Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-04
DISCUSSING RATE BILL
OVER SIX HOURS OF oRAToRY
IN THE HOUSE.

Various phases of the railroad rate ques-
tion were threshed over in the House yes
terday in the course of nine speeches, which
occupied six and a half hours. 1t was the
fifth day of the discussion. but the end Is
not yet. Many members on both sides OF
the House desire to record their views, and
general debate will be allowed to continue.
Mr. Clayton of Alabama said the leglsla-
tiOn in principle was as old as the common
law. Mr.. Henry of Texas showed how II
was supported by the Constitution and the
courts. Mr. Esch of Wisconsin explained
how the bill was broad enough to include
the regulation of express companies. Mr..
Kennedy of Ohio presented an argument to
contradict the claim that the control OF
railways was interference with private
property. Mr.. Crumpacker of Indiana be-
Heved economic conditions would still con-
troll in rate matters as they should, not
withstanding the granted authority IN the
bill. which he approved. Mr. Ellis OF MIS-
souri, saw In the bill what he regarded as a
conservative move In the right direction.
Mr. Hogg of Colorado opposed granting
legislative and judicial functions to the
same body, which, he said, would result
from the enactment of the pending bill into
law Mr.. Floyd of Missouri said it was
saving of the country from socialism ana
radicalism rather than step in that direc-
tion. Mr. Page of North Carolina indorSeo
the bill in all its features. A complaint re-
garding the manner in which the news
papers handled the cotton statistics Friday
was made by Mr. Sims of Tennessee.
The Rate Making Power.
Mr. Crumpacker Qnd) singled out the
rate-making power conferred upon the in
terstate commerce commission as the all
important provision of the bill and dis
cussed it at length. He said economic
dc pf 10 q
existence. and that railroads have gen.
orally been influenced in their rate-maktng
by the conditions they faced as the result
of competition. In Mr. Crumpacker's opin-
ion the only localities which would be bene-
flied by the proposed bill were those which
had only a single railway and did not
profit by competition
The excessively low rates granted to some
points, Mr.. Crumpacker said. were gem
orally found upon investigation to be grant
ed by carriers because they could not get
their share of business in any other manner
and not because of any desire to discrim-
mate against other localities.
Mr.. Ellis (Mo) expressed his approval OF
the measure, saying he favored the bill be-
cause he believed it to be conservative and
one which would result in benefit to all in
dustrial interests.
Constitutionality Questioned.
Mr.. Hogg (CoI) questioned the right to
delegate both legislative and judicial au-
thority to a commission. He quoted the
Supreme Court to show that the commits
sion was not q judicial tribunal 1t was a
judicial function, he said. to say whether
a given rate was or was not reasonable
and a legislative function to prescribe a
rate for the future lie advocated the crea-
tion of a special court to determine the
judicial function and clothing the commits
sion with authority TO legisiate the future
rate.
Complaint against what he termed an
effort on the part Of certain newspapers
to belttle the information obtained by the
House Friday regarding the cotton yet
to be ginned was made by Mr.. Sims
Tenn) He declared the information was
decidedly valuable to the grower.
Mr.. Payne On " asked if the informa
tion had not affected the market in that
direction 1t had gone up and then down
and then up again, answered Mr. Sims.
Discussing the bill, Mr.. Floyd (Mo) de-
clared II was the McCalls, McCurdys,
RockefeHers and Morgans who were the
seeds of anarchy and socialism in this
fair land. He predicted that II. H. Rogers
might for a time defy the courts of
Missouri, but an outraged people would
not long submit to that practice.
The closing speech of the day was de-
uvered by Mr.. Page On. c., who favored
the bill The House adjourned at 5:25
o'clock until tomorrow at II o'clock.