The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-02-08
RATE BILLS
Administrations Plan For Regulating
Railroad Tariff
One Bill Empowers the Interstate Conn
a Court to Review Rates Fixed.

Washington, D. C.-The so-called Ad.
ministration measures to increase the
powers Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission were introduced in the
House. There were two Of them, one
from Representative Esch, Of Wiscon-
| sin, and the other from Representative
Townsend, of Michigan. These bills
are regarded as having the Endorsement
| of President Roosevelt, because their
| authors were told by the President
that their ideas about dealing with the
| railway rate question accorded with
| his own, and at his suggestion they
collaborated with AttOrney-General
| Moody in drafting the proposed legisla-
ton.
The Esch and Townsend bills are
| along the lines of most Of the sugges-
tons made by other Congressman to
give a greater degree of Federal super
vision over railway freight rates. The
| Esch measure gives the Interstate
| Commerce Commission the right to fix
! a rate, and the Townsend BILL provides
for the creation Of a court Of transpor-
tation, which shall have authority to
say whether that rate is reasonable.
In thus proposing a special court to
| deal with rate adjudication the Town
| send bill adopts the suggestion Of Sec
rotary Of the Navy Morton, and goes
| contrary to the idea Of Representative
| Hepburn, Chairman of the Committee
on Interstate and Foreign Commerce,
| and Senator Efkins, Chairman of the
Interstate Commerce Committee, that
| provision should be made for an addi-
tional Judge in each Federal circuit
to handle interstate commerce cases.
1t is generally believed that the Esch
and Townsend bills were read and ap-
proved by the President before they
were introduced.
y The Esch bill provides that the In
| terstate Commerce Commission shall
| declare. when complaint is made, what
| shall be a just and reasonable rate.
practice or regulation for the future
with respect to any matter Of trans
p~ortatlon. The order shall become OPP
erative thirty days after notice to the
persons affected. At any time within
sixty days any person feeling the rate
to be unjust, unreasonable or discrim-
inatory. may institute proceedings in
the Court of Transportation, sitting as
a court of equity, to haVe>it reviewed.
The Townsend bill creates q Court
Of Transportation with the powers OF
a Circuit Court. and Is to have original
exclusive Jurisdiction Of all cases grow
ing out Of such orders, regulations n
requirements that may be made n
promulgated by the Interstate Com
merce Commission; either in law or In
equity. 1t is to be composed OF a
Chief Justice, to whom a salary OF
$4,000 a year is to be paid, and four
Associate Justices at a salary of $500
each. Appeal from this court is to be
had to the Supreme Court of the United
States only.
A rate bill representing the views of
the six Democratic members OF the
House Commerce Committee and also
those of Representative John Sharp
Williams. the Democratic floor leader,
was introduced by Representative
Dayey, Of Louisiana. 1t gives the In
terstate Commerce Commission. . the
power to fix a rate that is to remain IN
force until overruled by the United
States Court having proper jurisdlc'
ton