The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1905-04-21
POWER OF CONGRESS
IS NOW SUFFICIENT
TO DELEGATE THE MAKING OF
FREIGHT RATES.
To the Interstate Commerce Commits.
sion, or Any Other Body,
Says Moody.


Washington, ID. c., April 17.-At-
torney General Moody, in an opinion
soon to be presented to the senate
committee on interstate commerce,
Responding to q resolution passed by
tie senate at the last session, holds
that congress has full power to dele
gate the freight rate making power to
the interstate commerce commission
Or any other subordinate tribunal.
The Importance of this decision can
he fully recognized when it is remem-
bered that powerful interests arrayed
themselves against the Townsend
Esch freight rate bill by the uncon-
stitutionalty of the proposed delega-
tion of power
The announcement of the attorney
generals position was unollicially
conveyed to the senate committee on
! Interstate commerce when it met this
afternoon to formally arrange for the
| inquiry which 1t is to make the ques'
ton of railway management, as direct
ed at the last session of congress.
After several hours discussion be-
hind closed doors, it was decided that
the hearing should begin tomorrow,
with Victor Marowetz, a New York
lawyer, on the stand.
The daily hearings will begin at II
a. m. and conclude at p. m. unless
interfered with by lack of witnesses.
Chairman Elkins figures upon June
! as the date when the hearings may
conclude. Other members express the
belief that the work will be complet-
ed by May 1.
The meeting will be of the most eX-
haustive character. The resolution un-
der which it will be held directs the
committee to consider the question
of additional legislation to regulate
Interstate commerce and to authorize
the interstate commerce commission
TO fix rates of freights and fares, and
TO acquire further information as to
Interstate commerce, including viola
Itions and cvasions of the anti-rebate
law, and the devices and methods by
which such evasions are accomplish
cd and including refrigerator and 9TH
er private car systems, industrial
railway tracks, switching charges
and the like, and also to consider
what legislation should be enacted in
relation to the liability of railroad
companies engaged in Interstate
traffic or operating lines in any ter
ri,ory of the United States for in
juries received by their employees
when in the discharge of their duty.
The following railroad men have
been requested to appear before the
committee: w. X. Vanderbilt, of the
New York Central George Gould, of
the Gould system; e. II. Hartman, of
the Union Pacific; j. j. Hill, of the
Great Northern; A. j. Cassatt of the
Pennsylvania; Il. d. Kenna of the A.
T. e S. F.; Walker D. Hines, general
counsel of the Louisville & Nashville; !;
Hugh l.. Bond, general counsel of the
Baltimore G Ohio; Winslow Pierce,
general counsel of the Gould system:
President Hughit, of the Chicago G.
Northwestern; President Ripley of the
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Pres
ident Tuttle, of the Boston & Maine;
Vice President Wilcox, of the Della
ware & Hudson; President Truesdale,
Of the Delaware, Lackawanna &
Western; President Spencer, of the
Southern; President Mellen, of the
New York, New Haven & Hartford
and President Fish, of the Illinois
Central ..-.
OF these only Messrs. Cassatt, Fish,
Spencer and Tuttle have signified a
Willingness to attend and they say
they will not be able to be present at
the beginning of the committees sit
tings.
Senators Spooner, of Wisconsin :
Knox of Pennsylvania and Morgan,
Of Alabama, have been invited to at
tend also.
Requests have been made for the
privilege of appearing before the COM
mittee from the following: C. w.
Robinson, New Orleans; T. B. Thur
ter of the Union League club, New
York; Joseph Nimmo, Jr, statistician,
Washington; Henry b.. Post, San
Francisco; George F. Meade, Boston
Paul Jones, New York; II. T. New
comb, Washington; j. NJ Hale. Har-
ward college; George s. Gardiner, of
Mississippi and ]. r. Westbrook, Wal
lace, N. G.