Bacon, chair
man of its executive committee, its object
being to impress upon Congress the neces-
sfty for carrying out the recommendations
of the President in his latest annual mes
sage to Congress. which they expect. IN
forthcoming message on this subject.
The Presidents Plan.
The President recommended that the in
terstate commerce commission be vested
with power where a given rate has been
found to be unreasonable. to decide. SUBJ
reasonable rate to take. its place. the rul-
ing Of the commission to take effect i'm
mediately and to obtain unless and until
it is reversed by the court OF review. Mr..
Bacon Is still maintaining that In spite OF
the fact that convictions may be obtained
for violation of the law in giving rebates
this is the only manner in which to ef-
fectually deal with the rebate abuse. He
has always claimed that whatever relief
can be secured by such convictions they
are inadequate to relieve shippers because
of the long time consumed in obtaining the
conviction. If the commission were to dis
cover that rebates are being given to any
shipper by a railroad all 1t would have to
do under the Presidents plan would be
to give the shipper so injured the benefit of
the discriminatory rate and its decision
would go into effect Immediately.
Object Of the Convention.
Mr. Bacon is extremely hopeful that in
the coming session of Congress there will
be enacted rate legislation OF the kind for
which he has been working for several
years. In sending out call for the con-
vention to assemble on the 26th OF Oc-
tober Mr.. Bacon says:
1.-The result of the effort to secure legis-
lation of this character during the past
mination at the coming session OF Con-
gress."
He urges upon delegates to the conven-
ton the Importance OF such a demonstra-
ton as 1t is proposed to have in Chicago
in producing an effect upon Congress Fer
that reason he Is urging various trade as
sociations to send delegates to the conven-
ton. He declares that the railroad inter-
ests are united in opposing the kind of
legislation he is working for, and for that
reason he believes that the demonstration
he proposes having made in favor of rate
legislation is doubly important.