The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-02
0 ieials Feel That Some Rate
Legislation Will BE Passed.
But They viii Fight Anything
Like Esch-Townsend Bill.
SUGGESTIONS
SOME
Should Investigate Small Rail-
ways and Shippers.
Gossip and Matters OF Interest
in Railroad Circles.

There is a feeling among the railroad
officials located here and in other points
in the west that at the coming session
of congress some legislation viii be, en-
acted as a result of the agitation over
freight rates. Action of a conservative
character, which will not injure the
railroad interests, would be welcomed
by some of these officials as under the
present conditions it is felt by many
of the roads that they do not get their
full share of the business because 9TH
ers are assisting in the violation of the
law.
The Esch- Townsend BILL which was
defeated by the senate at the last ses-
sion of congress is deemed the next
thing to confiscatory legislation, by a
good many of the railroad men talked
with. To defeat it, when it is again
presented, all the machinery of the big
and little railroads in the country will
be directed.
According to one railroad man the in
terstate commerce commission has
failed to attain the results sought be-
cause it has taken on too much OF the
attitude of a court and less of a friend
ly body. The personnel of the commits
sion was never connected with the
railroad interests of the country, and
knew little about freight rates and the
possible for men of the world to know
Such information as they had when go
ing on the commission, was entirely
general and their acquaintance with
the railroad men was also limited. They
are lawyers and as d result the inter-
state commerce commission is cOnsid-
cred a court by railroad men in general
before which they dislike to be sub
pOenaed.
When subpoenaed he goes to the hear
ing bent on telling just as little as ne
knows and doesn't breath easy until he IS
discharged. The thing suggested Is tfft
instead of legal hearings the commission
hold friendly meetings to which the rail-
road men of a given community be in
vited. The shippers of that community
might also be invited and all the railroad
men who failed to attend and whose ex-
cuse was not good would be viewed with
suspicion This, declares the railroad
man. would have a tendency to make
them be good
The commission doesn't go deep
enough into this question" said the same
authority, for its members look only at
the big shippers and the big roads II
such corporations violate the law 1t will
be done on system Take the Standard
Oil for instance. If rebates are granted
to it such money becomes part of the
profit and loss of the company Inc
saTue thing is true of the packers. These
big corporations have system and no one
save the very head of the company knows
Just how it works; the others don't want
to know because then they can display
their ignorance on the witness stand
f6lEAl mere N TINS STATE however lAASt 9
are any number of small shippers-and
when I say small / do so advisedly-YhO
get rebates in a dozen different ways.
One firm know of gets rebates indi-
vidually. Each member has his hand
out and he must be satisfied before the
freight man can get his business. That
might be called graft and so might re-
bates If these fellows knew they must
go up and talk to the commission, and
that commission was composed of men
who knew railroading in all its forms,
there would be more clean skirts.
Another thing the commission never
investigates railroad men from any sav2
the big systems, and the same thing holds
good there. When a big company violates