The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-13
SENATE WILL CALL FOR INVESTIGATION Tillman Resolution Alleges Con- tinued Discrimination AFTER THE PENNSYLVANIA Senator Lodge Speaks On Rate Bill and Urges Caution In So Import
 ant and Far-Reaching
 Matter
 
AFTER THE PENNSYLVANIA

sion to investigate the charge or ulS- crimination and combination in restraint of trade made against the railroads. The adoption of the resolution was preceded by a speech by MT. Tillman, in which he practically charged that the admins tration was not proceeding in good faith to secure railroad legislation because he
 was not satisfied with the Presidents ad-
 ylsers. Among these he mentioned Secre- tary Root and Senator Knox, the former of whom, he said, was an adviser of the ''magnates responsible for the devilment,' and the latter of whom had been for
 years attorney for the Pennsylvania Rail- road company. MT. Knox contradicted the charge relative to himself, saying that he never had been attorney for the Penn | sylvania railroad.
 Lodge Says Be Careful.
 MT. Lodge also spoke at length on the railroad question. He delivered a care- fully prepared speech. in which he took | position for governmental regulations of | rates, but advised the utmost caution l against too radical action He expressed
 the opinion that the giving of rebates
 was practically the only evil existing in connection with the railroad system of | the country.
 MT. Lodge said that he was prepared
 to vote for bill embodying the principles | of the Esch-Townsend bill of last year s l dimension. He confessed that he would I do so with reluctance because of his doubt 1 as to the wisdom of rate-malxing by the government in most limited form, but l that the regulation and supervision of the railroad systems seemed so essential 1. lx- | if he did not feel satisfied with some of it's features. But" he added significant | ly, If the policy have outlined is to be modified, the case will assuredly change" MT. Lodge spoke for two hours. He was congratulated by many of his col l leagues When he concluded MT. Per kins asked MT. Lodge to- define his atti- | tuue towards the pooling systems. The Massachusetts senator expressed | the opinion that, the operation of the | economic forces would compel proper regulation of the pooling problem.
 Tilman Calls Up Resolution. ] MT. Tillman then called up his resolu- | ton regarding railroad discrimination | with a view to asking immediate con | slderatlon of 1t. Before doing so he ex- 1 plained the resolution by saying that ii was very comprehensive and covered a | wide field. He said that the language ot | the resolution was largely the same as | that of the resolution presented in the | House few days since by MT Gillespie. | Giving his reasons for asking for the inquiry, he said that he was convinced | that evils existed in connection with the | railroad systems of the country He said | that he had no desire to do injustice to
 the railroads, and he believed they should nave fair return on the money invested. We md, however, a system of competf- ton resulting in trusts which are grind l ing the people to deathp He believed there should be remedy, but added that | the present proceeding in Congress Is a
 'stupendous farce
 Every paper you read" he said, ppngs assurance that the President has | won his fight and yet when you examine further you find that the Presidents two | principal advisers are Elihu Root who mas been the closest adviser of the rail- l road magnates of New York, who are At the root Of all the devilment, and MT. | Knox, the junior senator from pennsyl- 1 vania, who has been for I don't know now many years in the employ of the Fennsylvanfe railroad, and its closest | friend and counselor
 | When you look further you find the | Pennsylvania at the head of the list of
 the oppressors of the people"
 Hence he contended that the people | were being "bamboozled' by the talk of 1 protecting the masses against the classes. | He confessed that 'wah such cooks he
 was inclined to sniff at the dish that Is set pefore us. There was, he declared.
 much evidence that those charged with
 the execution of the laws were not sin
 cere, because he said they had long been aware of the evasion of those laws. | Knox Refutes Statement.
 MT. Knox was not in the Senate cham Der when reference was made to him, but l ne came in before the South Carolina | senator had proceeded far. He immediate iy interrupted Mir. Tillman 10 say to him | that he had been entirely mistaken in l saying he had been attorney for the Penn l sylvania railroad. q never sustained that
 relationship either permanently or tenn
 porarily, directly or indirectly at any tune during my career" he said. He add eo that he would not consider such con
 nection at all improper.
 ! MT Tillman expressed satisfaction over l the denial, saying to MT. Knox he would | respect him more for the balance of his 1 hle1 Continuing, the South Carolina sem 1 ator said that three principal roads lying south or the Potomac were in a merger, | which was controlled by the Pennsylvania
 and New York Central
 | He then spoke of the conditions in Mest l Virginia, and said that notwithstanding l governor Dawson's predecessor had called | attention to the violation of law in that state, the attorney general had done noth- ing apout 1t. The people were, however, | becoming aroused. Even the poor he | sotted Pennsylvania legislature. owned
 pouy ana soul by the Pennsylvania and
 the Reading, had shown signs of life bv
 adopting resolution as to the control of coal output by the railroads, as if every Dody dld not know that the anthracite output is and has been for years con-
 trolled both as to quantity and price. He
 declared the Pennsylvania road to be
 the head devil in the whole policy of
 monopoly" and refetting to the Baltimore | and Ohio policy in West Virginia be said that road had practically told the public 1t might "be damned" He de- clared very strenuous effort had been l brought to bear on the President to grant | to the railroads the privilege of appeal to l the courts before the orders of the inter- state commerce commission go into effect l He had even heard that threats were be- | ing made that the President must yield
 ''lf he stands firm and does not yield. then | l Will nave more confidence" he added. Foraker Asks Question.
 | MT. Foraker asked Mir Tillman if he | did not believe there should be provision | for review by the courts, and MT. Tillman
 replied that he believed in 1t if properly provided for. Otherwise" he said, ''the poor devil of complainant will be bully ragged and dragged from one court to an- other until he is forced into bankruptcy Mir. Foraker persisted in his inquiries, asking if it was not proper to let the courts say whether an order should go into effect.
 Mir. TiImsn replied that all would de- pend on the phraseology. He stood by the r4< ft ~t.~