The news & observer., 1905-12-14
Mr.. SIMMONS IS
FAR: FROM SILENT
A Consistent Advocate of
Rate Legislation.
HIS LETTERS SPEAK
vigorous Interview in Answer to
Charges in Merchants Journal. Let
ter to Greensboro Chamber of
Commerce and to Salisbury
Central Labor Union.
BY THOMAS j. PENCE.

Central Labor UnI0n.,
BY THOMAS j. PENCE.
Washington, d. c.. Dec. Ex-senator
Simmons has been a constant advo-
cate of legislation favoring govern
mental regulation of railway rates
since the question was first agitated,
and his position was made clear in a
letter to the Secretary of the Green's
bOrO Chamber of Commerce. which
was made public last August. He has
written a number of letters to citizens
of the State. giving his views on this
subject and only this week he directed
a letter to the Secretary of a labor
union, which had urged him to vote
against the plan for comforting the
rate-making power on the Interstate
Commerce Commission. The Sena-
tors reply frankly stated that he dis
agreed with the members of the union
and thathe would favor Sach legisla-
tion with his vote This letter. ad-
dressed to ODE Susgin, of Salisbury
would not have been made public but
for the fact that q newspaper clipping
was called to his attention, in which
doubt was expressed as to his con-
victions on this highly important ques-
ton. The Senator Immediately de-
cided to make public this letter and
he accompanied it with a vigorous in
terView
Tie newspaper clipping that was
called to the Senator's attention is
from the Merchants Journal, of Rail
eigh. 1t reads:
that United States Senator f. M.
Simmons is keeping quiet in sew
eTal or more languages as to his
attitude on Railway Rate regu-
iatiOn."
Speaking with reference to the
above statement from the Merchants
Journal Senator Simmons said The
statement that l have failed to commit
myself on this question is simply un-
true. Several months ago | wrote
letter. d copy of which follows, in re-
sponse to certain resolutions adopted
by the Chamber of Commerce of
Greensboro emphatically setting forth
my position. This letter was given to
the press of the State by officers of
the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce
and published in nearly al the daily
papers in the State. If Mr. Johnson,
the editor cf the Merchants Journal,
whom [ am informed is. a Republican,
did not see it, he does not read mat
tcrs Of Interest TO the organization
which his pape" purpOrts to represent.
If he did see it before the clipping
called to my attention was written.
that fact shows that he is much more
interested in making capital, and
cheap capital at that. for the Republi-
can party than in serving the great
commercial interests for which the
Merchants Journal was organized &c
promote:
II have recently received a series
of resolutions from certain railway
employees at Spencer, and elsewhere.
opposing Railway Rate legislation,
and my reply was made before this eX-
tract was called to my attention. In
my reply [ reiterated my position on
this question of railway rate legisla-
ton. and expressed opinions adverse to
those contained in the resolutions sent
me. If Mr. Johnson had read the
newspapers at all in the last few
months he would not have been igno-
rant of the fact that there had been
no concealment about my views on
railroad legislation, because there have
been various newspaper statements
concerning my position on this subject,
both IN Washington and North Caro-
lima papers Criticism IS one thing
miSStatement Of well known facts IS
another especially when there IS a
just suspicion that the miStatament
is 10 subserve some ulterior interests
The letter to Mr.. Abe Suskin, of the
(COpy.)
UNITED STATES SENATE,
Washington, d. G.
December II. 1905.
Mr.. Abe Susk:n, Secretary Central
Labor Union. Of Salisbury and vi
cinity. Salisbury, n. c.
Dear Sir:-I have the honor to
acknowledge receipt of your favor of
the 30th ult., enclosing resolutions of
your Union with reference to the reg
ulation of railroad rates
] have given the matter of rate reg
ulation careful investigation and
thought. having IN view the interests
of the roads, their employees and the
general public, and | have reached the
conclusion that al these interests will
be best subserVed by the adoption of
legislation giving to the Interstate
Commerce Commission adequate power
to regulate rates where the rates pre-
scribed by the road are found afte an
investigation and heaing, to be unpust
/ regret very much to disagree with
any part of the membership of your
organization but [ think you are
wrong in believing that such legisla-
ton will affect injuriously the en-
ployes of the railroads. or in the end
the railroads themselves.
Very truly yours
(Signed) F. NJ SIMMONS.
This is the letter written by the Sem
ator lost summer. in which he set
forth his position:
(Cony.)
UNITED STATES SENATE.
Washington, d. G.
Raleigh, n. c., Aug. 25. 1905.