The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-01-07
Mann PINS BACON IN
COMMIT TEE SESSION
Holds Him to Words and Adj
dresses Made Of Members
of Congress


WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan 6.-The
meeting of the house committee on in
terstate commerce today was replete with
sensational incidents. A hearing was be-
ing given to persons interested in the
Cooper Quarles bill.
E. p. Bacon, of Milwaukee, chairman of
the interstate commerce commission. was
first heard. From the moment he took
the stand until he left it Mr.. Bacon was
subjected to scathing rebukes by Mr.
Mann, of Illinois. FOR certain statements
made by him in publication known as
Freight, as well as in public addresses.
Mr. Mann quoted from statement all
legged to have been made by Mr.. Bacon
that, owing to the opposition of the ma
jority of two committees of congress
there was no possibility of legislation to
further restrict the carriers.
Do you think that was true?' inquired
Mr.. Mann.
Mr., Bacon answered that he believed it
was true at the time.
al, Know, angrily retorted Mr. Mann,
was false and believe you knew it was
Mr.. Bacon calmly replied that he did
which only served to further anger Mr..
Manu. who said that people who write
articles must be held responsible for what
they write.
Again reading from the publication re-
ferred to, Mr.. Mann said it was stated in
Mr. Bacon's address before the st. Louis
convention, That over threefourths of
the representatives in congress owed their
presence there to the influence of the rail-
roads," and he asked Mr.. Bacon If that
statement was his. Mr.. Bacon answered
that his remarks had been extempora-
neous, but he had no recollection of max
ing the statement.
Il believe, said Mr.. Mann, you
thought any man in the country could go
OFF and libel anu oo1,1oc of
fortunately is true that people generally
pay no attention to such statements. -
Mr.. Bacon insisted he never made the
statement, but admitted saying that four
of the members of the house committee
mad declared they would permit no action
on the part OF the. committee upon any
bill until definite action was taken upon
the Cooper-Q uarles bill.
We want to ascertain who those four
men are, demanded Mr.. Mann.
The witness, however, refused to an
him to name them.
dignantly inquired:
Il ask you, sir, if Mr.. Shackleford was
one of them?''
No. sir" was the reply.
You went over the Elkins bill" said
Mr. Mann, and because the committee
won't follow you fast enough you say we
are under the influence of the railways
Mr.. Bacon denied making the statement
and added that he had kept back certain
elements and interests in regard to the
proposed legislation.
The witness admitted that after the re-
vised Ellins bill was agreed upon he had
endeayored to have it become law. 80
Mr.. Mann then spoke Of banquet
given at the Union League club in Chicago
at which he said an attempt was made
to influence him in favor of the Elkins
bill. Il laughed at Them said Mr.. Mann,
when they read the pooling clause of
that bill, and said it had as much chance
as a snowflake in hades.''
Tl1<< <,l,x
Mr.. Mann as to the authorship of the sew
eral bills to restrict the carriers, and said
that the solicitor of the Pennsylvania rail-
road did not draw the Nelson Corliss bill,
but that he did draw the .Elkins bill and
that the Cooper-Quarles bill was framed
upon the lines of the latter.