The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-29
TESTIMONY CONTINUED
RAIROAD OFFICIALS BEFORE sEN-
 ATE COMMITTEE.
James c. Lincoln Of fhe Missouri Pa- cife, George n. Peck of the O., M. & st. F., ard others Present
 Their Views.

Washington, April 2s.--James C.. Lincoln. general freight agent of the Missouri Pacific Railroad continued his testimony before the Senate committee on the interstate commerce today. He said there was more satisfactory con dition under the Kansas than the Ar kansas Railroad Commission. The mission in Missouri were fair and req sonable. At times he said the Missouri Pacific charged less rate than fixed by the commission.
 Chairman Elkins asked a number of questions relatives to the advances made on live stock rates which he said were the cause for the greatest com plairt. Mir. Lincoln replied that the rates owing to competition were very low before the advances were made. He thought the rates too low now. Replytng to questions about private car lines, Mir. Lincoln explained that the American Refrigerator Transit Company in which the Missouri Pa- cifc was a stockhoider, operated on that line This company had more than 4.000 cars. The railroad made the rates on commodities carried in the private cars. The private car company made the charges for refrigeration ow.. ing to the interest of the Missouri Pacific in the American Refrigerator Transit Company. it preferred to use the cars of the iattef company all though 1t did oberate other cars ana furnished ice for such cars. There were complaints of high charges for icing the private cars of the Ameri- can Refrigerator Company and also other cars.
 A. c. Bird, who is an officer of the Missouri Pacific. and also an officer or the refrigerator company, had charge of the private cars on the raiIways;
 ssrhen does he make contracts with |hiself?'' asked Chairman Elkins.
 "Yes," replied MT. Lincoln.
 chairnan Elkins secured the address If Mr Bird and 1t was announced he would appear before the committed.
 General Peck general counsel of the chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Raii- road. then was heard py the commit tee.
 Mir. Peck said in part:
 eIt is certainly not practicable-even if If were wise--to endeavor Dy legls- lation to eliminate the activities wnlcn lie at the basis of commerce. traoe and traffic and to substitute in their place the rigid control and reguiation Of a paternal government. That IS tne Chinese method and trust never VIII be the American method. Men WI! ai. ways strike for their own advantage
 
 progress has come.
 hThat commerce. carried on without Nany governmental regulation or con troi. would best serve the pubic, do not believe. And yet 1t does not foi- iow thai 1t should be subjected to the ninute interference of a body of men who in the nature of things cannot grasp it's needs and it's reqlirements and the needs and requirements or tne public"
 MT. Peck insisted that rebates had ceased or could be corrected unoer tne nresent laws and continuing said the nronosed legislation if rebates still ex- isted at All would not De ef1ective. He said;
 A railway company can cut a rate made by itself. Making rate IS one fhing-cutting a rate is another, ano they have no possible relations to eacf other. If rates had been made Dy Government commission for the lasi twenty years it is perfectly plain tha' the rebate system would not nave grown and fiourished as it did under q system which allowed railways t( make their own rates.
 Speaking for my own company-ane in a sense for many other companies have only to say that they will wei come any legislation criminal or rem edial which in any degree can make the payment of rebates more difficult and increase the certainty or detec' tion and of punishment.
 "But if 1t is supposed that the pay ment or rebates can be suppressed by givins to the committes the power tc fix rates, I suggest that such result Is absolutely impossible.
 "The rateAmaking power upon any