Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-01-31
IN THE HOUSE.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

the face of the legislation which the
last Congress initiated and winch the
present Congress is taking up in some
what more strenuous form.
Like the bill last year. which bore
Townsend's name, he said the present
bill confers wider powers and extends
over every facility of transportation.
However, the present bill, he believed
not only fully within the constitutional
powers of Congress, but was simply
an expression OF the plain duty of
Congress to the American people.
In brief the bill attempts. ne said,
to place under the supervision of the
| interstate commerce commission
every form Of interstate and foreign
commerce and all instrumentalities of
commerce and transportation.
The most serious complaint on the
part Of shippers he said have been di-
rected against special services, such as
private cars, icing, elevator and ter
minal charges, and the like. Mr. Town
send believes the bill affords a complete
remedy for all of these evils, as hereaf-
ter every such charge must be just and
reasonable, and in case it is not, the
commission has power to make it so.
The evil of toe midnight rate" was
described and the remedy set forth, re-
quiring thirty days notice of a change
Of rate. Briefly The midnight rate"
is a device whereby large shipper no
titles road that on a certain date,
large shipment will be made. On that
day. the published tariff is changed for
a day, the shipment made at the law
er rate and the tariff Immediately
raised.
The main feature of the bill, bearing
on the point about which the greatest
controversy has been had and the one
which Townsend believes lies at the
foundation of the whole question is that
which gives the commission power up
on complaint and after full hearing to
substitute a reasonable maximum rate
in place of one found to be unjust or
unreasonable. Townsend went at
length into this phase of the proposed
Legislation. 1t was the point against
which the weight of opposition had
been directed, he explained and this
opposition had been based alike on the
questioned consttutionality. the impos-
sibility for the commission to find just
rate and the injury such a finding
would entail alike on business, the rail-
roads. and the widowed and orphaned
shareholder. In the broader view of
the question and in the correct conclu-
sion on any of these phases. he saw but
| one answer-that to require the rail
roads to be just and reasonable could
not harm any one while it would bene-
| fit ALL
. AS showing how deep were the fears
Of the srailroad world he stated. 1000
miles of road had been built during the
past year in the United States. and up
TO juno 30. orders for more than $500 -
O0o.OOG worth of railroad equipment had
been placed.
While the number of commissioners is
incre ased by two. and their salaries rails
ed to 10000 n year. Townsend expressed
tne belet that when the law was once
established the duties of the commission
would decrease rather than increase. The
railroads. he suggested. would doubtless
realize the justness of tho law ana fix
their rates with reference to it, lie real
/ lied fully the great power that was con
ferrcd uEon the commission ard believed
the higher salary only an adequate COM
! pensation for men of the character need
ed. The wide publicity of railroad af-
fairs required in the bill was in his opin-
ion a potent factor for good. The pro-
visions eXpoditing the business of the
commission and the cases in the courts
growing out of the operation OF the laty
he regarded as vital. The courts are to
pass simply on the validity Of the de-
ciso1s. and the appeal to the supreme
h.
whether a given rate fixed by the com
mission Is or is not coniiscatory.
While Townsend regarded the question
as in no sense political. he expressed
himself as pleased that the Republican
party has taken it up. He arraigned the
means employed by the opposition to rate
legislation.
ITO me it has seemed" he said, that Il
systematic effort has been made to dis
credit the administration in various mat
ters in order to direct attention to this
great question and l have no doubt tha-
delay will he caused wherever possible
In the vain hope that something will yet
happen to prevent final action.
AS one Of the younger and most hum
BILE Republicans in the House let me adj
4 mOnlSn my party associates IN hotn
houses. that this question will rot down
nor will It much longer brook delay. TIL"
people have spoken ana every day to
us their demand is more Imperative. The
day of grace may be passed and the par
donable sin of trifling with duty may not
be condoned even with deathhed repent
ance.
"Tcmporizing will bring nothing hut
disaster. Already We hear the rumbngs
Of discortent and Socialism smiles with
satisfaction with every DELAY. Regulation
of Il public servant is not q departure
from the principles of popular govern
ment. but disregard OF 4 righteous law
and indifference to legal restrictions i'm
posed to protect the peoples rights, is
more then Socialism. it is anarchy.
Let the law pass" Townsend contin-
ued. land let the railroads heed its pro-
vision. and instead of being tho objects
OF suspicion and hatred they will b. re
garded as the instruments of progress
and prosperity. Rate legislation will en-
ter into history. and its entry will not II"
I'll h,-n - -I,,,,