The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-29
RAILROAD NEWS.
Clever Scheme to ThWart Com
merce Commissions LabOrs.
Pamphlets Similar to Commits
siOn's Documents.
WENT THROUGH MAILS.
An Effort to Mislead the Invest
ing Public.
A Direct Attack Upon the Rate
Bill.
WENT THROUGH MAILS.

Tons of literature are being sent
broadcast by the railroads attacking
the interstate commerce commission,
says a special dispatch from Wash
ington to the Chicago Inter Ocean.
One of the largest educational bu-
reaus'' of this character conducted by
the railroads is operated here in
Washington. Since congress closed
there has gone to every weekly and
daily newspaper in the country, every
technical journal and magazine, every
member of the American Bar associa-
ton. every library, and to thousands
of individuals of influence and stand
ing copies of these pamphlets, in
which the work of the interstate COM
merce commission is shown in an un-
complimentary light.
This same educational bureau has
other pamphlets in course of prepara-
ton, which will be given even wider
circulation than those which have
gone before. All court records of the
cases prosecuted by the commission
are being searched by experts for I'M
favorable comment by the trial judges.
These are being arranged in their
most effective manner to cast dis
credit on the commission, the infer
ence always being thSt the member
of the present commission are to
blame for the alleged railroad evils by
not properly administering the law as
it now exists.
In thus attacking the members of
the interstate commerce commission
the railroads believe they are getting
at the fountain head of their trouble
over freight rate legislation The per-
nicious activity of certain members of
the commission has been thorn in
the side of the traffic managers Tor
years. Defeated in court because or
the limitations of the law, these mem
bers of the commission have continued
to agitate the necessity of being grant
ed additional powers by congress
Prouty and Clements Targets
Commissioners Prouty and Clements
are the particularly obnoxious mem
bers from the viewpoint of the rail-
roads. They have been aggressive IN
their demands for increased powers
for the commission. When congress
was discussing the Hepburn bill, which
present commission, Mr.. PrOuty and
Mr.. Clements objected to this plan to
legisIate them out of Office they
openly charged the railroads with be-
pose them, and put the proposition
plainly, charging that if they were
thus dismissed it was for discharging
their duty conscientiously that they
were being sacrificed. The Hepburn
bill was dropped and the Esch-Town-
send bill substituted.
Educational Campaign Is Pushed.
The catch word rebate" has lost its
significance and has been eliminated
in the present agitation. The bone of
contention is the rate fixing" power
sought by certain members of the
commission and urged by President
Roosevelt and most of the commercial |
bodies and the public generally. 1t
was this that was sought by the pass !
age of the ESch-TOwnsend bill and |
which the railroads succeeded in
averting when the bill was allowed to |
Slumber in the senate. The senate !
satisfied itself that it needed more |
lime to thoroughly digest the subject, 1
and as the railroads also needed time
n which to counterfeit the popular
wave of enthusiasm for remedial leg
Station by congress, they got it.
No time was lost in starting the /
educational campaign" which is only I
)ne of the means being employed by
he railroads. The railroad employees.
he stockholders and bondholders of
he roads, the policyholders of the big
insurance companies, the depoSitorS in /
he savings banks, and the shippers
themselves are all being urged to join
n the movement to block rate fix
ng' legislation at the special session
If congress in October.
By the time congress meets in Octo-
Der the railroads expect to have back
IF them a healthy public sentiment"
;lamoring vigorously against any Iegis-
alton that will have for its purpose the
giving of rate fixing powers to the
commerce commission. As
he Esch- Townsend bill was passed al
most unanimously by the house under
he spur Of public sentiment the value
If the education campaign by the rail- |
Dads is apparent.