The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-01-17
DIsAppROYE OF REBATES.
PROHIBITION OF THE PRACTICE
MOULD BE WELCOMED.
Says President Spencer, Who Assert-
ell That no Law too Drastic Could
Continued His argument I'm OPPOSE
ton TO ti,e Cooner-Quaries Bill.

Washington. January 13.-President
Samuel Spencer of the Southern Rail-
way today resumed his argument be-
fore the House committe on interstate
! commerce against the Quarles-Cooper
bill.
Answering a question as to whether
there would be any objection to a uni
form classification of freight through
cut the country, Mr.. Spencer SAID there
might not be, although it would without
doubt throw the rates OF certain rail-
roads out of line. II il was done vio-
lently n suddenly. it would result in
a commercial upheaval.
Answering Representative Richardson
Of Alabama, Mr.. Spencer said:
Speaking unofficially for. 1 might say
- per cent. of the railroads Of the u
try, l assert that you cannot make a
law %forbidding rebates too drastic 10
suit u.s."
No well managed road now gives re-
bates, he continued, and any method
to absolutely prohibit the practice would
be welcomed by the railroads.
. Reverting again to the result of re-
classification of freight which is con-
stantly going on, Mr.. Spencer said he
result was informally a reduction and
not an increase in rates.
Carriers, he said, did not expect an
arm of the government to help them to
raise or maintain rates, but they ought
tc be left free to cooperate with each
; other in the way of making reasonable
agreements" among themselves.
"Tf legislation is to take place in any
fnrrn,'' he continued, land we hope it
VIII not be in this form, it should in
Guide something that wi. insure stabll-
ity of rates, and that those rates should
be high enough to remunerate the car
rier for service performed" 5
THE man does not live" asserted Mr..
! Spencer, who can draft a law that
will grant authority to any body Of
men that can be exercised effectively to
; abolish discrimination between locali-
ties. It is impossible to do ava with
complaint of discrimination on the part
of localities"
The bill, he said, would be comforting
anomalous powers upon one body. The
CCilli1l1SSiOI was ICdtC ~ III
, proceedings against carriers. Here it
was proposed to invest the body with a
! judicial function-the power to con-
denim q rate as unreasonable. Then he
next step contemplated was to give
them authority to name a new rate for
the future-a function under the law
i and decisions of the courts, a legisla-
tive function. This would make the
/ CommIss' IN, first, a prosecuting body,
next a judicial body and lastly a legis-
lative body.
In concluding, he suggested that in
his opinion the only legislation neces-
sary on the subject at the present
time if indeed any was necessary, was
the stopping of appeals from decisions
of the commission at the circuit court,
! except where points of law were invotV-
ed when cases should go to the Supreme
court; that the freight carrying lines
by water, the fast freight lines the
private car lines all be brought under
the jurisdiction of the commission, the
same as the railroads now are; that
carriers should be relieved Of the ano-
malous position of being required to
4. maintain uniform rates and prohibit
from making agreements as to what
those rates should be. Lastly some
thing should be done to prevent abuses
Of the rebate system.