Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-13
SELLS RAILWAY STOCKS
Massachusetts Legislature Is For .
Bill on The Order OF The Each.
Townsend Messurc-Iowans for
ship Subsidy Rlll-Patterson Quits
Committee on Elections.

support OF legislation for the control Of
railroad rates along the lines Of the
Esch-T Townsend bill OF the last session
OF congress. He said he believed the
practice Of giving rebates to be the
most serious OF all the evils complains
ed OF. He expressed the conviction
that only by legislation along tho
lines suggested could government
ownership be prevented. He said that
before entering upon an investigation
OF the question he had disposed Of his
railroad interests In order that his
inquiry might be free from bias,
Power Should Be Limited.
He suggested that the power dele-
gated to the commission should not go
beyond that of fixing a maximum rate
on freight and expressed the opinion
that there should be ample provisions
for a review OF findings OF the come
cossion by the courts. @
Objects to Present Bill.
He concluded: "There seems to be
now prophets OF a new dispensation
who wish to depart from the line
marked out by the President in his
message and accepted in the house
bill Of last year by removing SO far as
possible from the proposed law all
the proper provisions for review by
the courts. This seems to me to-
strike at the1 very heart Of the meas
lure. ! am Anxious 70 see this legisla-
fft ajsbYt / am not yet prepafee0 1oas SUI
stitute for the courts Of the United
States an executive commission,
The Right of Appeal.
Legislation cannot prevent an ap.
peal to the courts II its alleged that 4
rate is confiscatory: but this is very
narrow ground and very limited
right. A rate may not be absolutely
confiscatory and yet may be In tho
highest degree unjust and unreason-
able. and indeed well-nigh ruinous.
II am not sure that 1t would be pos
sible to deprive a citizen by legislation
OF the right to appeal to the courts as
to the justice and reasonableness Of
a given rate, which Is purely judicial
question. But no attempt ought to be
made, either directly or indirectly, by
silence or by assertion, to destroy this
privilege, or rather, this right"
Wants Railroad Inquiry.
Senator Tillman today reported
from the committee on Interstate com.
merce resolution for, an investiga-
tion Of the railroads similar to that
proposed by Representative Gillespie
in the house. 1t proposes an investiga-
tion Of the control Of the output OF
coal.
Patterson Quits Committee.
Senator Patterson today resigned as
member OF the committee on privi-s
1eges and elections and Senator Fra
zier was designated to fill the va-l
cancy.
Senator Lodge then addressed the /,
senate on the railroad rate question.
He spoke to Clay's resolution on that
subject and was listened to by an au-
dience that filed the galleries.
For the first time in two weeks Sem
ator Hepburn was in his seat when the
senate convened today. His absence
was due to an attack of appendicitis.
LIncoIn's Birthday Observed.
"A new gavel was dedicated to the
memory of Abraham Lincoln by Speak
er Cannon today In opening the house
dent was remembered in the prayer Of
the. chaplain.
Legislation for the District Of Column
bia was taken up by the house today.
49, u
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE 4
Washington Bureau Of Courier.
Washington, D. c., Feb. 12.
A slight clearing appears in the
clouded legislative sky, although not
much daylight is yet visible The
ship subsidy bill will be off the sena-
torial slate this week and the state
hood measure will then probably be-
come the unfinished business. That
the subsidy bill will pass the senate
seeems practically assured. The po-
sition of the Iowa senator's on the bill
will depend to large extent upon the
amendments offered before final pas
lsage.