Middletown transcript., 1906-05-19
WASHINGTON NLETTER

As the rate bill is shaping itself in tht
~ fiaaI days of the struggle, it looks al
! though the amended measure when i
goes back to the House would be much
more drastic than the original Hepburn
bill One of the most important Of Il c
several amendments that have been Of.
fered is that of Senator Spooner, offered
this week, which aims to prevent the
endless litigation that court review ol
the Commissions findings would entail.
To put his plan briefly as possible, lie
provides that i'll case Of an appeal to the
courts from the findings of the Commits
sion, the railroad shall pay into court the
difference between the rate fixed and the
rate complained of with an additional six
per cent. interest on the money involved.
In case the court decides ia favor OF
the complainant, the railroad is to pay
the difference and the six per cent. in.
terest on the money so held up. This
would if enforced make the railroads al
most as anxious to conclude case as the
shipper aud wonld put an end to dilatory
motions and prolonged hearings such as
would otherwise be sure to follow. 1t is
even provided that the payment shall be
made to the person who has in effect paid
the freight, even though he may not be
the actual shipper. This would work in
the case of farmer who had sold grain
to an elevator based, as is frequently
done, on the freight charges, to some
central market point. In that case the
farmer would be the beneficiary and
would receive the money instead of it 60
ing to the elevator company.
~
But the Spooner provision is not nearly
so drastic as the proposal Of Senator Nc
Cumber to make rebating punishable
with fine imprisonment. This is avow'
edly blow at the Trusts, for wealthy
men, who do not care particularly about
fine such as any court might impose, have
! rooted aversion to going to Jail. The
provision makes the penalty of rebating
fine of three times the amount paid in re
bates and Imprisonment for not more thar
five and not less than one year. As II t
clinch the matter and to render the pen
atty as heavy as possible, the Statue o
limitation which is in the nature of thing
only three years, is extended to six year
in the matter of rebates. The law is o
course not retroactive as that would b.
unconstitutional. But evidence ma!
reach back from the time of the actor
for six years, not of course antedating tn
passage of the bill.
| ~
| On the principle that half loaf is bette
than starvation, Secretary Taft is prepar
ing a modification of the Philippine Tar
| iff bill that contemplates reduction O
only fifty per cent. in the duties ol
Philippine rice, sugar and tobacco. Othe
products of the islands are to be admitte
to this country duty free. This ste
would be of some practical advantage t
the islanders, but it would be chiefly ad
yantageous to the United States as an edu
cationa stop. 1t will be recollected tina
there was vigorous fight against tn
present reduction of 25 per cent. in tn
Dingley rates when that measure was frs
enacted. 1t was claimed that the bi
would injure if not kill the business il
terests of the United States. 1t has bee
found that no harm resulted and it woul
have been found that no harm resulte
had the Payne bill had passed, as
seemed at one time likely to do. But
the fifty per cent. reduction is adopte
and it is shown that there is no harr
done, then in all probability the sevent
five per cent. reduction will come in tim
and eventually free trade with the island
which is a natural evolution and or
hoped for by many both of the Republ
cans and Democrats in Congress.
~
Opponents of the Free Alcohol bill al
coming out of the brush, SO to speak, bl
the biggest one is still in hiding. TheI
was hearing before the Senate Commi
tee this week of one George ClappertoI
representing the wood alcohol interests
the northwest. 1t is possible that in h
evidence Mr.. Clapperton tried to kill tW
birds, for he came out frankly and sal
that his opposition to- the bill W,
that it would kill the wood alcoht
industry. He said that there ws
SIS, 100000 of capital invested in til
business and that $1,000 men depende
on it for a livelihood. He did not say
which is probably the truth that both {
these figures were largely overstatement
But what he did say was that there wa
no likelihood OF the bill hurting tn
Standard Oil Company. Now of cours
from a popular point of view this hs
been one of the most attractive feature
of the bill, to whaek the Standard. Bu
lMr. Clapperton says Tut, tut, the bi
will not touch the Standard but it wi
hurt us' This would render cheap alec
hoI none the less attractive to the publ
but it would take it away somewhat fror
the glamor of the bill. However. th
Standard is keeping very still, after il
method whenever it can, and there was
strong suspicion at the Capitol that MI
Clapperton might have been putting in
sideways word for the Standard and tryin
to render the bill less attractive on the pie
that it would not hurt the Octupus afte
ALL
Secretary Taft and Secretary Root hav
both served notice on Panama that the
intend to have no revo' 'utions to interfer
with the work on the canal.
EVENTS IN NEW YORK
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