The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1905-02-17
news FOR DAH0ANS.
Weekly Letter From Wash
ington, D. @.
TO REGULATE RATES,
Free Trade With Islands--The
n Canal Commission.

nj A bill has been reported from
&thc House committee on Interstate
Il Commerce for the regulation OF
rates. 1t is simple
Mlneasure and goes direct to the
$gpoint. 1t is matter of congratu-
Nation that the House committee
%has been able to agree upon what
MAS the appearance OF an excellent
Xfemedy fer the present evils OF
Transportation. 1t embodies the
#ideas of President Roosevelt. SO
Ear as these ideas have been pub
licly expressed, concerning gov
crnmental control Of railroads.
The bill seems to rise to the occa
sion remarkably we'll considering
#lhc pressure that has been brought
Ito bear against any positive legis-
Nation on this subject. Stripped of
legal verbiage, the principal pro-
Missions Of the bill are as follows:
|@4'he Interstate Commerce Com
3Esnission is to be increased to seven
each to receive a salary
Of Sro, 900 per annum. When a
complaint is made to the commits
sion that given rate is unreason-
able, "a hearing will follow and the
will render a verdict.
II the complaint is justified, the
commission will have the power to
revise the rate and fix one in its
place. The revised rate will go
into effect in 80 days, The right
of appeal from the commission is
available for 80 days. The appeal
will be heard by Court of Trans
sportation, which is to consist of
i've Circuit Court Judges, and will
meet four times a year for the con-
sideration of cases brought up
ssfrom the Interstate Commerce
6 Com mission. The House will
Il adopt the measure under a special
rule. There are grave doubts,
whether the Senate will
pass it at this session. Neverthe-
less long step will have been
taken. A definite policy will have
been marked out, and its adoption
ut special or at the next regular
session cannot seriously be doubt
ed.
Congressman French las filed
two petitions for rural free delivery
4 routes from Payette, and one from
# Troy. He has asked that these
routes be examined Immediately,
SO that the patrons may enjoy the
benefits of the service without such
a long delay. 1t is confidently ex-
q pected that the routes will be es.
tablished in very short time.
President Roosevelt sent ar
earnest recommendation to Con
gress through his annual message
III for relief for the Philippines in the
Il way of smaller duties on their ex.
N ports to the United States. A:
Il usual the President was right, bu
u there is opposition to this idea
u Several interests are making Wig
orous fight against lower duties OF
u imports from these islands. Mos
Al prominent among these are tn,
n sugar and the tobacco trusts.
& is not thought, however, that thei
Y opposition will be able to defea
8 the measure. 1t is not proposed a
q present to remove all the duties
but to reduce the Dingley rates t
very great extent. Its intende'
to make the change gradually, witt
ultimate free trade with the island
Il in view. We have free trade wit
Il Hawaii and with Porto Rico, an,
it is not right to treat our. posses
sions in the Far East in differen
\ manner. Therefore, it is but jus
tioe that we make the beginning a
bnee.
GsnN II NIritii ~. / ,-s1, iacL