The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-06

supporters in the senate of the original
house bill say they did not. write it.
And SO the talk, runs along. f.
r. Sees Hand Of Allison.
/. The president, -Whiles not saying that
he actually knows who wrote it, iden
titles Senator AllJson as originating the
idea upon which the amendment is bas-
ed, and It is known, further, that the
president and Allison have had several
conferences regarding the question.
That Allison is the. father of the sug-
gestion leading up to the amendment is
not disputed.
tt: is also believed that, but for his
sudden illness, he would have put his
ideas into legislative form. That i'll
ness came at a very lnoppOrtune mo-
ment, and so, it is fair to assume that
| the conservative senators, DESTROYS of
closing up the affair as speedily as pos
! sible, picked up the work where Allison
| was compelled to drop it, and; them
selves put the amendment into the form
" -, :. Democrats Put Out. !:
| 1t is noticeable that the claim that
! the president has surrendered, to the
. railroads. in. accepting the amendment
is: confined almost exclusively to demo
cratic senator's, who, it is easy to- I'M
i derstand, are disappointed over this
new turn which rate matters have
taken.,~: .:..,:-.. = g.. >@:..e:,, ! !;
The. democrats had hoped to make
themselves necessary to- the success OF
the president s rate plans, thereby put
ting themselves in position to claim {
large share Of credit for the legislation
This likelihood Of united republican
support for the bill puts the democratic
nose out of joint, hence the cry thai
is being raised. :: o. ~,.. .'"'' :: 49, - :
e.. Now, that, rate Legislation is assured
. it is interesting to outline just swha
it: proposes in the way of an improve
ment over existing conditions. @
course, the bill is not perfect, but. i
takes a. decided forward step as viii
be seen. from what follows: +
| Features Of the Bill.
It registers an affirmative declaration
Of the power of the government, unde
the commerce. clause of, the constitu
; ton. to regulate railroad rates. tFh
absence of this, affirmative declaratio
y has been at the root of much Of tn
| annoyances of the roast. The pres
dents message, to congresstlast Decor
Der begins with an argument Of th
: Importance of such declaration.
i. It gives the interstate commerce
commission the power to fix a maximum
rate, that rate to 60 at once into q
feet and so remain until upset by tn
courts. This power the supreme cour
in constituting the present interstat
= commerce act, took away from the con
mission years ago. This feature of th
legislation is equally important wit
that just mentioned. ,..,.>,>,.- =.
. 1t puts the burden of litigation 9
: the railroads and removes it from tt
individual shipper and from the int
: state commerce commission. Heret,
9 fore, whenever the railroads have bee
dissatisfied with an order of the con
: mission, they have laid back at the
: ease while. the commission, or some i
dividual, went to the front and a
pealed to the courts, -" !
T.. =: Burden on the Roads.
This process was expensive for tt
= government, and in the case Of mo-
7 shippers it prohibited litigation al
L compelled acquiescences in the old grie
Gus conditions. AL this is now change
y 1t is the railroads who will walk I'll
: floor, and not the public and the cor
) ) mission. 81: $.. L > ~ "a. 80 ::
. .-It:deals La satisfactory manner wit
. the private car, terminal railway, ell
~ tion evils, declaring all these things
% be- instrilmentalities Of commerce, al
:, thus subject to the control Of the int
Il state commerce commission. : It lik
wise strikes, death blow to the mi
night tariff and all other, forms Of i'll
70 Cling with the published tariffs in II
! interest of favored shippers. This fe
:. ture Of the. Legislation; is also Of Il
y highest Importance. - r.. ....,, 80 i"
Il
. at will inspect: the books of the "a
~ ways. This provision: while impertal
!" is2not now: a nee essary feature of t
bill, for the supreme court, in. the I
ne bacco eases, to which, the president ]
- - ferred in his message. on Friday, h
a already said that the government h
70 this right Of inspection. -
O. ~ =. Will Wait for Amendments
u Z The chief features Of the pendi
y. y; bill. are matters :, Of the highest &C
- Germ to the public. There are ma
8 other amendments which the preside
!. and others would like to- have ma,
=, but to attempt to make them would {
q danger the Legislation, so they "
- - wait, meanwhile expecting that expe
e ence will quickly suggest them withe
o. further agitation. VI. s.. -. a
y It is hardly possible that the Sen;
ae will amend this part of :the bill beyo
e e the adoption of the so-called Allis
as mendment, and there is bare pos
er biity that: it may ultimately refuse
er accept that, passing the housebill in
n present form without any, specific p
70 vision for court review. That there
n : possibility that this will happen
x, the. belief Of such men as Senat
pe Clapp and Dolliver. The prevails
ne opinion today, however, seems to
IS that this Allison amendemnt' will