The National tribune., 1906-02-15

decay, and for this reason they are test
| ing every reasonable method, chemical
and otherwise. to preserve the wood
Telegraph and telephone poles cost
more than formerly.
Representative Dixon, OF Montana
! introduced bill early in the 59th Con-
gress which is OF singular importance
to the shop-keepers of Washington. As
| is well known. this town is the Eden
of Installment-plan houses, and the
hearing on the Dixon bill would go to
show that about everything thai n Gov
I eminent clerk uses is bought on the
| installment plan. especially groceries
| There appeared before the Committee
on Reform in Civil Service of the House
the President of the Retail Grocers' Pro
/ tective Association, whose tale of woe
was almost amusing. The Treasurer OF
| the Association was also heard.
These gentlemen said there are be-
! tween 5000 and $4,000 unpaid ac-
! counts on the books of the grocers OF
| Washington, two-thirds of which are
against Government employees. One OF
/ the speakers cited an instance of q
mother. daughter and son. all in Gov
ernment employ, who owe five different
grocers a total of $241.77. They urged
/ the passage of the bill so that the busi-
ness men of the city might not be de-
/ fTauded.
The House of Representatives passed
! the Hepburn railroad rate bill by a vote
of 346 to 7. Those voting against the
/ bill were Little6eld, Mccall, Perkins
Sibley. Southwick, Vreeland and Weeks
all Republicans.
| According to Mr.. Hepburn's statement
/ la closing the debate on the measure
| the bill was intended to comply spe-
] T.iG dot ~
| President Roosevelt on the rate ques-
| ton. 1t gives to the Interstate Com
merce Commission authority, when 6
rate has been complained of as ''un-
reasonable" by a shipper, to investigate
| that rate, state whether or not ii is un-
reasonable, and il found to be unrea.
sonable to name a rate which is to be
just and reasonable and fairly remuner-
ative, which is to be the maximum rate
/ to be charged.
{ This rate so fixed is TO go into effec
30 days after it is announced by the
| Commission, subject during that time Il
be set aside or suspended by the Com.
mission or by the courts. After it ha.
gone into effect it is to remain the rate
for three years. During this time the
opinion has been expressed by those
who have participated in the debate
that the rate may also be reviewed by
the courts and, IL found to be in con
fict either with the terms of the ac
or with the Constitution by being con
i fiscatory, can be set aside by the courts
II Another important feature Is tn,
definition of the word railroad" anC
transportation" I'm a manner to includ,
all auxiliary instrumentalities of tht
common carrier and to bring then
within the control of the Commission
This power to name q. reasonable rat,
and the inclusion of the auXilaries with
in the jurisdiction of the Commission
are said to be the new features. AL
other provisions are notifications o
: existing law. They include publicity o
railroad methods. which is to be aideC
by prescribing a system of bookkeepinl
J and enlarging the Commission to sever
members and increasing salaries o
/ members 10 $4,000 a year.
2 After the roll call the announcement
of the passage of the bill was received
;, with ripple of applause. Speaker Can
non announced the vote to be BAG yea.
and nays. Those voting against tn;
J bill were all Republicans
Mr.. Sullivan, OF Massachusetts,, voted
present" and was not paired. There
We're 2S members paired, but these pair.
were generally political ones. None OF
them was made on the bill, and conse.
quently did not indicate opposition.
Representative Baker, of New York
who would not come back to Congres.
y because he did not like the dishonest
surroundings there, went back to hi: