The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-27
SECRE TARY TAT 7 ASPEAKER

! President futile of the Boston and
Maine Railroad Explains Diff
Guilty In Regulating Rate
Schedules.
Cincinnati, May 26-The celebration of
the twenty-hfth anniversary of the Gin
cinnati Commercial club closed tonight
with a notable banque. where the speak
ers discussed vital questions of the day,
each taking up that subject which long
study or practical experience gave him
intimate knowledge. The cities which were
represented at the banquet were Bos-
ton, Chicago, st. Louis and Cincinnati and
each was represented by a speaker of
national reputation. Secretary of War
Taft made the principal speech of the
ey ening. The other speakers were Presi-
dent Lucius futile of the Boston and
Maine railroad; Franklin McVeagh of
! Chicago, Robert Moore of ST. Louis,
noted engineer and Melville E. ingalls, OF
| Cincinnati, the second railroad president
on the list of speakers. President Voor-
heis of the local commercial club was
POSTMASTER. Secretary of War W. IL.
Taft was announced to discuss Policy
and Practice
Mr.. Taft ON arising explained that his
subject was not of mis- .oosing and that
therefore he would not be bound by the
subject, but would first take up the Pam
anna canal.
Buy Supplies in Cheapest Market.
IF the Panama canal was inside the
territory of the United States" he said,
'of course all the material used on the
canal could pay duty or be bought in
the United States, but as the construction
of the canal is a number of days journey
from the tariff wall of the United States,
it presents exactly the same case as is
presented in the case of the Philippine
/ islands. Now if Congress wants to pay
more than France is willing to pay, then
they are welcome to do so, but in the
absence of a rule we feel we must carry
out the rule that applies. That rule re-
! qiires that the prices and quality being
| tie SAME, we must buy Ameri IAN goods.
In the absence of a rule we feel bound
| by our trust to build as cheaply as pos
sible. We submitted the question to Con-
| gress on this line, asking Congress to
/ lay down rule. If there is no rule we
/ must build as a business man would.
Now there is no question of protection
! free trade; II is merely our duty under
| the law as it stands. l. the rule or law
Is changed, then We must change"
| He then spoke of the relation of the
| government to the railroads.
II cannot but think" he said, ''the dis
cussion which is now going on has had
a much wider scope than is necessary.
The question is the passage of certain
| legislation, and the discussion properly
narrowed by consideration of what that
| legislation should be-"
Calls Rate Measure Moderate.
! He explained the present statute on in
| terstate commerce, calling attention to
| its references to unreasonable rates"
| and the position of the interstate COM
merce commission on the matter. He
stated that the measure proposed is a
very moderate measure, and it is I'M
| fair to denounce it so severely as had
| been done.
| He believed the changes proposed by the
| Esch- Townsend bill would result in good
| He was willing to admit our debt to the
! railroads for building up the country
But he maintained that that should not
| give them freedom of control. If somebody
must look into the justice of rates that
|
suilepous " o.Ip'sats, aiu VI au-
- =, 80 !. ....,,,s s.,,ea.,. 80 "
~, a. ne ,.,,,a ro,,.t - osiaos III si,e
.a -, ~ - az
pahates u,are matter tbot should ha
nrena,ed for even tbougb he bad 49,,
informed there were no longer anv such
thing &c rebates He Insisted that INC
| ratt,oads should NOT antaeonize hut that
thew owed something n the povernnent
N see that conditions of prosperitv con-
tinued
r'esloen. 'u't'e oPeahs'
President Iuttle was then introduced
and spoke III part as iotioWs'
/ IN atte'npens TO speak from the ran
road sue oi ',,ls e 81, ,Ir anu also
III pehaii oi .lis uneoiu nuloIeus OF nous
anus VI i'luus luus'.s ~ a. uii e.'is M
U 80. ~ Ia Ii .ne Juss saiue
.a,,,o,d sao,,ritios 1,,t,oh &c., ~ ,an Vi
shara ~ the investnents os CIV sa,,7,,.a
hanks insurance ana ather tid,,oiar,, T.,
I stitutions n may he sAid.
"As To irregular practices on the mart
- ns,,roaas ena tba,r a',ston un s'ie par