The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-04-18
SENATE COMMITTEE ON INTER-
STATE COMMERCE AGAIN
YESTERDAY.
Believed That Majority of Committee
Are in Favor Effective LegisIa-
ton on Subject.

According to a letter received by
Secretary John H. Mcdonald of the
Walla Walla Commercial club. the In
terstate Commerce committee of the
United States senate resumed hearings
on the subject of the amendment to
the act at Washington city yesterday.
The letter which was written by Chair
man E. p. Bacon of the Interstate Law
convention is as follows:
1.-THE interstate commerce commit
tee of the senate is to resume hearings
on the subject of the amendment of the
interstate commerce act on the 17tn
inst, at Washington, with a view to
maturing bill to be reported to the
senate upon the assembling of the next
congress, which it is announced, with
apparent authority, will be convened in
expected that a large number of rail-
way officials will appear before the
committee in opposition to the proposed
legislation. 1t seems to be the pur-
pose of the committee to go into an in
dependent investigation of the subject.
rather than to avail itself of the VOL
luminous testimony that has been pre-
scented before other committees of con-
gress, including the industrial COM
mission, all of which is matter of rec
ord; and some of it's members seem to
be particularly interested in eliciting
testimony and argument favorable to
the railway side of the controversy.
ut is highly important that the sew
eral organizations representing the
commercial, manufacturing and pro-
ducing interests of the country lay
before the senate committee, at these
hearings, full information in respect to
existing traffic conditions, showing the
inefficiency of the present law and the
necessity of legislation bringing rail-
way rates and regulations under eff
fective governmental supervision. Our
committee therefore recommends that
the proper officers of such organiza-
lions communicate Immediately with
the chairman of the senate commit
tee, Hon. S. B. Elkins, at Washington,
D. c., requesting the assignment of
date on which their representatives ap-
pear before the committee for the pur-
pose.
THE writer is of the opinion, from
personal intercourse with the several
members of the senate committee dur
ing the last session of congress, that a
clear majority are in favor of effective
legislation in this direction. Some of
the members are utterly opposed to
any legislation restricting the carriers
from enforcing such rates and regula-
are DESTROYS of keeping any restrictions
within the narrowest limits practicable.
Hence it is necessary to strengthen the
hands of those members who are ia
vorable to the legislation to as great an
extent as we may be able to, by the
presentation of facts and arguments
that will have this effect. The action
of the senate committee at this time
will determine the fate of the long con-
tinued effort that has been made by
the commercial organizations Of the
country to secure effective legislation
in the protection of the public against
unjust discrimination and unreason-
able exactions ON the part of the car
riers of the country, and We must now
throw all our energies into this final
struggle. If each organization inter-
ested in the movement will discharge
it's full duty at the present juncture,
without regard to what others may do,
success will be assured"