The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-18
A Rate. Bill Compromise.

respondence gives us the report that
railroad interests are preparing to nego-
tiate ascompromise with the president
,on rate legislation. After concedingq
all other features of the Esch- Townsend
bill, they. will call halt on it's essential
section, the one giving the interstate
commerce commission power to declare
a rate unjust and substitute another,
which shall be Immediately effective,
and remain SO unless and until reversed
by the courts. AS a reward for con-
ceding all the other ground, it is said,
the railroads will insist that the elm
mediately effective' clause shall be
struck out.
This looks like very artful program,
and one which will give the railroad
senators, chance i perform some
grandsfand -gymnasties for the benefit
| of their Constitute Is, while framing
things exactly to the railroad pattern.
| The railroads are as anxious as anybody
to abolish the terminal railroad steal.
/ the private car evil, and the pressure of
favored shippers for rebates and mid
night tariffs. They do not want the gov
eminent to fix rates, and will only yield
that power if convinced, as they may
soon be, that it is dangerous to oppose
the popular demand. - If that power is
to be conceded, however, they will see
that it is hedged by all possible restric-
:. tons. The commission will not have
! power re4.change a rate except in case
of a complaint, followed by the neces-
sary hearing, and then the new rate Or
dered by the commission may be held
back for a year or more while the ap-
peal is fought to the highest court:
That is not what the shippers and
consumers Of the country want, but it
may be all they can hope to get at the
coming session Of congress. In view
Of the grip railroad interests have on
the senate it is surprising that SO much
i is conceded If the railroads agree@to
such compromise, 1t will only be be.
cause they realize that refusal will pile
: up greater trouble for the future. It
J, will be great step in advance, and the
i 3Esch- Townsend bill ON such basis un
j less made nugatory by clever amend
ments, will be greater beneft to the
people than the: original interstate com
MERGE act. .
Minnesota has the most advanced
railroad laws Of any state in the union
but the orders of it's commission do MOI
become Immediately effective i'm case Of
an appeal. The law is corrective
agency, which has it's effect without TIT
necessity Of the state commission act
ing. The railroad companies forestal
p complaints and orders from the commits
sion by complying with the law. Thi
is exactly what the railroad companie
!. did after the passage Of the interstate
. commerce act, and before the supreme
court rendered it nugatory as to rate
!, making. They complied with the Ions
and short-haul clause, and with othe
, provisions, which are now disregarde,
! in making Interstate rates.
There is one thing that the new Law
+ must contair, if the Immediately eff
fective" provision is cut out. Their
must be means provided to get
: speedy decision from the courts on ap
peal, so that orders of the commission
!, can be passed on within asfew week
after they are issued, instead Of being
! tied up, thus perpetuating injustice TO-
months and years.
i Congressman Charles B. Lands Of In
. diana says:
"Issaw game Of football Saturday
!, guess I'm old-fashioned, for I have tt
: confess that this sport does not appea
| to me. Sport that Sneeessitates the pres
l ence of physicians is simply another evi
: dence that the brutal instincts in maj
t and woman will crop out. Early in tn.
4 contest one of the captains was carried
: off the field insensible, and the gam,
i went on. This is sport. There was no
j a boysin the game who did not run tn,
/ risk Of receiving an injury that would
s lsend him thru life a hopeless cripple