New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-19
RATE BILL, SAYS ELKINS.
Vest Virginia Senator Also Dis
cusses Tariff Revision.

Senator STEPHEN B. Elkins of West Virginia.
is in New~York and has been in consultation
here with various railroad and business men on
the subject Of railroad and tariff legislation to
be considered by Congress in the coming ses-
sion. AS chairman of the Senate Committee on
Interstate Commerce, Mr.. Elkins will have
charge of all railroad legislation in the Senate.
He predicts that rate regulation bill will pass
this winter. but feels that prolonged and bit
ter fight viii ensue when the subject Of tariff
revision is considered. The Senator said yester-
day:
The committee Of which I am chairman and
which will frame a measure this winter is pre-
pared Tor its work. and viii meet two weeks in
advance OF the regular session for the purpose
OF preparing a bill. Every nemb Der of the COM
Tnlttee knows exactly where he stands upon this
question and I think that by December / we
VIII have a bill ready for introduction I re-
gard decisive action this session as beyond ques-
ton 1 fought legislation of this kind last ses-
sion because I thought that we hadn't enough
SllLe Wllhin which 10 act comprehensyely.
Now. however, We are prepared to deal with the
case intellfgently and concIusively. Personally
IaVor the plan of referring all rate disputes,
passenger and freight to the United States Cir
cult Court judges for decision I would not give
the Interstate Commerce Commission iurisdIc-
ton. I viii work hard to have this plan adopted
by the Senate end House.
In regard to tariff revision the Senator said:
I presume that those who during the last
session of Congress clamored for revision will
renew their activities this winter. Indeed there
Is every prospect that they will do In that
event predict that will witness a n1ernora bic
battle between what IS generally termed the
stand patters' on the one hand and the re
vis1onists on the other.
During all this talk of revision have noted
very prominent characteristic. and that is that
although We are told the tariff should be revised
] am not able to find single revisionist who is
willing 10 or who place his finger upon a
particular schedule and point out just where
revision should occur. Ny friends in Congress
who talk revision talk Il in a general sense.
When they are asked to partCularize they can't
resolve the case into of detail
On the other hand, however the Treasury sit
In the last fiscal year the Treasury deficit as-
informed that perhaps il may be greater in the
present fiscal year. Appropriations by Con-
gTesS. owing TO the constant growth of the
country and its manifold institutions continu-
ally demanding funds for their expansion and
maintenance. do not appear to shrink. In fact
It appears to he Impossible 20 economic. There
fore. it is argued. leaving thG question of cur
failing government expenditures in the back
ground. that alternative being accepted i'm
things which can be done. One of these is the
reimposition Of the Spanish War taxes. and the
other is a revision Of the tariff which shall
affect schedules in g way that will stimulate
foreign trade and increase our customs re-
Ceipts. Advocates of this plan argue on the
same basis as that involved in the bargain Coun-
ter sales OF our latter day stores. They figure
that by reducing the price of inpOst they can
secure more imports at a lower figure each. but
which In the aggregate will figure UP at such
volume that the whole will prove profitable.