Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-03-08
|DOLLVER IN
ABLE DEFENSE
Iowa Senator Made the Great
Speech of Present Con-
gress To Date
FIRST WORDS FOR DEFENSE
Heard by Audience That Crowded
the Senate Chamber--Efforts of
Presiding Officer Gould Not Pre-
vent Expressions OF Approval.

Washington, d. c., March 2.-That
interest in the railroad rate question
continues undated was made mani
fest again yesterday by the large
audience wnIcn greeted Mr.. Dolliver
from the senate galleries when he
rose to speak on the Dolliyer-H Hep
burn bill. From the first the Iowa
senator has been the champion of
the policy of giving the interstate
commerce commission full authority
and the friends of the house bill
have expected him to take a leading
part in pressing the consideration of
the measure, Notwithstanding it has
teen placed in charge of another
senator. His was the first speech
made in support of the bill
Mr., Dolliver began his speech at
1880 p. M, Immediately after the
disposal of the routine morning BUSH
ness. That order included the pas
sage of bills authorizing the DISPOSE
ton of surplus lands on the Yakima
and Colville Indian reservations in
Washington.
Mr.. Dolliver spoke without notes.
He began with compliment to Mr..
Cullom, of whom he spoke as the
father of interstate commerce legis-
lation and to Mr.. Nelson, the author
of bill presented to the last
congress.
The senator then outlined the bill.
pointing out wherein it amends the
existing interstate law, saying that,
after all, the changes were compare
lively few.
Instead of undermining the law
the bill fortifies it." he said, and he
declared that if the present law had
been treated with the reverence and
sanctity. it deserved the American
people would have approached the
subject in frame of mind different
from that which now prevails.
He said that the railroad compan-
les were unable to protect themselves
against the fragrant abuses" Of the
private car companies under section
l of the present law. He had not
favored the abolition Of these cars,
but he did believe that the car COM
panies should be regulated by max
in responsible the railroad compan-
les employing them.
VI tue INTERSTATE COTl-
merce commission he discussed Judge
Grosscup's recommendation for a
specific court but he did not accept
the theory advanced for the reason
that he considered the present ma
chinery sufficient for all purposes.
He recognized the fact that it had
become fashionable to speak slight
ingly of the interstate commission
and defended that body against such
attacks. He expressed the opinion
that If the lawyers had dealt as
fairly with the commission as with
the courts the result would have
been better.
Mr.. Dolliver declared he did not
expect protracted vendetta between
the railroads and the community, be-
lieving that when the law was en-
acted it would be observed by car
rier and shipper alike. He predicted
that within five years there would be
boards of arbitration in every traf-
fic center of the country 50 that ap-
peals to the commission would be
the rule rather than the exception.
He recognized the fact that the
question of appeal to the courts from
the orders of the commission was
the battle-ground and he declared
that as the bill stands it leaves the
door to the court open for the pro-
lection of all constitutional rights.
He temporarily left that point and
took up the rebate question, saying
that he did not agree with either Mr..
Foraker or Mr.. Bacon that the secret
practices have been abandoned. He
did not believe the Ell1ins bill ade-
quate for protection against these
practices.
"The difficulty about rebates is not
in Furnishing violations of the law"
he said, "but in discovering them,
and we have undertaken to amend
the law so as to cover that defect"