The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-07
E.P. BACON UNDER CROSS FIRE
LIVELY Tits AT A HEARING on
THE COOPER-QUARLES BILL.
Representative Mann Accuses Bacon OF
Libel and slnnder or tho Committee
I'm a Publlaied Statement That n
was Controlled by the Railroads.

was controlled by the Railroads.
WAsHIHoToN. Jan. 0.-From the fire OF
questions TO which f. p. Bacon OF Mil
waukee was subjected at a hearing before
the House Committee on Interstate and
Foreign Commerce to-day IL was evident
that the members OF that committee resent
the manner in which those behind the
Cooper-Quarles bill, giving the Interstate
Commerce Commission authority to regu-
late railroad rates. had pressed the subject.
Mr.. Bacon is chairman Of the organization
known as the Interstate Commerce Law
Convention, the sponsor for the Cooper
Quarles bill. For years this organization,
with Mr.. Bacon az chairman and Frank
Barry OF Milwaukee as secretary, has been
flooding the country with literature in
favor OF various measures, such as the
Cullom, the Elkins, the Nelson-Corliss and
the Cooper-Quarles bills, and in some Of
tho matter sent out severe criticisms of
Members of Congress have appeared.
When Mr., Bacon came before the COM
mlttee to-day. Representative Mann OF
Illinois, who has been studying this question
for long time, had mass Of data, taken
from various articles which bad been pre-
pared In behalf OF the bill. and he was
equipped to ply Mr.. Bacon with questions
In opening. Mr.. Mann took up the old
question az TO ths authorship Of what Is
known as the Elklns bill. a section OF which
was enacted by the last Congress-
Mr.. Bacon finally admitted that the gem
eral counsel of the Pennsylvania Railroad,
Mr.. Logan, now deceased, had said to him
that be had prepared the Elkins bill. Mr..
Mann further brought out that director
of the Vandalia Railroad, which Mr.. Bacon
said was controlled by the Pennsylvania
Railroad, was the legal adviser of his or
Raniaation. He then identified Mr. Barry
az having been appointed as manager in
Washington for the organization.
Following this line Mr.. Mann called at
tantion TO a statement In a publication
called Freight. written by Mr. Barry. IN
which It was said:
But owing to the opposition OF the lead
ing members Of the Interstate Commerce
Committee OF the two houses TO any legisla-
ton further restricting the power OF the
carriers TO make and enforce rates as they
may see At, it has thus far been impossible
TO secure action on the part OF either COM
mittee."
Mr.. Mann asked DO you think TINS If
trle?'
Yankee fashion. Mr.. Bacon responded:
Don't you think II was true?"
Laying down his papers, Mr.. Mann said
coldly and deliberately: Il know 1t was
not true. 1t was libel and a Islander. and
l believe you knew IL 10 be untrue at the
time
Mr.. Bacon grew indignant as he retorted:
Il am not here TO be catechised IN that
manner | made the statement conscien-
tiously; believed it to be true at the time.
and l now believe il TO he true.
Mr. Mann ralant laeGlv pllraupl his ,,tIps-
tioninR Freight he said, quotes you
as stating before the convention that three
fourths OF the members OF Congress owed
their presence ia that body To the rail
roads
Mr.. Bacon replied that he did not remem-
Der making any such statement.
Mr.. Mann referred to a dinner given in
Chicago Try the Chamber Of Commerce, at
which some friends Of Mr. Bacon and sup
porters Of the bill. Mr.. Chadwick and
Mr. Lyons, had solicited his support for
the Ell1ins bill which contains a pooling
clause and said they had done so at the
request OF Mr.. Bacon.
i laughed at the pooling clause in the
bill. said Mr. Mann, -and told them il had
as much chance In Congress as a snowflake
in Hades: vet you were in favor of it.
Mr. Bacon admitted TINT his organization
supported the general bill, but maintained
that under the agreement with the repre-
sentatives Of the Pennsylvania Railroad his
organization was not committed to the
pooling clause, and while il supported
the general bin containing such clause
It had no interest in that particular part
Of the bill.
As the hearing draw to close Mr.. Mann
post poned further questioning until
Monday