Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-01
PASSING UPON RATES
Proposed Functions of Inter-
state Commission.
VIEW OF THE SOUTH
DECLARED TO BE FAVORABLE 10
PENDING LEGISLATION.
Daniel A. Tompkins of Charlotte, N. c.,
Discusses the Conditions Confront
ing Railways and Producers.
VIEW OF THE SOUTH

Il believe the entire south will be found
to be in favor OF the Presidents PROPOSE
ton to empower government commission
with authority in cases in which shippers
claim a freight rate Is unreasonable to de
clare what would be reasonable rate and
to enforce it. allowing the railroad to go
into court, there to get final decision II 1t
sees proper to do so,' said Mr.. Daniel A.
Tompkins, a prominent newspaper proprie-
tor and cotton manufacturer of Charlotte,
N. c.. to Star reporter today.
Mr.. Tompkins was a member Of the
United States industrial commission that
made a report to Congress embodied in
nineteen volumes in 1900. He is both an
active business man and a student Of in
dustrial affairs, especially as they affect
the SOUTH in which his life has been spent.
He was here To-Day with a delegation from
North and South Carolina to invite the
President to visit the cotton mills Of those
states in order to see for himself what
they doing.
The delegation also wishes the President
10 use his influence to bring about modi
fication of the Chinese exclusion act so that
Chinese merchants may be allowed to visit
this country. This is a particularly i'm
portant question for the cotton manufacture
reason that large part of their product
goes to China.
Mr.. Tompkins does not view as new the
proposition that is now before Congress to
nave further government regulation of the
railroads. That among. other things was
threShed over by the Industrial commission
hVe years ago. and on that occasion he
heard the testimony of all the great rail-
ROAD magnates and questioned them in re-
lat1on to these same problems.
This is in effect what the industrial COM
mission proposed" continued Mr.. Tomp-
kins, referring to the railroad issue. 1--WE
somehow the Importance of what the com
mission did is only now beginning to be
generally appreciated and understood
What is Proposed.
one thing about this discussion of the
regulation of railroads that ought to be
understood is that there is no proposition
TO nave the railroads fix railroad rates
Ihose rates are already fixed 1 would
never be in favor of government rate fix
ing. 1 feel sure the south would not IA
Vor such a proposition. All that is pro-
posed is to Aave the government commits
sion. when it is claimed a rate is unrea
sonable, hear the case and if it deter
mines that that claim is just the commits
sion Is to say what the rate ought to be
In order to make 1t reasonable and then
enforce 1t. leaving the railroads to go into
court to determine whether the rate thus
fixed shall stand.
The idea that such commission would
be dominated by any sectional or political
influence to the detriment of the south is
in my opinion. wholly without foundation
The commission would be guided by prin-
cipleS that would apply alike to all parts
of the country. / remember very well
when 1t was proposed to have a national
banking system this same objection was
raised In the south. We were told there
that If our wildcat banks were done away
with and system established with head
quarters in Washington We would suffer
all sorts of injustice. The fact Is. we in
the south fare under the national banking
act exactly as other parts of the country
fare. There is no difference In the sys-
tenn of examining our accounts from those
that apply to the north. The system has
worked well, and 1 believe a government
commission would act just impa rtially
In relation to railroad rates as the con-
troller of the currency acts in relation to
the banks.
This objection to such a commission re-
minds me of the acrimonious debate that
has been carried on in the south in relation
to the no fence law When 1t was pro-
posed that we should do away with the
fences on agricultural land there was
most acrimonious debate. Men lambasted
one another when they got into discussions
But gradually the fences came down, and
now there is no one to propose putting
them back.
so, am sure, it would be in the case of
this proposed legislation for the regulation
of the railroads. 1t was supposed the in
terstate commerce commission had this
power when it was established and the
commission actually undertook to exer-
else 1t.
Grievance of the South.
What we object to in the south is the in
applicable manner in which rates are
charged and to the inequalities of the rates.
We do not complain that as a whole the
rates are unreasonable. But we have these
rates changed without a moments notice
They are changed by a change of classical
ton For instance, IN the case of cotton
reels the cl' stication was changed so as to
double the rate. 1t was not matter of vast
Importance. but If such a change was
deemed necessary the shippers ought TO
have had notice of 1t and an opportunity
should have been afforded them to appear
before the commission and interpOse obiec-
ton IL they saw fit to do so. The cotton
reels had been classified cotton machin-
cry, and If they are not cotton machinery
do not know what they are. But all we
could ever learn was that the railroad
changed the classification, and that change
doubled the rate.
I'VE are not alarmed by the idea that in
| iuence may be used through such a COM
mission to do away with the differentials of
our southern ports. There are many dis
rected that favor northern localities We
are willing to trust the outcome, and feel
satisfied that when the south comes to line
up on this question 1t will be found firmly In
favor of the Presidents plan for the adjust
ment OF rates by government commits
SION