Omaha daily bee., 1906-03-02
DOLLIVER on RATES
Iowa Senator Makes Extended Speech it
Favor Of Hepburn Bill,
DECLARES IT PROTECTS RIGHTS OF ALL
Measure is Fair to Carriers and Protects
Rights of Shippers.
ePlY TO FORAKER STATEMENTS
Says Blkins Bill is insufficient Because 1t
Cannot Be Enforced.
TROUBLE is TO SECURE EVIDENCE
Pending Measure Makes u Possible
to Discover Determinations In
Favor of shippers or
Communities.


WASHINGTON. March The discus
sion of the railroad rate question in the
senate was continued today by Mr. Dol
| liver, who spoke i'm support of the Dollver-
! Hepburn bill. He said that the bill was
intended merely to supplement- tho exist
I ing Interstate commerce law and con-
tended for its validity from a constitu-
| tional point of view. predicting that gov
! ernment ownership of the railroads would
! be forced upon the country II congress
| did not meet the present demand for reg
| ulatio
Mr.. Dolver was not questioned and
when he concluded the remainder of the
day was devoted to the bill providing for
| the settlement of the affairs of the five
| civilized tribes of Indians after the termi-
! nation Of their tribal relations.
Galleries Are Crowded.
That interest in the railroad rate
| question continues unabated was made
manifest again today by the large au-
| dence which greeted Mr.. DolIiver from
! the senate galleries when he arose to
! speak on the Dollver- Hepburn bill
! From the first the Iowa senator has
been the champion of the policy OF giving
| the Interstate Commerce commission full
| authority, and the friends of the house
| bill have expected him to take leading
| part in pressing the consideration of tho
measure, Notwithstanding it has been
/ placed i'm charge of another senator. His
/ was the first speech made in support of
| the bill
Mr.. Doliver began his speech at 1880
p m, Immediately after the disposal of the
routine morning business. That order in
cluded the passage of bills authorizing the
| disposition of surplus lands on the Yakima
and Colville Indian reservation in Washing
ton.
Compliment to CuIIom.
Mr.. Dolliver spoke without notes lie be-
| gan with a compliment to Mr.. Cullom OF
| whom he spoke the ia ther of interstate
commerce legislations and to Mr.. Nelson,
the author of a bill presented to the last
| congress. The senator then outlined the
bill, pointing out wherein it amends the ex-
isting interstate law, saying that, after all.
the changes were comparatively few.
Instead OF undermining the law, the bill
fortfes it," he said. and he declared that
II the present law had been treated with
the reverence and sapctity it deserved the
American people would have approached
the subject in frame of mind different
from that which now prevails.
He said that the railroad companies were
unable to protect themselves against the
|
panies under section l of the present law.
He had not favored the abolition of these
cars. but he did believe that the car COM
panies should be regulated by making
responsible the railroad companies
ployng them.
Speaking of the Interstate Commerce
commission he discussed Judge Grosscup's
recommendation for a specific court, but
he did not accept the theory advanced for
A.
machinery sufficient for all purposes. He
recognized the fact that 1t had become
fashionable to speak slightingly OF the
Interstate Commerce commission and de-
Tended that body against such attacks. He
expressed the opinion that IL the lawyers
had dealt as fairly with the commission
Us with the courts, the result would have
been better.
Fears No Nendettt.
Mr.. Dolliver declared ne did not expect
a protracted vendetti between the railroads
and the business community. believing that
when the law was enacted it would be OBJ
served by carrier and shipper alike. He
predicted that within five years there would
be boards of arbitration in every traffic
center OF the country, that appeals to
the commission would be the rule rather
than the exception
He recognized the fact that the question
OF appeal to the courts from the orders
of the commission was the battle ground
and he declared that as the bill stands Il
leaves the door to the courts open for tha
protection of all constitutional rights He
temporarily left that point and took up
the rebate question, saying that he did not
agree with either Mr.. Foraker or Mr..
Bacon that the secret practices have bean
abandoned He did not believe the Elkins
bill adequate for protection against these
practices.
THE dfficulty about rebates is not in
punishing violations of the law" he said.
but in discovering them and we have
undertaken 10 amend the law as 70
cover that defect"
Returning 10 the question Of appeals,
Mr. Dollver said that the power the COM
mission would exercise in preventing re-
course to courts was about as great as
the power OF my friends who are tip
toeing about this chamber talking OF the
day in court "
He said that no congress that will ever
assesmble will pass law that will take
the markets Of the world away from the
railroads that have created them and turn
them over to rivalry that would be harm
full 10 advancement.
Combinations Not the Trouble.
That the people were not complaining of
the railroad combinations Mr.. Dolliver
averred, but he asserted most earnestly
that they do demand that congress shall
assert its function as the guardian of the
American market place. He then spoke in
depreciation Of his own powers and in
praise OF the advocacy OF the president
OF the latter he said that 1T is the most
superb moral leadership Of the genera
ton"
As for himself he prepared for
sneers. but, he said, II stand In
position ! did not seek but, consulting my
conscience as a citizen and my honor as a
senator ! can take no other"
MIR Foraker's proposition TO leave to the
courts the duty of considering all COM