Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-01-31
F. w. SIMMONS TALKS OF THE
RATE QUESTION IN
WASHINGTON.
BELIEVES IN PRESIDENT
iottunnwa Man Thinks An Agreement
A Suitable to All viii Be Reached Asi
Result Of Roosevelt's Efforts ~
Wrong.
[BY HAROLD ]. MAHrN.1
Washington Bureau Of the courler.
MA sbt4n$on n. C. Ian. 40.

sGs sSvdoUIU9N0It 6uTGdu " ttt0 S0Ni'ois
Washington, p. c., Jan. 80.
Considerable interest was aroused
last Saturday among the men In Wash
ington interested In railroad legtsla-
ton by the visit OF F. w. Simmons of
Ottumwa. Mr.. Simmons Is on his way
to Europe. He sails from New York
on Wednesday, on the steamer Arabic
and will take the Mediterranean trip
and leaving the ship at Italy will tour
the continent and England. He ex-
poets to be gone about three months.
The purpose Of Mr.. Simmons visit
to Washington had nothing to do with
the rate question since he only drop
ped of here day OF two on his way
to New York. As one Of Iowa's most
successful business men and largest
shippers and one naturally Interested
In the rate question which Is para
mount In Washington just now, Mr..
Simmons was consulted by several
members OF the Iowa delegation and
others who are wrestling with the
problem. His point OF view as repre-
senting the ideas Of the shipper Is ex-
sceedingly interesting and put a new
light on the question.
Mr.. Simmons interviewed,
To the Courier representative he
said:
"That It is right for the government
to have a voice In the fixing Of rail-
road rates seems to have been the set
tied policy OF the people ever since the
interstate commerce commission was
established. The inoperation Of the
present commissions is. the result of
the manipulation Of some very 6astute
hut notz.very wise railroad traflt
managers and Is most certainly the
cause for the present agitation OF the
rate question which was brought to
the surface by the Presidents mes
sage. 1t Is even more complicated
and interesting question for congress
to settle today than the tariff question
All Want Fairness.
"The best railroad men only want
what is fair and that is what the
President and the people ask for. Rail
road owners do not want their
property confiscated by the fixing OF
the rate at or below cost. I feel sure
country want to be fair about this too
IloWcVcI. IuSy uO uOI WduI W US
dictated to by men like Mr.. Ripley
of Chicago. who would abolish the
commission and all law on the sub
ject and get back to times when values
were unduly disturbed and wher
manufacturing and distributing centers
were made and unmade by one sitting
of half a dozen railroad traffic mer
under one single and unsound In
| fluence perhaps. This policy has moi
heretofore dominated railroad circles
! and is not likely to now and believe
the railroad managers and owners ant
the people will get together abou
right. 1t Is not question of the right
of the government to supervise rates
but it Is question as to how ans
when to determine what are reason
able rates."
Mr.. Simmons thinks that the matte
is one which should be handled calml,
and carefully and not from a partisan
standpoint. He has thorough conf
dence in President Roosevelt and hi
ability to handle the matter salts
factorily.