The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-25
END OF THE RATE HEARING.
SENATE INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
COMMITTEE ADJOURNS.
Two Of the Results VIII De That tho Esch.
Townsend Bill Is Dead and That Power
VIII Not BE Given the Interstate Com.
merce Commission to Fix Rates.

TOWNSEND Dill - bO8u Uuu hHSv EOWCE
VIII Not BE Given the Interstate Com.
merce Commission to Fix Rates
WASHINGTON. May A.-The Senate COM
ni.tee on Interstate Commerce, which
las been engaged for more than four weeks
Ia giving hearings to interested parties
On the question OF railway rate legislation,
adjourned to-day to meet two weeks be-
fore the assembling OF Congress In extra
session. The members OF the committee
held an informal executive meeting prior
TO adjournment, and while no action OF
finding character was taken and no agree
ment OF any sort reached the discussion
served to develop the views Of the COM
-aitteerlen present, aud from what they
aid it may be safely put down that the
.tsult Of the hearings and their delioera-
ti5ns are substantially as follows:
That bill will be introduced from the
committee at the next session OF Con ress
extending the authority Of the Government
over the operations Of railways engaged
IN ir teTstate commerce.
That the Esch-Townsend ruilroad rate
bill. rushed through the House Of Repre-
eentatives in the last session OF the Fifty
eighth Congress, has been knocked higher
than Gilderoy's kite.
That the bill to be introduced will provide
that the operations Of private car lines
shall be placed under federal supervision.
That the Ell6ins anti-rebate law Is to be
arnplifed and made more specific.
That the bill will contain provision which
will enable the Federal Government to
raake examination of the books OF railway
companies to determine whether they have
teen guilty of granting rebates or special
privileges.
That the power to fix rates will not DO
given to the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. On this point the members OF
the committee who attended to-day's meet
ing we're unanimous.
That the committee believes that the
authority now possessed by the Interstate
Commerce Commission to issue an order
condemning rate as unjust and to appeal
to the Federal Courts to enforce the order
Is sufficient.
That the committee Is OF the opinion that
the Interstate Commerce Commission has
too many outies and the proposed bill will
prov.de for curtaiiing its functions.
Reports reached here to-day from New
York that compromise had been reached
between the President and the railways
which would result in legislation acceptable
10 both sides as the best way to dispose OF
an embarrassing difference Of Views. These
reports we're erroneous. The President has
not compromised with the railroads, and
furthermore has no intention OF COM
promising He regards his position as
very simple, but realizes that it ia Con gress
and n OF himself which has the right to de-
ier1line what shall Be done.
Scores Of suggestions have been made
to the President as to means OF adjusting
the differences between the Administration
and those who oppose its rate regulation
policy. but none OF these has received
serious consideration by the President, for
the reason, as one high Administration
officer expressed it to-day, that every sug-
gestiou made had been based on the alter-
native shat you take the buzzard and
take the turkey, or take the turkey and
you take the buztard.'
The only formal action Of importance
taken by the Senate committee to-day
was to designate Henry c. Adams. statis-
tician of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, and II. r. Newoonb, formerly
statistician Of the commission and now
railroad attorney, to cpllate the statistics
presented to the committee and to make
report showing the meaning of figures
dealing with rates, mileage and tonnag e.
Mir. Adams was selected as representing
The side of the Administra ton and the
Interstate Commerce Commission In the
rate citation, and Mr.. Newcomb as repre-
-enting the opposition.
The committee also reversed the action
v.hich il took yesterday Of curtailing the
distribution OF the reports of the daily
EARN rs from 100 to 50 copies. and adopted
n order for the distribution OF 5000 copies
sc tle reports OF testimony taken.
The agreement as to adjournment was
that. while it should be subject to the call
Of the Chairman. it was to be understood
hat he should summon the committee to-
rcther two weeks prior to the date on which
tae extra session is to begin. At the meet
tnas to be held in the interim from that time
nr,il the assembling of Congress the COM
ra..ree viii cndeavor to formulate bill.
At the outset of the meeting 1t was APP
ra1.nt that the Esch- Townsend bill had no
friends and had not the slightest chance
,f being enacted into law, even II greatly
amended.
There was practical unanimity of opin-
Jon among the committeeman that there
should be some legislation placing private
car lines within the jurisdiction Of the Inter-
state Commerce act.
It was settled at the meetin 6 that the pro-
rosed legislation should provide that that
part Of the Elidns law dealing with dis
Griminations should be amplihed by pro-
yiding for the exercise by the Federal Gov
err-nert of some such power as is now
possessed by national bank examiners
These examiners have authority to inspect
the books Of = tor al banks, and the propo-
sutton which the committee favors is that
here he eyarnir ers appoir ted to Inspect
the looks Of raj road companies to determine
whether rebates have been granted and
determinations practised. 1t was alsottho
opinion of the committee that the work OF
the examiners would be simpltied If legis-
latiar was provided compelling the rail-
roa Is To keep books on prescribed uniform
plan.
The discussion in the committee room
deye, ned that the members present were
sontelv opposed to. President Rooee-
VEL n his desire that the Interstate Com
raerce Commission or some other body
have the poyer to fix rates. They were
unanimous in holding that no such power
h.