The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-08
MCCALL ASSAILS RATE BILL.
NE WOULD NOT HAVE "a LITTLE
FATHER" IN DARLINGTON.
Strong speech From the Massaehuset's
nepresentative--Cnlls the Measure
"NaEary OF the Moment'-RooseVei'
Marching Win Bryan, says Another

railroad rates and regulation was luIVioi
discussed to-day by the House in com
mittee Of the whole, less than quarter OF
the membership Of tho body being present
at any time in the proceedings. The event
Of the session was the speech OF Mr.. Mccall
(Rep., Mass.l closing with his announce
ment that he found himself totally unable
to support the pending bill. In con-
Guiding sentence he said, indicative OF his
views Of the propositions contained In the
bill and of the nature OF its authorship
After the strain Of producing great
heroes and great statesmen, II Is natural
that the national energies should become
relaxed and engage themselves in bring
ing forth pygmies, and that the whim ana
vagary Of the moment feeting across the
mind Of somebody in high authority should
for a time usurp the place Of the principles
of constitutional government.
There was a brief colloquy between MIN
ority Leader John Sharp Williams and MT.
Lamar. one of his fellows, in the course OF
the latter's speech, gentemaniy almost
lady like on the surface, in when the olt-
terness between the two wings OF the De-
mocracy over tho pending Legislation was
but thinly yelled. Mr.. Lamar advocated
the Hearst Till, and MIR. Williams wanted
to know why, at the various conferences
Of the minority members of the Committee
on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
no one at any time proposed TO insert inc
provisions OF the Hearst bill in the measure
they were striving 10 perfect.
Mr. Richardson dem, Ala) resumed
his address, interrupted by adjournment
yesterday. Richardson said that he Gid
not believe that the President was taxing
particular interest in any one OF the bllls
introduced; that he was not seeking to IN
1uence the details of bill. He knew that
Representatives. we're united as 10 the
principle of the proposed legislation, and
left to them the settlement Of details Sec
ton Il of the Esch- Townsend bill Richard
son described as the joker in the proposed
legislation. 1t was more destructive. oil
the rights of property. he declared IMAM
it was of oppression in rates.
Mr.. Shackleford Dem, MOI analysed
the majority bill and pointei out its IN
defniteness and incompleteness. Looking
directly at Leader John Sharp Williams.
Shackleford said: IT is not n question OF
toe marking the President. but OF marching
shoulder to shoulder with the President as
long AZ he stands for the declaration OF the
last Democratic national platform, when
he is marching shoulder to shoulder with
that great Nebraskan William Jennings
Bryan who Is the leader Of this movement.
+. 1AltLAI j
argument against the bill of the majority,
pointing out its injustice and danger. His
| opposition, he said, was twofold; first, It
| did not deal effectively with the real evil,
and it made most illogical response TO the
| real public opinion; second, it provided for
| the exercise of dangerous power with too
light safeguards. power which IL was not
asked 10 be- conferred by anything worthy
| of the name OF public opinion, and which
! was at most public emotion.
L agree to regulation said Mr Mccall,
! but it must be regulation not incompatible
| with the fundamental principles OF private
/ property as it has heretofore been received.
! Here you propose a proceeding by which
some portion OF mans property may be
| absolutely destroyed for the use OF another.
and you not only exact no security in ad-
vance, but you attempt TO restrain the owner
/ from following the ordinary legal remedies
| in the constitutional tribunals OF his coun-
try This feature OF your bill crosses the
/ line between regulation and oontiscation
and outrage5 the most patent principles OF
/ justice
A. to the matter OF rate making Mr. Mccall
said there did not seem To be much injustice
| in rates n the ten years IL was held the com"
mission had the power 10 fix them, for the
right was exercised but four times year,
1T must be remembered, however, he con-
tinued, that during that ten years the gen.
temen now pursuing the railroads we're
engroSsed by other occupations; they were
! employed IN DdDh DdlilnB ana III attempting
! to secure the free coinage Of silver. After
/ your bill has been in operation and the
| rocks are looming large around you. you
! cannot be sure that you Will have man OF
/ the indomitabe will and courage OF Grover
! Cleveland suppose you have President
who sets his sail 10 catch every breeze.
! Do YOU think you would have "a fortunate an
! escape as you did from the consequences Of
doing something for siver?'
hi conclusion, Mr Mccall said: In a
- Fa nul ak1
/ be left to the display OF industrial forces.
! They fight the battle of society and make
progress possible. It viii be far better TO
! let the natural struggle 90 on between
| railroad employees, shippers and loca lities
| than it would he to set up n little machine
! made deity called q commission. with. at
| most, only governmental interest and with
n mandate 10 supersede the laws Of nature
| and still those greet industrial energies,
! % necessary to the health of society as the
movements Of tides and currents are to
I the sweetness OF the sea.
If the Government intervenes, instead
/ Of the economic antagonlsm between en-
/ ploysrs struggling for cheaper transporta-
| ton and the employed struggling for high
wages very likely you will have an antago-
/ nisrn Of a more deadly sort and the conflict
/ may lie waged between your workren and
! the cannon Of their Government upon the
! hanks Of some A merican Neva.
! I am opposed to the bill lecause OF its
/ tendency tremendously TO increase the
| power Of the Government at Washington.
! Liberty is only compatible in this country
/ with keeping the Management ri their
! affairs near TO the people. where they can
! see how they are conducted Distant as
/ they are from Washington, they get merely
! the stage effects, and the actor, who is get
down 10 play all the virtuous parts In the
/ play may in fact be the real villain. do
/ not care 20 soc created NJ Washington
Little Father, as there is one nj st Peters
/ burg For my own part prefer the Ameri-
can system II distributed power with ~
much as possible left 10 the individual rather
[ than 10 the Russian system Of centralized
/ power.
Il do not 1atter myself that anything
/ ! have said can turn you from your pur-
/ pose to pass this measure. but believing,
as ] firmly do, that IL il charged with in
justice toward many OF our citizens whose
means have been employed in way vastly
TO benefit the country, and believing, too
that its operation would be injurious to
the interests Of the whole people, / find
myself utterly unable to give il my support. >
/ General applause.
Half a dozen other members also spoke
on the bill, most Of them in favor of 1t or
of some more radical measure.