Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-31
HOUSE TAXES Up RATE BILL
Debate on Hepburn Measure Opened by
M Townsend Of Michigan,
rs PROVISIONS CLEARLY EXPLAINED
People Are Demanding Action ana
Their wrath Will he visited
on Majority IL IL Is Not
Forthcomine.

on Majority IL lt Is Not
Forthcomins.
! WASHINGTON, Jan. @-Members of the
/ house evinced a more general interest IN
! the discussion OF the railway rate bill
! throughout the day than on any topic OF
| legislation for some time. The debate
I throughout was listened to attentivcly and
many questions were asked of the different
| speakers to bring out either obscure points
| in the measure evils complained ot
which no attempt had been made TO include
| in the bill. The debate was opened by Mr..
! Townsend of Michigan in an exhaustive
argument on the general subject and the
sharp criticism directed to those who had
opposed railroad legislation.
! Mr. Adamson of Georgia, representing the
minority followed in commendaton of the
measure and in praise of President Roose-
velts stand on the question. which he said
the minority were availng themselves of
In the present instance. Mr.. Hinshaw OF
Nebraska depicted the benefit the .legisla
tion would do to the great transmissouri
country, and Mr.. Richardson of Alabama
discussed as democrat the things done
ana left undone in the measure
questions addressed to the various speak
ers by Mr. Sherloy of Kentucky and Mr.
Iittleheld OF Maine indicated that there Is
to he some opposition to the bill, At least
in debate. The feature seemingly subject
to attack is as to just what will he tho
authority Of the Interstate Commerce COM
mission under the bill relative to difreren-
tials in rates between competing cities or
localities.
MIR. Townsend Opens Debate.
Opening what promises to be a weeks
n H.. Iii M
Townsend of Michigan addressed the house
for more than an hour today. touching on
and elucldating practically every phase of
the rate making problem and describing in
detail the terms of the Hepburn bill
Regarding the question as one of the most
important before congress. Mr.. Townsend
advocated the bill as the correct remedy for
the evils which exist and predicted that
Notwithstanding the protests Of the roads
greater prosperity would come to them
under its provisions than otherwise. To
substantiate this he called attention to the
tremendous stride of year in the trans
portation business and this in the face of
the legislation which the last congress in
itiated and which the present congress is
taking up In somewhat more strenuous
form.
Like the bill of last year. which bore Mr.
Townsend's name. he said the present one
was the very least the people would accept,
yet the present bill confers wider powers
and extends over every facility of trans
( portation. However. the present bill he be-
leved not only fully within the constitu-
tional powers OF congress. but was simply
: an expression of the plain duty of the con-
gress 60 the people. In brief the bill at
, ten2ts, he said, to place under the super
vision Of the Interstate Commerce commits
sion Of inf Ant
: commerce and all instrumental cities of
3 commerce and transportation.
Regulating Special Charges.
! The most serious complaints on the part
of the shippers, he said, have been directed
Q abainst special services such as private
= cars, icing, elevator and terminal charges
: and the like Mr.. Townsend belle yes the bill
affords complete remedy for all of these
= evils, hereafter every such charge
must be just and reasonable, and in case il
is not the commission has power to make
L II SO.
The evil of the midnight rate was
described and the remedy set forth requr-
ing thirty days notice of change OF
rate. Briefly the midnight rate" is a
y device whereby large shipper notifies a
c road that on certain date a large ship
: ment will be made. On that date the pub.
: lished tariff is changed for a day. the ship.
ment made at the lower rate and the tariff
e Immediately raised.
Reasonable MA aximum Rates.
The main feature OF the bill bearing or
. the point about which the greatest contro.
" versy has been had and one which Mr.
. Townsend believes lies at the foundation
of the whole question, is that which gives
the commission power upon complaint ant
! after full hearing. to substitute a reasona
y BILE maximum rate in place of one found tc
be unjust or unreasonable. Mr.. Townsend
went at length into this phase of the pro
posed legislation. 1t was the point agains
, which the weight of the opposition had beer
u directed. he explained, and this proposition
had been based alike on the questioned
T. consttutionality the impossibnity for tn,
- commission to find a just rate, and tn,
injury such a finding would entail alike OF
= business the railroads and the widowed an,
orphaned shareholder In the broader view
OF the question and in the correct conclu
sion on any of these phases he saw but on
answer-that to require the railroads t.
be Just and reasonable could not harm
!. any one while it would benefit all.
y As showing how deep were the fears o
the railroad world, he stated, 1900 miles o
d road had been built during the past year Il
the United States and up 10 June 80 order
for more than SO0OOO,O0o worth Of railroa
equipment had been placed.
Railroads VIII he Just.
Is While the number of commissioners is in
'e creased by two ana their salaries raise
3 to $1,000 year Mr.. Townsend expressed til
belief that when the law was once estab
20 lished the duties of the commission woul
ie decrease rather than increase. The rail
&c roads he suggested would doubtless realiz
I'd the business of the law and fix their rate
D. with reference TO il. He realized fully tn
g. great power that was conferred upon tn
ne commission and believed the higher salar
Is only an adequate compensation for men G
e. the character needed.
The wide publicity OF railroad affairs re
he quired In the bill was in his opinion potter
rn factor for good. The provisions expeditin
n the business Of the commission and tn
T. cases in the courts growing out Of the opei
u alton OF the law he regarded as vital Th
Dn courts are to pass simply on the validity {
the decisions and the appeal to the suprem
&c ,,ourt will he on the question as 10 Uhetbe