Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-23

press an opinion as to how they would
probably like the performance.
But, to be serious, do you realize
how easy it is to form what is called
public opinion upon any subject?
am here to say that such public
opinion as exists in favor of rate maxi
ing by the interstate commerce COM
mission has been artificially manufac-
tured-that the commission itself, with
a hankering for more power with the
aid of one man from Milwaukee with
a grievance, started the agitation and,
having succeeded in enlisting the pow
erful aid of the president, has stam-
peded the country and at least one
branch of congress. 1t is my belief
that not one person in a hundred
throughout the country has any inter-
est In the question.
Hits Yellow Journals
"Six or seven years ago certain
gentleman conceived the idea that the
general government should engage in
irrigating the arid lands of the country.
The idea was a good one, but when
he went to Washington he found abso-
lutte Indifference among those members
of congress who did not actively OPP
pose him. Any other man would have
been discouraged, but this man 'ap-
pealed to the people'-that is, he start
ed a campaign and spent much money
in printers ink, with the result that
he kindled such a fire under the mem
bers of congress that they did not
dare to oppose his scheme.
1.-THE same sort of thing has, I re-
peat, been done with regard to rail-
way rate legislation.
1.-The influences at work have been:
First. The interstate commerce
commission itself, lustful for more
power.
Second. The yellow papers. and the
still yellower cheap magazines seek
ing additional circulation by sensa-
tional attacks on railroad policies and
methods.
"Third. One man from Milwaukee,
insistent and persevering and with
real grievance; and last. though not
least, the powerful influence of the
president of the United States. I af-
firm toward him profound respect and
admiration, and entire confidence in his
motives, but he sometimes commits
himself without full consideration.
Says Rates Are Not High
"I think the agitation of the rate
question may be said to have started
with the report of the interstate com
merce commission in the spring of 1904.
This report stated that rates had been
advanced by reason of changes in clas-
previous year to $155, 900, ,000 OF course.
this was ridiculous, and the statistican
of the commission subsequently admit
ted that his estimate was about 100
per cent higher than it should have
been.
"As a matter of fact. during the year
dealt with in that report the increase
in prices of labor and fuel alone more
than equaled all advances in rates,
and over the larger part of the country
rates were not advanced at all.
"The interstate commission has IT.
self stated on several occasions that
as a whole there is little or no COM
plant as to the reasonableness of the
rates. AS a matter of fact, the claim
that rates on American roads are the
lowest in the world has not been serl-
ously disputed, and undoubtedly Is cor
rect. The average rate per ton per
mile was in 1870, 1.99 cents; In 1889,
1922 OF cent; in 1903, .763 of cent.
"The interstate commission was es-
tablished In 1887 In the entire eigh-
teen years 1t has had before 1t but
351 cases involving charges of exorbi-
tant rates. an average OF nineteen a
year. OF these only 139 cases were de-
cided by the commisston-an average
of eight per year-all OF the others
having been withdrawn or otherwise
disposed of.
Denies One Man Control
Next we come to the charge that
the railway mileage of the country is
I'm few hands-that a few men can get
together in New York and by stroke
of the pen or general order impose
enormous burden on the country by ad-
vancing rates. 1t is not charged that
this was ever done, but only that 1t
might be done. 1 know OF no subject