Omaha daily bee., 1905-05-07
VlNlNC TO RATE COMMITTEE
Railroad Veteran Urges Opening Books Of
ALI Roads to Scrutiny.
PROPOSES GOVERNMENT EXAMINERS
Congress TO Have Full Power of Rate
Regulation and Commerce Com
mission to Furnish Facts,
Not Noise.
tFrom a staff correspondentl }

WASHINGTON. May 6.(Special Tele-
gram.)-E, p. Vining, formerly traffic man
ager OF the Union Pacific and later of New
York and New England roads, was a wit
ness before the Interstate commerce com
mittee today. Senator Millard, who knew
OF Mr.. Vining's ability in the early days
of the Union Pacific and recognized his
worth to that railroad in its period of con-
struction secured the country to find this
gentleman. After much telegraphic service
he located Mr.. Vining in Boston where he
is wholly separated from the activities of
railroads. BY personal invitation, coupled
with that of the chairman of the commit
tee, Senator Elkins, Mr.. vining was given
a hearing today on those vital questions
which are uppermost in the minds of the
American people-rairoads and railroad
rates. In keeping with his independent
way of dealing with questions, Mr.. Vining
claimed that the Interstate Commerce com
mission, in its crusade for additional power,
had not been given the information that 1t
should have. In unqualified terms he con-
demned the policy of the present Interstate
Commerce commission and insisted that 1t
had shown itself entirely incapable of deal
ing with the rate question He said that
what the American people wanted most
from the Interstate Commerce commission
was more light and less noise; that the
| commission should be compelled by law
to furnish the public with such clear in
| formation that the situation would be no
longer misunderstood. In his own words
he recommended that the books of all the
| railroads be opened to scrutiny and that
| a system of government railway examiners
be created similar to the present system
of bank examiners. BY that means he
believed justice could be obtained with the
| rate regulating power invested only in con-
| eress Mr.. Vining, recognizing the sharp
ness of the conflict between localities,
| especially in the west, contending for rates
| favorable to certain interests, stated that
! the dispute in the matter of railroad rates
| has never been between the shipper and
| the consignee, but between locality and
locality, and in view of this contention he
insisted that congress should have the all
! important power Of regulating and altering
or creating rates.
Banks and Rural Carriers.
The application of c. p. Swanson, F. D
Greene, p. II. Barnes w. d. Mcdonald and
| H. c. Shober to organize the First National
bank of Highmore, s. D., with $4,000 cap
ital, has been approved by the comptrollei
| of the currency.
Rural carriers appointed for Iowa routes
| Albert CITY, Route j, Charles q. Nelson
carrier; Arvid Johnson, substitute Elma
Route 4, Edward B. Bond, carrier; Walter
Helms, substitute. Floris, Route 3, EmrS
H. Peden. carrier; Andrew p Finler, sub
stitute. Fonda, Route 4. Patrick ]. Kelly
carrier; Thomas D. Kelly, substitute Mar
athon, Route g. G. A. Beck, carrier; Henry
Beck, substitute.
Edward E. Clauson has been appointed
postmaster at Kiron, Crawford county, La,
vice S. N. Sandstrom, resigned.