The National tribune., 1906-06-07
rHr RATE nrLI.

etc by Senator Tiliman just before ad-
tournment last Saturday afternoon. 49,, 4
True to its traditions to the very end,
the bill came from conference more
stringent than 1t went in. At every
stage of its career this has been Its ex-
perience. The men who started by maxi,
ing 1t, for the House Committee, as mild
as possible $50 1t would stand some
chance in the Senate" would hardly
have recognized their own child when
the Senate had reorganiZed its features.
And the Senator's who were frightened
at their own radicalism received anoth-
er shock when they learned that the
conferees had still further added to the
stringency of its provisions.
Succinctly stated, the main features
of the bill as it now stands are:
Abolishes all Interstate free passes
after Jan. /.
Places pipelines under the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
Divorces production from carrying of
commodities.
Prohibits rebating and discriminating
under penalties that include heavy fines
and two years imprisonment.
GlVeS tne COTffD1SSiOn power 10 lin
maximum reasonable rates"
Gives power to establish joint routes
and to provide the basis of division of
the charge.
Gives the Government prior use Of
roads in war.
Requires five days notice and hear
ing before court can suspend a rate.
Requires appeal to be taken within
80 days and direct to the Supreme
Court.
Provides the utmost publicity as to
the details of railroad business.
Gives Commission power to establish
uniform bookkeeping and accounting
methods.
Increases the Commission from five
to seven members, retains the present
members and raises TIE salary from
$500 to $4,000 a year.
Radicalism won at almost every point
in conference. The anti-pass provision
that is written into the measure is the
most stringent. probably, that ever was
adopted in this country. 1t reads:
'No carrier subject to the provisions
of this act shall, after Jan. 1. 1907, di-
rectly or indirectly, issue or give any
Interstate free ticket, free pass or free
transportation for passage. Any carrier
violating this provision shall be deemed
guilty of misdemaanor,. and shall, up
on conviction thereof. be punished by a
fine of not exceeding $1,000; and any
person who uses, so,icits or accepts for
himself or for any other any such In
terstate free ticket, free pass. or free
transportation shall be deemed guilty
of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction
thereof be subject to like penalty"
This provision contains no exceptions.
To i,
railroad company issuing free trans
portation to its employees. = Without
doubt 1t prevents free passes for fami-
lies OF employees or for those heretofore
privileged classes. such as local attor-
neys, surgeons, ETC.. who raised such a
serted by the Senate. Officials of rail-
way employers organizations are barred
from transportation. One railroad COM
pany may not exchange passes for It's
officials with another company. Sub
jects of charity. politicians, Statement
everybody is barred.
The Senate won on nearly every
point. having receded from but four or
five amendments.
The committee reconstructed and
transposed the oil pipeline amendment
added by the Senate. and it now reads:
"All persons or corporations engaged
in the transportation of oil by pipe
lines. or partly by pipeline and partly
by railroad. or partly by pipeline and
partly by WATER are declared common
carriers.
Senator Elkins. Chairman of the San-
ate Committee on Interstate Commerce,
gained point by having inserted in the
bill provision that common carriers be
required, upon application of any Tat
eral or branch line OF railroad" to con-
struct switches. spurs and other neces-
sary facilities to afford such lines free
access to trunk lines. This amendment
was proposed by Mr.. Elkins in the Sen
ate and rejected and a question was
raised by Senators who learned of the
change made by the conferees as to-
whether the new provision was not new
legislation and beyond the authority of
the conferees.
Senator Tillman, after a vigorous
fight, yielded the Senate amendment re-
lating to the "Jim Grow" car lines. This
amendment, which was known as the
Foraker-Warner amendment made it
the duty of Interstate carriers "to give
equally good service and accommoda-
tions to all persons paying the same
compensation" 1t was designed TO conn
pei the Interstate railroads in the South
ern States to give as good accommoda-
tions on the Jim Crow" cars provided
for colored passengers as were given to
the white passenger. Senator Foraker
first offered II. and then withdrew 1t. but
Senator Warner. CT Missouri. renewed
1t.
The negroes OF the Northern States
entered a protest against it because they
contended it gave official recognition in
the words equal accommodations" to
the "Jim Crow" car idea, and, accord
ing to their view, invited general dis
elimination between white and colored
in the Northern and Western States.
The Southern Senators made no opposi-
tion to 1t, but when the protests from
the negroes became general the Repub-
lican conferees demanded that the
amendment be dropped from tho bill.
Senator Tillman was obdurate, and the
point proved finally to be the most stub