Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-02-13
: : 59TH CONGRESS.
Senate Still Discussing Railroads.
House Kills Whipping Posts
for Wife Beaters' Bill.
IN THE SENATE.

| today adopted Il joint resolution re-
r"rted by Mr.. Tillman from the Sen
ate committee on int r-state commerce
Which directs the Interstate commerce
commission to investigate the charge
of discrimination and combination in
| restraint of trade made against the
railroads. The adoption Of the reso-
| luton was preceded 10y a speech by
Mr.. Tiilman in which he practically
charged that the administration was
| not proceeding in good faith to secure
railroad legislation. because he was not
satisfied with the Presidents advisers
Among these he mentioned Sec. Root
and Senator Knox. the former of
whom he said was an adviser of the
'magnates responsible for the devil
| ment' and the latter of whom had
been for years attorney for the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company.
Mr.. Knox contradicted the charge
relative to himself. saying that he new
er had been attorney for the Penn
sylvania Railroad.
Mr.. Lodge also spoke at length on
the railroad question. He delivered a
carefully prepared speech, in which he
eCcN PooitiOll lpl SoN Cl
latiOn of rates, but advised the utmost
caution against too radical action. He
| expressed the opinion that the giving
O. rebates was practically the only evil
existing in connection with the rail-
road systems of the country.
For the first time in two weeks, Hey
burn was in his seat when the Senate
was called to order today. His absence
has been due to an attack of appendi-
citiS from which he has almost recOv-
cred.
Patterson resigned as a member of
the committee on privileges and cleo
tons and Frazer was designated to
the vacancy. Lodge then addressed the
Senate on the railroad rate question. H
spoke to Mr.. Clay's resolution Oh that
subject and was listened to by an au-
dience that filled the galleries.
Lodge announced his support of leg
islation for the control of railroad rates
along the lines of the Enoch-Townsend
bill Of last session and said that he be-
lieved the practice of giving rebates
to bc the most serious of all the evils
complained of. He expressed the con-
viction that only by legislation along
the liEe could government ownership
be prevented. He said that before en-
tering upon the investigation of the
question, he had disposed of his rail-
road interests in order that his inquiry
might be free from bias. He expressed
the opinion that the rate question was
second only as all economical problem
to the financial question and one of
the most important ever before Con-
gress. All We're agreed he said as to
what we as people desired to do but
the differences arose over the method
Of proceeding. He was convinced that
there We're evils to be remedied in con-
nection with the transportation system
but the problem consisted in finding
just means Of dealing with them.
He passed over as an established fact
the right of Congress to legislate for
the regulation Of the railroads. The
grievances against the roads he divid-
into three classes as follows:
He quoted statistics to show that
freight rates are lower in the United
States. than in any other country and
concludes that il on other grievances
was presented there would be no cause
for legislation and that in mater of
discrimination between localities it was
very difficult to interfere in behalf
of one place without doing injustice to
Others
But the, only way to accomplish any
thing was for the government to as
sumo supervision of rate making. He
admitted the difficulty in dealing with
the problem. said the fixing of rates by
the government would not cure the evil
and concluded that that could be eff
fected only by provision Of the pun
ishment of those who violated the law
by giving rebates. Regarding rebates
he said: 1.-THE rebates have been
wrong and injustice to the people and
serious injury to the railroad them
selves. I don't think that it would be
possible to pass legislation too drastic
for the purpose Of stopping thee dis
ordinations between persons. We
have a law now upon the statute books
which. so far as prohibition can go,
ought to be sufficient. It undoubtedly
has largely checked rebates but it has
not stopped them entirely. To make
the law. thoroughly efficient we ought
10 ADD. IN my judgment, tnree prOvlS-
ions. He should restore the former pen
alties of the Interstate Commerce law
which should not have been repealed
and make these secret evasions of the
published rates punishable by imprlson-
ment and that penalty ought to be
provided in any law which we pass"
Lodge reviewed the experience of
other governments. including most Of
the European countries. Canada and
Australia in government control Of
rate making and added:
"This examination shows us that it is
not only entirely possible to abolish all
determinations between persons-that
is, all rebates or undue preferences
but that this has been actually and eff
fectively accomplished in other coun-
tries 1t is not necessary to different