Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-02-24
Congressman From the Eighth
Springs a Surprise OH Adams
County Farmers
HIS POSITION ON RATE BILL
Reads Letter From Attorney General
Moody and Presidents Approval of
Same, Commencing His Work to
Secure Railway Legislation - His
Critics Nonplussed.
snecial 10 Timns-Rcpuhlican.

|
Corning, Feb o4-Congressman w.
| y. Hepburn sprung a surprise on the
meeting of the Adams County Farm
ers' Institute Thursday afternoon by
reading letters from Attorney General
Moody and President Roosevelt in
dorsing his work in connection with
the proposed rate legislation. The let
ters were read in connection with the
! congressman's speech which was in
the nature of reply to
criticisms of Hepburn's position
made by Henry Wallace, edi-
tor of Wallaces Farmer. The in
cident caused much comment and serv-
ed to stem the tide of sentiment which
had been rising against the congress-
man because of an apparent unwilling
ness to meet the wishes of his con-
stituents on the matter of railway
legislation.
Colonel Hepburn. when interviewed
| after the meeting, said that he stll
entertained hope that thu cenate would
pass llle lONuSGllI-ls Vii, Dul lbdN
if it did not the president would Ger
tainly call an extra session OF con-
gress. He intends to get legislation
along that line said Colonel Hepburn,
land l am confident that he will sue
coed. The people demand it. The
demand is justified; the thing is right,
the right is mighty. and must prevail"
While the impression prevails here
that Colonel Hepburn has answered
his critics SO far as his immediate
action is concerned, the farmers have
not forgotten the long fight that has
been necessary to bring matters to the
present stage nor have they forgot
ten that their wrongs have not yet
been righted. 1t was the sense of The
meeting here that the agitation for a
law giving more power to the inter-
state commerce commission be contin-
ued until a satisfactory law is placed in
operation.
Moody's Letter.
The letters read by Congressman
Hepburn are as follows:
"Office of the attorney general,
Washington, d. c., Feb. 1S, 19O5.-My
Dear Colonel Hepburn: You write ask
ing me if l can properly say to you
whether, in the proposed amendment
to the Interstate commerce law, your
attitude has been adverse to the rec
ommendation made in the presidents
message or otherwise. l see no rea-
son why can not answer your let
ter and give the information you de-
sire.
The presidents message contained
two recommendations. First, that the
commission should be given the power
to fix the future rate for the transport
tation of persons and property, if the
rate in force should be found to be
unjust or unreasonable. Second, that
the rate as fixed by the commission
should go into effect of it's own force
subject to a review by the courts of
the United States. 1t is obvious that
neither congress- nor any agency Gre
ated by congress can withdraw from
the courts the right to condemn any
rate fixed by the commission upon the
erty of the railroads. You conferred
about the draft of a bill which would
put into effect the recommendations
The bill subsequently introduced by
Sou was Lie JESUIT VI lIlOSc COIllSf-
ences, and was in all substantial parts
except as herein stated, drawn in this
department, and was regarded by the
president as carrying out the recon-
mendations of his message. The only
material change was the substitution
of sixty for thirty days.
cit was your view that, for the
purpose of eXpediting the action OF
the courts, special court of COM
merce should be created, and you de-
sired that some one in this depart
ment should draw form of bill to
create such {, court, and confer upon
it such powers it might need in the
performance of its duty. This was ac-
cordingly done in a separate bill which
you incorporated in your bill.
cat all times l take pleasure in say
ing you have exhibited an earnest de-
sire to deal with this important sub
ject in way which would conform
with the letter and the spirit of the
presidents recommendation Very
truly yours,
William II. Moody.
"Col. w. P. Hepburn, house Of rep
resentatives.''
Mr.. Moody considered his letter of
sufficient Importance to submit to the
president. Mr.. Roosevelt read the
letter and voluntarily appended the
following in his own handwriting, in
dorsing the attitude of Colonel Hep
burn as to railroad rate regulations:
Il cordially concur in the above.
Colonel Hepburn-like Senators Alli-
son and Dolliver-has aided in every
possible way in this rate bill, and
when it seemed possible to expedite
the bill by dropping his own measure
and pushing tie Townsend-Esch mea-
sure, which achieved substantially the
same result, he ct once followed tnis
course. We have all been after the
same result, and I am very certain we
will in the end achieve it, from the
very fact that we are striving. in the
spirit Colonel Hepburn has shown in
this affair. spirit which is concerned
with getting the substance aud which
is, therefore, entirely willing to make
concessions on uni1nportant differences
of detail.
"Theodore Roosevelt"