The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-07
GILLESPIE KICKS
OVER THE TRACES
Declares Answer to Res.
olution an Insult;
To Try Again.
ORATORY WASTED
I'm OPPOSITION
Strongest Speeches on Rate Regu-
lation Have Been Delivered
BY Those Against Adopt
ing Measurc-Con-
federate Flags to
BE Returned.

from our Regular Correspondent

tTrom our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON. ID. c., February O.
The House will vote on tho bill to reg
nlnte RAILWAY rates on Thursday. The
bill Will not pass unanimously, but 1t
Will have large majority, az IL re-
tcived the unnnimDus endorsement of
the Democrats and Republicans of the
Committee on Interstate Commerce.
The best speeches which have been
madc in the House on tho rate bill have
been those made In opposition to the
measure The speech made by Repre-
sentative Littieficld. or Maine. opposing
the bill. was "a very clear discussion of
the principles involved, as well as of
the effects which, he said. were bound
to follow the enactment OF the measure
into law. Representative Fhi:Call OF
Massachusetts. also made wonderfully
strong argument against the bill. and
even General Grosyenor, Of Ohio. one
OF tho Republican leaders OF the House,
took several ElIots Mt IL and tllt the
center every tirnt But lie Will vote for
1t. he said and 1t Is possible that Mr..
1.ittlefieid will do the sainciB But Mr.. Nc
Call viii vote against IT, az he did at the
last session.
Would Kill Chief Industry.
\ prominent lawyer of the South who
f. general counsel for one of the great
railroad Systems Of that section. recently
opposed rate legislation on the ground
that IL would be extremely hurtful to
I,,ta to In ,1attt nv oh
fact that Southern railways had been
SPECIALLY solicitous IN the matter OF de-
veioping the manufacturing Of cotton
goods in the South. and for that purpose
had made u very low rate on the manu-
featured fabrics in order TO get them
into the Northern markets. The logical
sequence az regulation of sates by the
government, he claimed, was II distance
tarfn-that Is. Il fiat rate OF so much
per mile. The enactment OF n Law OF this
kind or the pursuit OF such policy. he ar
cued, would kill the development OF the
Southern cotton mill industry by causing
the railroads OF the South TO discontinue
The low rates made on southern cotton
goods.
Il, IL remarkable that Sir. Ii:tlofeld.
representing great manufacturing dis
trict OF Maine. and speaking for The man
ufacmring interests OF New England gen
frflilN. llstNft iil'f.' All ~
similar to the one made by the Southern
man. and yet reached such an entirely
different conclusion.
Mr.. Littlefield said that If the pending
bill became law the preferential. which
the railroads gave TO cotton from the
Southern plantations to the cotton mills
Of New England would have 10 cease; that
cotton was brought to New England mills
now at a much lower rate OF freight than
was charged. proportionately, on cotton
brought from nearby cotton fields to
Southern cotton mills. The effect of the
abolition of this preferential. he said,
would be the destruction of the cotton
mill industry OF New England.
Help Yourself Literally.
There you are. The Southern lawyer
says that the rate regulation bill will
destroy the Southern cotton mills. The
Northeastern representatives asserts that
the enactment of the bill into statute will
mean the destruction of the cotton mills
of New England. The average citizen will
make some kind of choice between the
two views; probably. Possibly he will
follow the example OF the old Virginia
judge. who, when the lawyers had
summed up for plaintiff and defendant.
respectively. charged the jury.
Gentlemen of the jury, If you believe
what the lawyer for the plaintiff has told
you, you must find for the plaintiff. If
you believe what you have heard from
the lawyer for the defendant. you must
find for the defendant. But If you nre
like am, and don't believe darn word
either one OF them has told you, l don't
know what in the hi you will do
"Pennsy Guilty But Not Proven"
Guilty, but not proven" is the verdict
which Representative Gillespie thinks re-
suited from tho adoption of his rcsolu-
ton to investigate the conditions under
which the PENNSYLVANIA controls the
Chesapeake and Ohio and the Norfolk
and Western and tho Baltimore and Ohio
and other railway lines In a speech
in the House to-day Mr.. Gillespie de-
clared that evidence of control was seen
all around him; that is. that it was
plainly evident IN the sections through
which the subsidiary lines ran. Flo de-
clared that the combine was killing the
coal industry, driving the independent
operator from business, and compelling
the consumer to pay enormous prices for,
his coal.
There is said to be in preparation at
the Department of Justice a report to be
made to. the Attarney-General as to
whether there is ground for tire prosecll-
ton Of the Pennsylvania beca,Ns OF its
alleged control Of tho three lines. Moth
ing could he learned mt the Department.
to-day regarding the truth Of this rumor.
K 1T is known, however, that there is talk
of the Introduction of n. bill, possibly by
Representative Gillespie. which will pro-,
hibit stockholders of road being stock
holders in a competing line, or, at least,
which will prevent directors of one road
serving in ~ simalr capacity in connec-
ton with a competing line.
Will Renew Fight.
The fight for the purpose of locating
the control OF the Chesapeake and Ohio.
tho Norfolk and Western and the Balti-
more and Ohio, which Representatives Gill
lespie Initiated in his resolution last