The Topeka state journal., 1905-12-22

bill which will be presented by the SEN
ate committee on interstate commerce.
Senator Long proceeded to outline such
a measure as he believed the president
had in mind and such a, one as the SEN
ate committee will report. In this con
nection he said:
1T will not report in favor of a COM
mission fixing definite rate for the fu-
ture. That proposal has been abandoned.
1t will not attempt to take from the
railroads the rate making power and
lodge it in the government. It will prob
ably report in favor Of giving the power
to a subordinate tribunal to investigate
on complaint rate made by the carrier
and to determine whether il is reasona-
BILE and just and if it finds that the rate
is unreasonable, it will be given the
power to fix a fairly remunera live and
reasonable maximum rate, above which
the carrier in fixing its new rate cannot
go. The carrier viii be required to obey
this order of the commission under
heavy penalties; and the order will go
into effect at such time as the tribunal
may designate. This subordinate trib-
unal will not be a court, but viii be an
administrative body, subordinate to
congress. The constitution lodges in
congress the power to regulate interstate
commerce rates and the courts have de-
cided that congress can declare by law
that the rates shall be reasonable and
just anu Inen leaNG TO a EuDOEQiHdL5
tribunal the fixing of a limit above
which the carrier cannot go in making
the rates"
In discussing the freight rate situation,
Senator Long took a strong stand in de-
tense of interior Kansas towns as against
the existing railroad discrimination in
favor of Kansas City. He said:
Kansas City has natural advantages
in water transportation which are not
enjoyed by Topeka, Wichita, Hutchin-
son and Salina. This great city owes
much of it's wonderful growth and great
progress to the favors of railroads,
some of which have geen granted free
~ and others by cOmpulsiOn. The in
terror cities of Kansas know of these
favOrS and have believed for years that
you have obtained more favOrs than
were just and r 1T and that while some
of your rates should be lower than
their, yet you have been accorded re-
duction at the expense Of the interior
towns of Kansas. It is believed in
Kansas that if congress exercises more
Of its powers in the regulation of in
terstate commerce many Of the unjust
Determinations that now exist in favor
of Kansas City and against the interior
towns of Kansas viii be corrected -
Many Kansas politicians went to
Kansas City to attend the banquet.
Justice Henry +. Mason was one OF
Delay Of Sentiment Among other
Kansans who attended the banquet
were J. L. Bristow Of Salina, Henry J.
Allen of Ottawa, Judge Silas Porter Of
Kansas City, H. J. Bone, United States
district attorney, Ashland; Mort AL
baugh, clerk of the United States dis
trict court, Topeka; J. NJ. Simpson, col
lector of internal revenue, Mcpherson;
Judge John c. Pollock, W. P. Hackney,
state representative, Winfield, Kan; w
Y. Morgan, Hutchinson; n. H LOOMS,
general counsel Union Pacific railway,
Topeka, and w. J. Evans of wichita
Senator Longs speech in full follows:
The act to regulate interstate com
merce. was passed In 1887 and has
since been amended seven times
When the original act passed the
1Continued o. Page So