The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-30
OPENS
RATE BILL DEB ATE.

KATE BILL. DEBAI'l|
Continued From First Page.
hereafter every such. charge must be
not the commission has power to make
1T so. q 33 sk
The midnight Rate.
The evil of the midnight rate was
described and the remedy set forth
requiring. thirty days notice OF q
rate is d device whereby "a large ship
per notifies road that on a certain
date a large shipment will be made,
On that date the published tariff IS IS
changed for day, the shipment aea maze q, i
diately raised.
The main feature Of the bill, bearing.
on the point about which the greatest
controversy has been had and the one
which Mr.. Townsend believes lies at
the foundation Of the whole question,
is that which gives the commission
power, upon complaint and after full
hearing, to substitute reasonable
maximum rate in place of one found
to be unjust or unreasonable.
"a Opposition Conferred.
Mr., Townsend went at length into.
this phase of the proposed legislation
weight of the opposition had been,
directed, he explained, and this oppo.
sition had been based alike on The,
questioned constitutionality, the im-
possibility for the commission to find
q just rate and the injury such find n !:
ing would entail alike on business, the
railroads and the widows and orphaned
shareholders.
In the broader view of the question
and in the correct conclusion on any
of these phases he saw but one answer
that to require the railroads to be;
just and reasonable could not harm
anyone, while it would benefit all.
4 AS showing how deep were the fears
of the railroad world, he stated: 200
miles Of road had been built during
and up to. June 80 orders for more than
2OO,OO0,000 worth Of railroad equip
ment. had been placed. VII
While the number of commissio ners
is increased by two, and their salaries
raised to $4,000 "a year, Mr.. Town
send expressed the belief that when
the law was once established the duties
of the commission would decrease
rather than increase. The railroads,
he suggested, would. doubtless realize
the business of the law and fix their
rates with reference to 1t.
Power of Commission. %.
He realized fully the great power
that was conferred upon the commits
sion and believed the higher salary
only an adequate compensation for men
of the character needed.
re- The provisions expediting the bust.
ness of the commission" and the cases IN
the courts growing ont Of the operation
sof the law, he regarded ,as,yitaE The
courts are to pass simply onszthe va
\ fidity Of the decisions, andt the appeal
to the supreme court will be on the
question as to whether a given rate
fixed by the commission is or is not
While Mr.. Townsend regarded tho
question as in no sense political, he
expressed himself as pleased that the
republican party has taken it up. He
arraigned the means employed by the
opposition to- rate legislation. s,-s. '''"
: War, Against Roosevelt.
80, me. it has .seemed,'f he said;
made to discrcdit the administration in
various matters in order ito direct at
tention from this great question and
I have no doubt that delay will be
caused wherever possible in the vain
hope that something yet will happen to
younger, and most humble republicans
in fha house" at o6r Onish NV no IT "
associates in both houses that this CITES
ton will not down, nor will it much
longer brook delay. The people have
spoken and every day to us their de-
,mand is more imperative. The day Of
grace may be passed and the unpardon-
able sin Of trifing with duty may not
be condoned even with death-bed re.
| pentanee. = il: H.
:. Temporizing will bring nothing but
blings Of discomfort, : and socialism
smiles with satisfaction with every de.
! lay. .
| -, Sees Anarchy's Perils.
| CIRCULATION Of a public servant is
not departure from the principles
of, popular government; but disregard
Of a righteous law and Indifference to
legal restrictions imposed to protect the
/ peop1o IlSuCS, Is uIOIo Ludu SOCIALISM,,
it is anarchy, and were I railroad
agent instead Of a-people' s representa-,
tive, I would hail the proposed ;legis.
lation as a salvation to my master from
the fate which an indignant people is
sure to visit upon the corporations who
believe that they are above and beyond
the law and seek to become law unto
themselves. SIS So -:Sss ~ IS
! "Let the Law pass Mr., Townsend
concluded, '|and let the railroads, heeo
it's provisions, and instead of retardins
its rexecution, aid in its operation. anc
then, instead of being the objects 4>o1
suspicion and hatred, they will be re
and prosperity. Rate legislation vii
enter into history, or>its entry ywill no
be. marked by any business distur
Dances, but rather It will Indicate thu
beginning Of an era Of better feeling
between the. railroads and the people
an era of equal rights and opportuni
ties under just and impartial law. -
ESCAPES FOR WEST