New-York tribune., 1906-11-21
Broadway & Nineteenth Street
ON RATE Law.
Hopes Commerce Commission Van
Not Hauc to act Under 1t.

Kansas City Nov. 2o.-When the Trans
Mississippi Commercial Congress-. convened IN
seventeenth annual session. met here this morn
ing Convention Hall was crowded with dele
gates. guests and spectators. The arena floor
had been reserved for delegates. who were ar
ranged by state delegations IN the Demo
cratic National Convention held there in 1900
Every state In the Union represented, the
states In the Mississippi and Missouri valleys
and those making up the western half OF the
country were represented by a greater number
Of delegates than ever before IN the history OF
the organization. while from the East also ths
attendance exceeded that OF previous years.
The hall was elaborately decorated. the flags
of the five Latin-Amsrican countries. whose rep
resentatives addressed the congress Tonight
being interrningled with the Stars and Stripes.
The congress called TO order by J. b
Case, of Abilene. Kan. a member OF the exscu-
tive COMMITTEES. who introduced David r. Fran
cis of st. Louis, president OF the congress.
President Francis IN his address said that ths
Trans Mississippi Commercial Congress through
its past efforts had much to do with the passage
Of many important statutes by the last session
OF the national Congress. He urged the dele
gates to still greater efforts and outlined
long list Of questions. particularly those affect
ing the Mississippi Valley and the West, that
needed their attention. He characterized the
present convention the most important In the
history OF the Congress. mentioning particularly
the International scope that II has assumed this
year.
The afternoon session was opened after
o'clock with a speech by z. H Hartman. who
elaborated his remarks made ar the Commercial
Club banquet last night He attacked the pres
ent laws regulating railroads. asserting that the
power given to the Interstate Conmercs
Commission dangerous 70 the welfare of
the railroads and to the Industrial interests OF
the country.
At the conclusion OF his speech George J. Kin
dell, of Denver. asked permission to answer Mr.
Harriman's speech. Chairman Francis refused
to give Mr.. Kindell the floor the ground that
the rules OF the congress and due regard to
courtesy did not allow delegate TO answer the
speech Of invited guest Mr.. Hartman how
ever. insisted that Mr.. KindelI be allowed to
speak. and the chairman called him to the plat
form. Mr.. Kindells speech was not direct
answer to Mr.. Hartman. but arraignrnent os
railroads for alleged unfair rate discrimina-
tion. Mr. Hartman. who had intended to start
for Topeka Immediately after delivering his
own speech, waited until Mr.. Kindeu had con-
cluded. Then the two men shook hands and Mr..
Hartman started for Topeka.
HARTMAN NOT A DICTATOR.
Mr.. Harrman's speech in part follows:
The impression prevails that control moro
miles of railroad than any other man. That
statement IS made frequently. deny 1T. II is
not true. l do not control one mile of railroad.
l do not believe in one man or any one COM
pany controlling vast interests OF this kind
There fourteen thousand or fifteen thou
sand persons who cooperate in the control or
railroads and other corporations in which am
interested. One man could not do the work
and do II right. We have our stockholders and
our boards of directors, and they all share In
the responsibility of conducting our affairs
appear as dictator in published statements.
hut l am not Every important step in
iS before
any decision is reported.
Last year this congress passed a resolution
antagonistic TO the general clamor that in
creased power be given TO the Interstate Com
rnerce Commission In the regulation of railroads
and other corporations. Your contention was
that the Sherman Antitrust law and the ElkinS
amendment gave the commission sufficient
power TO correct existing evils. But since your
congress passed that resolution the Congress OF
the United States has passed a measure which
is now a law that gives to the Interstate Com
merce Commission almost unlimited power. To
the commission is given the power to control all
of the railroads of this country. 1t is composed
of seven men. and four of these men constitute
a quorum which can control all the transporta-
tiOn lines of the country.
do not want to criticise the commission 7
believe it acted in good faith when 1t said it
needed more power But as 1 said last night
the President, in his Harrisburg speech intI-
mated that still greater power should be con-
ferred on the commission. Now before any fur
ther action is taken. I should like to see how
the power which exists under the present law
will he used Perhaps it may not be necessary
for the commission TO act under the new law I
hope not.
If the commission makes q mistake In the
use or its power conditions may ensue from
which the business interests OF this country will
not recover In a decade. The transportation bust-
ness is the most vital for the DEVELOPMENT OF the
country. NO community could prosper without
transportation facilities Your success and the
success or the interests you represent depend
largely upon the transportation lines OF the
country.
think the railway traffic men have learned
py tnis tlme that they do not make rates but
equaiize Them. The rates are made by tho
communities served by the railroads Common
centres must be treated alike
hou Should not disturb rates at this distrtbut-
ing centre without affecting all other distribute
ing centres The rates are controlled by COM
mercial necessities
hut' under the new law. the rates controlled
from commercial necessity now may be con-
troAed by political opportunity The politician
office. W
ne raiiroads have reached almost the limit OF
SCohoIny IN transportation. II the rates are to
oe covered the railroads must he able 10 carry
naIhG az less cost than now. The great In
oustrIa Io development In this country since 1890
rnu @ lsou mas been due TO tho fact that the
% %wieis o. railroads have had confidence in the
1ssnan.a 1unNEa M and people SERVED, IN order to
Nes<'0 ~ seosiooa OF the country tha HaIlyundoi