The Washington times., 1906-08-29
COWAN HERE TO TEST POWER
OF INTERSTATEC COMMERCELAW
Man Who Contributed Most to Laws Framing Seeks
Through Its Provisions to Pare Annual Millions OFF
Western Railroad Earnings.

Bright and early on the morning Of
the day that tho new railroad rate law
took effect. Judge Samuel II. Cowan, or
Fort Worth, Tex, landed in Washington
to start a few big proceedings under it,
Judge Cowan probably knows more
about this rate law than any other one
nan. because he contributed more 20
the shaping Of it than any other one.
II is called the Hepburn bill and its
first draft came from the Interstate
Commerce Commission, going through
the hands Of Senator Dolliver TO The
Senate committee and the House eo"-
mittoe. But il is none the less true that
Judge Cowan was adviser 10 everybody
who had to do with framing the meas
urc from beginning to end. II repre-
sents. as to the machinery Of rate max
ing ard prevention. Eis
theory.
Tho law he'd been in effect only about
ten hours when Judge Cowan got busy
TO pare down the revenues Of certain
Western railroads a few million dollars
year. He is general counsel for the
Cattle Raisers' Association Of Texas.
which really IS the Southwestern cat
tie interest. For years he has been
fighting COR legislation such as has pass
ed He contributed as much as any one
person 70 getting the arrangement by
which the Democrats sgreed to stand for
the measure. in the House committee
and aftcrward in the House. and make
IL nOn-paruHan.
For Cattle RaiseTs.
For years Judge Cowan has been
struggling. on behalf Of the Southwest
eru cattle interests. to get the rates or
livestock reduced. In March 1908, the
Tlad- fU rrr southwest increased the
rate % Chicago Q cents per hundred. It
meant about 1880 0oJ a year additional
rcyeuu. To Jlrm. C0Wau opposed IL. aHI
secured from the commission decision.
a few months ago, that the advance was
unreasonable and unfair. The c0Umis-
sion didn't have any power at that time
20 enforce IN order to rescind tle adj
vance. ana so IT was agreed that as
LEGISLATION seemed likely. the order
should wait till the new law was in
force. Then the commission would issue
the order. ard q test would ~ once be
made under the law o. its right 70 fix
& rate.
Judge Cowan's first action, therefore,
was 10 file @ petition asking that the
commission 1Ow order such further
hearing as may be necessary ana then
issue an order I'm the premises. Thus IL
tu-us out that the first case Involving
directly ,he question of the power of
the commission 10 fix rate, under the
new law. viii be handled by the most
experienced lawyer. probably. in the en-
tire country IN this especial class Of
work.
Charges for Switching.
A second case Of large Importance was
also fled by Judge Cowan. which viii
give the commission a chance TO en-
ploy its new powers ar another point
On behalf of the live stock people for
a long time he has been trying 20 estab-
Ush that the s. per car switching charge
AT Chicago is too large. The commis-
sion finally decided that the charge
ought 10 be 81 instead of g. per car but
issued no order because doubtful wheth-
er it could be enforced under the old
law So Judge C0wan has pet.ioEed
that this case likewise he reopened, ad-
ditioual hearings be held and a deci-
sion and order issued This case means
the prying Of another big slice of rev
enue out of the railroad Golfers II VIII
save the stockmen Of Iowa alone about