The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-26
Commission Increased Power
 Along Other Lines
CHANGE NOTED IN THE WEST
Dominant Sentiment Now Seems op- posed to Arbitrary Fixing of Rates By oovernment--Loomls
 Going to Brazil.
BY wArrERsoN srEALEY.

Washington, August 25.-(Special. .)-The "Jim Crow Car" question in the south. according to some of the friends of rail- road rate regulations who have been making inquiries lately, is being vigorous iy used as a lever to pry southern opin- ion Into line against the grant of addi- tional powers to the Interstate Commerce commission. From an authority close to the commission, 1t Is learned that that body Is incensed because of the explofta- tion of this issue to create opposition. It Is said that no fair presentation of the facts could possibly convince any south ern man that the Jim Crow system would be interfered with in any way whatever if the desired powers were given to the commission.
 Could Not Change Laws.
 .'The Legislation which is sought" said a man close to the commission. docs not include anything that would add to or take from the present power of the commission in this matter of Jim Crow cars. The commission has not at any time been disposed to interfere with local reg ulations in this regard and the supreme court of the United States has made decisions in cases involving this ques- ton which sustain the right of state au- thorities to prescribe such regulations if they choose as to inter state traffic.
 Now, as to interstate traffic, the In- terstate Commerce commission has as much power now as the Esch-Townsend bill would give 1t, or any other bill that has been proposed, to regulate this Jim Crow, business; and 1t has never inter- fered or attempted to interfere with these regulations. It simply wants reasonable facilities given people who travel in the south as in other sections Of the coun- try"
 Southern newspapers and people have been for some time agitated over the question and the friends of legislation are trying hard to bring home to the public an understanding of the real sit- uation They charge that railroad infiu ences have been busily disseminating these allegations.
 Decided Change in Western Sentiment.
 The correspondents and others from here who have just returned from the Trans Mississippi Commercial Congress at Portland, Ore, report decided change in western sentiment on two questions on which the great body of public sentiment in the west has been firmly united here tofore These are the questions of Chinese exclusion and of government regulation of railway rates.
 The congress was made up of represen- tatives of all important commercial inter- ests in every part of the west from the Mississippi valley to the Pacific. One of the leading subjects down for discus sion on the programme at the meeting was the proposed increase in power of the interstate commerce commission, to en- able that body to fix transportation rates. It has been claimed all along by the ad- vocates of the Esch-Townsend bill or sim liar legislation that the west was solidly united in support of that measure.
 It was freely predicted that the Trans Mississippi Congress as the great repre- sentative body of this section. would go on record in a ringing declaration for government rate-making. Instead, the congress adopted resolution which points out that only the enforcement of existing laws Is necessary to give relief.
 It is evident from the above, and 1t was made doubiy plain in the discussions of the subject, that the business men of the west are not in sympathy with the proposition to fix the rates of railway transportation by government authority. There Is no doubt that last winter when the subject was under discussion in Con- gress, there was strong sentiment In fa- vor of government regulation in the west. But the discussion of the subject and the
 
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