The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-12
COOPER BILL HELD
UP IN COMMITTEE
Hepburn and Mann Arrange Pro-
w. gram for Delay Thru
Hearings. ~.
HAND OF RAILROADS
= SEEN IN THIS ACTION
President Meanwhile Presses the
Necessity for Legislation
on Congress.
BY w. w. Jermane.

BY w. w. Jermane.
Washington, Jan. 12-The Cooper
Quarles bill is ''stalled' in the house
committee on interstate commerce.
Chairman Hepburn and Representative
James R. Mann, who is developing into
an able lieutenant for the Iowa states
man, have arranged a program which
will keep that bill tied up for num-
Der of weeks. This week it was an ex
people associated with him in urging
that bill, and next week William Ran
dolph Hearst has been given time to
present arguments and witnesses.
The Bacon people have protested that
they were ready to stop the hearings,
but the committee has suddenly devel-
oped a Quenchless thirst for Informal
tion, and anybody who will appear
and talk on the Inject Of railway regu-
lation is welcomed. Of course it does
not take Solomon to know that this
is all for the purpose of delay, and is
moved by the railway opposition.
Favored by ''Pennsy' Road.
"A great point is being made by some
OF the committee of the fact that the
Cooper-Quarles bill is favored by the
PENNSYLVANIA railroad. The original
Elkins bill was drafted by the late
Judge Logan, general counsel for the
Pennsylvania railroad, and the Cooper
Quarles bill is the same as the Elkins
bill minus the "pooling' section.
The Pennsylvania road and the ship
pers who have been urging this legis
lation occupy common ground on a
number of matters. The Pennsylvania
road was opposed to rebates, and for
that reason stood for the Elkins amend
1nent to the interstate commerce act
making effective penalties against re-
bates. ~
The reason for this attitude is not
far to seek; the rebate system had its
reaction. In the beginning the rail
road gives favors to big shippers to
get their business, but the favored
shipper is thus enabled to crush COM
petition, and when competitors have
been driven out Of business, the newly
created trust turns on the railroad
which has been the means of creating
it, and begins to eat up the railroad.
1t is now strong enough to dictate
terms to the road, and to force the road
to give it rates so small that the road
can hardly afford to carry the traffic.
But, as all other shippers have been
driven out Of the field, the road has no
escape from the exactions Of the trust
Railroad Seeks Relief.
to the federal government for relief
and asks to be forced to obey a law
which it formerly evaded in secret.
AS general proposition the strong
railroad is willing to give up the re
bate practice, which means a scramble
for business. But the weaker roads
which must have business to live are
the ones which now practice the dis
ordinations, and they are opposed tc
the legislation which will tend to put
all the roads on the sam level Of rates
and to eliminate the rebate and specia
favors.
These are some of the reasons why
the railroads are not unanimous in thei
attitude toward regulative Legislation
Some can afford to favor it, Will
other roads feel that they would b.
placed at a disadvantage as compared
with competing lines.
Sees Continuous Wrong.
The unregulated condition of the rail
roads is, in President Roosevelt g view
continuous wrong which It is the dut
Of congress to correct. It is, he be
lieves, also his duty to do all in hi
F. power to forward such corrective legis
1ation. On this matter he does not fee
that there is any room for dltferenc
of opinion. While there may be homes
difference as to what remedies are t
be applied, the president will not &C
NIT that there can be any honest queS
+ ton that something ought to be done.
If congress should refuse to pass col
. rective railway legislation the Presiden
would feel justified in breaking wit
break, but believes that the leaders i
congress are disposed to grapple wit
the subject and work out some legisls
ton which will partially satisfy bot
parties in interest.
The railways must be expected
oppose laws which will be a curb o
!. their activities. Greed coupled wit
strength almost equal to that of tn
4 great federal government cannot, say
|. the president, be permitted, to, deal g
/, paratively weak and unprotected i,
4, dividual. ~
!. Exists by Grace Of Government.
/, The railroad exists by grace of tt
federal government which lends it til
I, power of eminent domain by which
right of way is condemned thru privat
property, and frequently, in additio
the railroad is given a subsidy of Ian
to aid it's construction:
Z. Meantime the state gives it a corporal
existence by which it's life is made pc
and be sued in the federal courts,
hold real estate and other property an
to do a thousand and one things WhiC
4 the individual is not able to do.
4 In return. for this the railway co
4 poration must submit to government
4 restrictions calculated to protect tt
I single comparatively weak citizen.
Development of Public Road
l The president s view is further ella
Z grated in calling attention to the fa
that the railroad is but the mode1
\ scientific development Of the publ
road. Before steam and the bessem
! . steel rail were discovered the publ
road was a macadamized way Fl
horses, oxen, mules and the wheelt
vehicles drawn by them, and for pede
/ TRANS. But by common consent al
custom it was public to all the worl
In it's use no one had any special a
vantage. It was the highway, open
all; and the mere suggestion that OF
citizen should be assessed a toll viii
another used it free, or that one shou
Continued on Cd Page, 18th Column.