The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-26
Senate Rate Committee Now
Claims to Be "BeWildered. y
Therefore Cannot Recommend
Measure for Rate Regulation.
NET SPUN BY RAILWAYS
Few Witnesses for Consumer
and Producer.
Too Weak to Refute Arguments
of Brilliant Railway Witnesses.

Chicago. May ga dispatch to
ent John c. O'Loughlin, at Washing
ton, says:
No more fragrant disregard of the
wishes of the people has been shown
by a congressional committee than
that displayed by the senate commit
tee on interstate commerce in cOnnec-
ton with the railroad rate question.
The committee concluded its hearings
this afternoon after an exhausting
session lasting five weeks, and will ad-
journ tomorrow without making the
slightest attempt to formulate a re-
port of any kind.
It advances the naive claim it is too
tbewiIdered'' by the testimony to
make up its mind as to the provisions
of a measure which should be recon-
mended for enactment condition
which has not existed in the case of
President Roosevelt or the public.
The truth in the matter is that the
committee deliberately tangled itself
up a net, skilIfully woven by the rail-
road officials and agents, for no other
purpose than to defeat the will of the
president and of the people. Not all
the members have favored the pro-
gramme.
CuIlOm and DoIliver Exceptions
liver stand out as notable exceptions.
But the shameful way in which SEN
ator Elkins, Senator Kean and Sen
ator Foraker endeavOred to blind the
country, the first named by pack
ing the witness stand with men con-
trolling railroads or in their pay, and
the others by asking questions appar-
emily designed to draw out statements
favorable to the railroads to discredit
the effort to show a need of rate reg
&c a oh int ~,
the states they were elected to repre-
sent.
Any one familiar with railroad con-
dltlons in the United States. who
makes an analysis of the witnesses
who have testified before the commit
tee, segregates them promptly into
three classes
Railroad agents. officials, or attor-
neys.
Business men, either middlemen or
having their industries located at ter
minals
Interstate commerce commissioners
and few experts and shippers whose
evidence literally was swamped under
the testimony of the preceding
classes.
EIl5ins' Intentions Are shown.
From the outset of the INQUIRY
the evident purpose of Chairman Elk
ms has been to further the efforts of
the railroads to befuddle the people
Railroad agent followed railroad
agent, and the scandal of it finally
reached point where the members
of the committee went to the chair
man and told him that if any impress
sion were to be made upon the coun-
try he would have to change his tao
tlcs and sandwich in witnesses who
were not known to have connection
with railroads and who might even
support the presidents views.
The railroads took the tip, and men
claiming to represent the interests and
the communities affected bv railroad
rates were hailed before the committee
and led by questions put to them by
Elkins, often at the instance of ex-
Senator Faulkner, an attorney for the
railroads to give utterance to opinions
which made one wonder why the charge
of rebate or unjust discrimination ever
was brought against these constant
guardians Of the publics welfare.
''NIiddlemen" Used for Purpose.
The class of men, outside the rail-
road representatives, who have been be-
fore the committee in opposition to any
change IN the law, said an official of
the administration who is stanchly de-
Tending the presidents policy, "can
only be described by the word middle
men. These men do not care what the
rate is. They buy and sell accordingly
The man who really is interested in the
rate and affected by it is the producer
or consumer. His voice has not been
heard or has been drowned by the ire
mendOus railroad chorus. Any man
who would speak for the railroads had
no difficulty about transportation to ap-
pear before the senate committee. The
man who would speak against them
was too poor to pay his own way to
the hearing, vet was the man who was
raising and producing grain and fruit
and other products, and Who was the
sport Of the railroad rate
1.-THE people have had absolutely no