The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-15

fering with the orders of the interstate
commerce commission by any interIocu-
tory order This question also must be
determined by the supreme court should
the proposed law be enacted.
Up to the Senate.
1.-THE senate must determine by it's
vote what shall be its attitude upon the
questions Of court review and interlocu-
tory suspensions. The whole question at
issue as to giving relief to the produc-
ing interests of the country revoives
around this feature of the bill. If any
decision of the supreme court shall de-
clare that congress is powerless to grant
speedy relief through a commission, it
needs no prophet to tell that an out
burst Of surprise and Indignation will
sweep over the country"
Commenting on the gross earnings
and the net earnings Of railroad prop
critics, Mr.. Tillman sail that once a year
every dollar in the United States passes
through the hands of the railroads and
every three years becomes a part Of
their net earnings. He asked if it is any
wonder that the railroads have the most
brilliant legal minds at their command
to conduct legislation and asserted the
struggle is between man and money
citizenship and capital. He discussed at
length the building of great fortunes
and the manipulation OF great proper
ties" Summing up the situation, he
said:
great aesGn4uIa ton of wealth in the
hands OF the few is such menace to
liberty that the honest patriot stands
appalled, by the outlook
After commenting at length upon
what he declared TO be the existing
system Of juggling with railroad prop
critics, "fcr the robbery Of the Masses
Mr.. Tfllman stated that this phase of
the subject brings into great promi-
hence and importance 1.-The relation TO
0f fHn IN In qar a 1v7-
ton; whether it is the purpose Of con-
greSs to compel the business industries
to pay dividends not upon the real
value of these properties, but upon the
fictitious value which has been sought
to be placed upon them by the in
creased capitalization. Concerning
the application of the bill to this sub
5ect he said
A Dangerous Provision.
There is a dangerous provision in
this bill which, in my judgment, ought
to be stricken out. and that is in section
Is, where the interstate commerce
commission is told to determine and
prescribe what will, in its judgment,
be the just and reasonable and fairly
remunerative rate, etc The last
words are too elastic and ambiguous
and can be construed to mean too
much that it would be harmful and
dangerous for congress to enact into a
law Fairly remuneratiVe rate on
what? The actual value or the dcti-
tious value of the properties p
Mr.. Tillman declared there can be
no justice in compelling the people as
a whole to pay dividends on watered
stick primarily to increase the for
tunes of men already too rich. He
contended that the poor dupes'' who
have been led to invest their savings
IN such stock can better afford to lose
those earnings than to have the labor
Of the country saddled with the burden
Of paying perpetual tribute in the
shape of dividends on dishonest va1ua-
tons
Mr.. Tillman recommended that
amendments to the bill be adopted
which would give relief to "the an
omalous and outrageous condition of
affairs disclosed as existing in West
Virginia"