Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-02
COMMISSIONERS FROM VARIOUS
STATES ARRIVE.
The Presidents Annual Address Deliv-
ered-Topics That Will Be
Discussed

I
| various states. These, with the members OF
| he interstate commerce commission. all of
| whom were present. made half hundred
! representatives and filed the hearing room
+, to its utmost capacity. Many of the COM
| niss!oners also had their families with them
| and there were good many ladies' In the
| audience
| The chairman of the interstate commerce
commission Mr.. Knapp. welcomed the DEL
| egateS and spoke of the important work of
| railroad regulation that devolved on the as
ISOLATION, saying that its duties We're among
the most important of any body in the coun-
| try and closely knit up with the welfare of
the people and the various communities
| through which the roads ran. Mr. Knapp
was followed by the president of the as
ISOLATION. Mr.. W. G. Smith of South Da-
kota, who read his annual address.
Presidents Annual Address.
large part of Mr.. Smiths address was
devoted TO discussing railway rate regula-
ton. He declared that any law passed that
does not contain absolute rules for deciding
what is reasonable rate, what is a rea-
sonabiy remunerative rate and does not
establish the constitutional right to appeal
would fail in Its object for good ION the
other hand, he said tariff charges are
bound to he adjusted, not only relatively,
put actuaiiy. by the constant pressure of
commercial and economic PRINCIPLES et
us strengthen the laws SO as to condemn
and eradicate all rebates secret devices
secret rate cutting and all unjust discrimi-
nation between shippers and places and
provide further means of detection and
punishment, not only of the railway man.
put or all interested parties. Let the pub
nc sentiment support President Roosevelt.
the man who calls for Square deal SO
mat every offender against the real inn
port OF the Interstate commerce law shall
De exposed and punished and subject to
pubic condemnation. No matter whom 1t
hlts, let him be piIlored as an enemy of
the public welfare, as an agent for the tear
ing down of this vast commercial republic
Let us insist upon fair dealings to ALTO
the shipper and the carrier alike"
Mr.. Smith said that the growth and de-
Velopment of railroads in the last half CEN
fury had been so rapid that regulation
with thoughtful considerati by the peonle
and government has in a measure been
neglected He contended that any method
or uniform regulation during this progress
I've development period might have avoided
or prevented many of the existing evils:
but at the same time. it would have assur-
edly retarded the development of our coun-
try's resources.
He expressed the opinion that Congress
has done it's duty so far as the passing and
planning for the enforcement of laws to
prevent rebates unlawful Determinations.
| secret rate cutting and the many other
methods or preferences. He discussed the
! effect of the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the laws
| on the subject and declared there had been
| too much of an effort to try to make
| rate, under the implied provisions of the
| law, instead of trying to stop rebates. Mr.
! Smith said he had studied the question: not
| only IN every state in the union, but In
| Canada and Mexico and the more he in
! VeStigated, he added, the more / have had
| to contend with the principle that the
| greatest fault with the present system of
reducing excessive rates Is that the courts
| will not uphold the views of the interstate
| commerce commission to what is a rea-
| Sonable rate, and in this way the courts
| decisions are not satisfactory to either the
| annie sc nv "a II hSth Inc
! to want a lower rate than the justice in
! the case weuld warrant, as Is indicated by
| the courts decisions Discussing fatalities
| attending railroad travel President Smith
| said.
| We should ask Con. S to enact laws
! which would more carefully guard against
rail-spreading and provide for guarding
| crossings more efectually, and for more
| faithful compliance with the automatic
| coupling act More stringent enforcement
| as to train orders should be demanded. II
| there are any iffectual methods or means
| to prevent collisions, even though they be
| expensive. their adoption ought to be en-
| forced by congressional act, and the rail-
| ways required to put them in force within
| a reasonable time"
Topics for Discussion
| After the reading of the presidents ad-
| dress adjournment was taken for luncheon
| This afternoon there will be reports from
number of special committees Nearly
| ali the reports Will be technical. They in
clude: Classification of operating and con-
struction expenses of electric railways
grade crossings, railway taxes and plans
fer ascertaining fair valuation Of railway
property, amendments of act to regulate
commerce. uniform classification and sim
plification of tariff sheets, railway stats
tics, legislation, safety appliances and
block signals, delays attendant upon en-
forcing orders of railway commissions
rates and rate making, and powers, duties
and work of state railway commissions
Members Present
The members of the association who
were present were Andrew F. Gates, chair
man of the railroad coSsnission of Con-
necticut, and William o. Seymour of the
same commission: H. Warner Hill, chair
man of the railroad commission of Geor-
gia; William l.. Fitzpatrick, secretary of
the railroad and warehouse commission of
Illinois; Union B. Hunt, chairman of the
railroad commission of Indiana c. Nc
| Cord, chairman, and Med. Ferguson and
John E. Neumann Of the railroad commits
sion of Kentucky: w. M. Barrow, secretary
of the railroad, commission of Louisiana:
railroad commission of Maine, Joseph B.
Peake (chairmam. B. F. Chadbourne and
Parker Spofrord; railroad commission
OF Massachusetts,, George w. Bishop;
Railroad commission Of Michigan-Thoron
W. Atwood. commissioner. Railroad and
warehouse commission of Minnesota-Ira
B. Mills chairman; Chas. F. Staples, VIM.
=. Young: A. c. Clausen. secretary; Thos.
OF Mssouri-Jee p. Rice. chairman. New
Hampshire railroad commission-George E.
Bales. North Carolina corporation COM
miss,on--Frankl Mcneil. chairman Sam
L. Rogers. e. c. Beddingfeld and H. c.
| Brown. clerk Railroad commission OF
| North Dakota-C. 8. Deisem. president:
| John Christensen. Erick Stafne and c. c.
| Hammond. secretary Bureau OF railways
| of Pennsylyania-Isaac b. Brown, secretary
| of internal affairs: Theo. B. Klein superin-
| tendent of bureau of railways. and W. w.
Morgaridge assistant superintendent of bu-
| reau of railways Railroad commission OF
| South Carolina-J. H Wharton, chairman;
| B. L. Caughman. ]. III. Earle and d. P.
Duncan. secretary. Railroad commission
| of South Dakota-W. G. Smith. Railroad
| commission of Washington-H. A. Fair
| child. chairman: JOHN S. McMfllin. C. A.
| Snowden. secretary. Railroad commission
| of Wiseonsin-John Barnes, chairman and
| b. H. Meyer. Association of American
! Railway Accounting Officers-J. o. Clifford
| and c. 4. Sturgis. Street Railway Account
| ing Association of America-W. F. Ham
| Interstate commerce ommission-Martin
| A. Knapp, chairman; Judson C. Clements
| commissioner; Charles A. Prouty commits
| sioner; Francis NJ. Cockrell, commissioner:
| Edward A. Moseley. secretary: Martin s.
| Decker, assistant secretary; Henry g.
| Adams, VIM. II. Connolly, J. Collins an