The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-01
.DOLLIVER OPENS
! FOR HEPBURN BILL
Iowa Senator Addresses the Sen
ate on Railroad Rate
Reform.
Declares Measure Fortiies the
Law, and Rebukes Fight on
the Bill.

Washington, March THAT interest
in the railroad rate question continues
undated was made manifest again to-
day by the large audience which
greeted Mr.. Dolliver from the senate
galleries when he rose to speak on the
Dolliyer-Hepburn bill. From the first
OF the policy Of giving the interstate
commerce commission full authority,
and the friends Of the house bill have
expected him to take leading part in
pressing the consideration Of the meas
ure, Notwithstanding it has been placed
in charge Of another senator. His was
the first speech made in support Of the
He began with q compliment to Mr..
Cullom, of whom he spoke as the father
OF Interstate commerce legislation, and
presented to the last congress. He
also referred to the fact that Messrs
Foraker and Elkins had formerly intro
duced bills giving to the interstate COM
mission sthe same powers conferred in
the pending bill.
Give Credit Where Due.
~ do this, - he said, g for the ldou-
BILE purpose Of giving credit where it
IS due and to protect us against the
sneers that one hears in. the senate cor
ridors over the acceptance Of bill
hastily forced upon US by the other
house,
He congratulated the country that
the measure was not partizan and said
it was, fortunate that mock armies
were not to be marched forth to be
set against each other by the party
leaders.
The senator then outlined the bill,
pointing out wherein it amends the ex.
listing interstate laws, saying that
after all, the changes were compare.
lively few.
INSTEAD of undermining the law
the bill fortlfies it, he said, and he
declared that if the present law had
sanctay it deserved, the 5 American
| people would have approached the sub
lect in frame of mind different from
that which now prevails.
Private Car Abuses.
He said that the railroad companies
were unable to protect themselves
against the "tlagrant abuses' of thu
private car companies under Section )
Of the present law. He had not ia
vored the abolition Of these cars, but ht
} did believe that the car companies
should be regulated by making respon
sible the railroad com panies employing
them.
Speaking of the Interstate commerce
commission, he discussed Judge Gross
= cups recommendation for a specif
. court, but he did not accept the theor,
advanced for the reason that he consid
, cred the present machinery sufficien
, for all purposes. He recognized tn
, fact that it had become fashionable t
, speak. shghtingly of the interstat
commission. and defended that bod
against such attacks. He expressed tn
| opinion that if the lawyers had deal
/ as fairly with the commission as wit
the courts the result would have bee
: better.
No Long Conflict.
3 Mr.. Dolliver declared he did not g,
: pect a protracted vendetta between tt
9 railroads and the business communit
+ believing that when the law was enac
ed it would be observed by carrier an
, shipper alike. He predicted that wit
in five years there would be boards
arbitration in every traffic center Of tt
country, so that appeals to the commi
: sion would be the rule rather than tt
] exception.
q He recognized the fact that the que
= ton of appeal to the courts from II
'' orders of the commission was the ba
8, tleground, and he declared that, as tt
y bill stands, it leaves the door to tt
courts open for the protection Of {
constitutional rights.
He temporarily left that point al
I took up the rebate question, saying tn
II he did not agree with either Mr.. For
. ker or Mr.. Bacon, that the secret pra
- tees have been abandoned. He
y not believe the. Elkins bill adequate f
g protection against these practices.
"The difficulty about rebates is n
Is in Furnishing violations of the law,'
!, said, "but IN discovering them, a.
q we have undertaken to amend the IL
IS so as to cover that defect.''