Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-05-10
Secretary Of War Amazes Rail
road Men by His Speech on
Rate Question
SAYS LEGISLATION WILL COME
Tells Railway Men They Will be
Wise to Aid Rather Than Oppose
Reasonable Laws on the Subject Of
Control Of Rates-speech Creates
Sensation at Railway Congress Ban.
quot.

Washington, May 10.-Secretary
hundred railway men, members of the
| international railway congress, din
| ing last night as the guests of the
| American Railway Association at the
| New Willard Hotel. when, after being
| introduced, as 'sThe apostle from the
| Philippines he en1phatically declared
that railway rate legislation must
| come; that if the railway men of the
country were wise they would aid and
not hinder 1t; that the sentiment of the
country is such that failure of proper
regulation meant a campaign on the
object that would do no good to the
railroads.
Absolute silence reigned as Secre-
,tary Taft spoke. his mind on the SUBJ
jeet of rates. He was positively against
government ownership he said, be-
lieving that nothing SO deleterious
could come to the country as this SO
luton of the question. But" he cons
tinued. you cannot run railroads as
you run private business. You must
respond to the public demand. II there
is danger of discrimination, then you
must allow the establishment of some
tribunal that will remedy that dis
crinlination.'' The secretary saw no
reason why a tribunal properly consti-
tuted should not be competent in every
sense Of the word to fix maximum
rate.
President Stuvysant Fish of the Atn-
erican Railway Association, had in
troGIuced Secretary Taft. In his ca
pacity of toastnaste Mr.. Fish was
ON his feet the instant the secretary
concluded. He answered the secretary
at length, taking the view that the
law was to prevent Discrimination,
double dealing and secret rebates was
ample and he vigorously called for the
enforcement of that law. Mr.. Fish
talked of the vested rights of the mon
ey tied up in railways. He apologized
for allowing himself to be diverted,
and as he sat down Secretary Taft,
who sat next to him, queried in low
tone: May have fifteen minutes to
repIy?" This time was given, and the
secretary utilized it in making himself
even more positive as to his position
in favor of legislation in which would
create tribunal with authority to
name maximum rate.
"Tfle law now u.s." continued the sec
rotary, that first commission and
then the courts may decide whether q
particular rate is reasonable. Now in
fixing that in the very mental process
in Determining whether a rate is reas-
enable Or unreasonable, one has got to
fix what is maximum rate. AS I
understand it, what is proposed is
only that in Irrigated cases a commits
sion shall be constituted that shall fix
a maximum rate; in other words, to go
thru to determine what is reasonable
rate. What am strongly in favor. of,
tho, is that we shall have a body that
shflll decide things and that those
things shall be decided within a reas-
enable time finally by the courts
Mr. Fish again took up the argu-
ment, .contending it was the question
of fixing the price for the seller of
goods.
M. Jusserand the French ambassa-
dor; Emile Heurteau Of Paris, mem
Der of the permanent commission Of
the congress; Jean Kologrivoff, minis
tel. Of communication, Russia, and
Wayne Macveagh also delivered
speeches.
Previous to the banquet the sections
Of the congress accomplished their
allotted days work and the delegates
inspected the new union station under
here.