The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-02
SCOTT'S SPEECH.
Helped to SteerBig BilIThrOugh
the House.
Had Some Lively Tits With
Other Members.
HIS SHARP ANSWERS.
Upheld Position of President
Roosevelt.
Pertinent Discussion of the
Railroad Question.
HIS SHARP ANSWERS.

Washington. Feb. 2-Under the lati-
tude permitted when the consideration
of an appropriation bill is under &on-
sideration, and general remarks may be
made without confining ones self to
the subject, Representatives. t-large
Charles +. Scott has made one of the
most interesting speeches Of the ses-
sion in the house of representatives.
Mr. Scott is a member of the COM
mittee on agriculture, and helped to
prepare the big annual budget which
the house was considering. Later, he
helped to steer the big bill through the
house. But the day the bill first came
up for. consideration, there was little
attention paid to the bill itself, but
rather, the subject of interstate COM
merce. freight rates, determinations,
and the like, came up and occupied
the greater part of the afternoon.
The interesting event was opened by
n. Scott. He was recognized, and
made an extended speech on rates. The
point of his speech was the acuteness
OF the question now at hand. and the
fact that the president of the United
States had made wise recommendations
which congress would do we'll to follow,
and which the people of the United
States desired congress to follow. He
LO1u OF Kansas, ana the sentiment Oh
the agricultural classes. There was no
doubt there exist Determinations, pools,
express charges, and the like, Mr. Scott
contended, and courageous pEesi-
dent, Mr.. Roosevelt, had pointed the
way to relief. Congress should relieve
After the more substantial portion Of
Mr.. SCOTS speech was out of the way,
there was a lively collOQuy between
him and members on the floor, both Re
publicans and Democrats Throughout
the colloquy, and the several little tits
which followed, Mr.. Scott was alert,
and the master of the situation. His
ready responses, his wit, and his pleas
ing reply, invited the attention of the
house, and excited much comment and
applause.
In referring to the opinion of Kansas
on this subject. MT Scott said:
The people of Kansas are perfectly
willing that the railroads should earn
good dividends for their stockholders,
but they insist that they should not be
required to pay more than their snare
of these dividends. They do not ask
for more than a square deal, but they
insist that they ought not to be COM
PEELED to take less than a square deal.
las 1 said in the beginning, the people
of Kansas are not only unanimous in
their belief that they are being dis
eliminated against, but they are also
unanimous in their opinion as to the
proper remedy to be applied tO-flIrnish !
them relief. The president of the Unit
ed States has set out that remedy as
clearly and emphatically as it has ever
been stated IN the message which he
addressed to the congress of the United
States at the beginning of the present
session.
IF this opinion stood alone, Mr.. Chair
man. it would be entitled to very great
weight because of the wisdom and
grasp of public affairs, as we'll as be-
cause of the exalted station and great
responsibility of the man who uttered
it But it does not stand alone; it is
but a new forceful statement of a view
that has been held and expressed by
substantially every impartial student
of the transportation problem during
the past twenty years.
LAS the president has said. when the
present interstate commerce law was en-
acted it was understood by its opponents,
as we'll as by its supporters, that it con-
ferred upon the commission a power to
denOunce an unjust rate and to fix a
proper rate and make that judgment ef-
mower nv reason Of the decision Of the
supreme court rendered in 1897, it practi-
cally ceased. Mr. Chairman, TO be of ser
vice to the people of the United States
Again and again it has declared certain
rates unreasonable, as in the decisions I
quoted a few moments ago, but having no
power to fix the rate and enforce it, the
ISlltOaSs nave naturally uone as tney
pleased, with the result that discomfort
among the shippers has grown more and
more pronounced until sentiment has
been aroused, not in Kansas only, but
throughout the country, in support of the
position taken by the president, which is
more emphatic and more pronounced than
pubic sentiment has been on other
question since / have had the honor to be
a member OF this body. I have before me
n pamphlet containing list of the COM
mercial. mercantile. manufa curing and
agricultural associations represented in
the interstate commerce law convention
which was held in St. Louis November 20.
1900. and October, 1904. 1t is a pamphlet of
20 pages crowded with names among
which are So national and sectional organ
izations and Al state and local organiza-
tons. representing A of the states and
territories of this union In addition there
are II state oranges, while the statement
is made that resolutions in support of this
proposed legislation have been adopted by
the state legislatures Of the common
Wealths Of Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana
Michigan, Minnesota. Missouri, South
Dakota and Wisconsin
In the conclusion of the time allotted
him Mr. Scott had an interesting and
lively controversy with John Sharp
Williams, the Democratic floor leader.
portion OF the colloquy follows:
Mr. Scott always listen, Mr.
Chairman, with the utmost pleasure
and generally with profit to the sug-
gestiOns of the gentleman from Mis-
sissippi. and when this bill comes
properly before US he viii have oppor-