Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1906-02-14
CONGRESS AT WORK
What Our National Law Makers Are
Doing Day by Day.

ton reported by Mr.. Tillman from
| the Senate committee on Interstate
commerce., which directs the Inter
i state Commerce Commission to inves-
| tigate the charge Of discrimination
| and combination in restraint Of trade
made against the railroads. The adop-
ton of the resolution was preceded
by a speech by Mr.. Tillman, in which
| he practically charged that the ad-
| ministration was not proceeding in
good faith to secure railroad legisla-
ton, because he was not satisfied with
the Presidents advisers. Among
these he mentioned Secretary Root
and Senator Knox, the former Of
whom he said was an adviser of the
"magnates responsible for the devil
ment'. and the latter Of whom had
been for years attorney for the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company. Mr..
Knox contradicted the charge relative
to himself, saying that he never had
been attorney for the Pennsylvania
Railroad.
The joint resolution passed by the
Senate for the investigation Of rail
roads instructs the Interstate Com
merce Commission to inquire:
First, whether any common carriers
by railroad, subject to the Interstate
commerce act, own or have any in
terest in, by mean of stock owner
ship in other corporations, or other
wise, any Of the coal or other products
which they, or any Of them, directly
or through other companies which
they have an interest, carry over their
OR any Of their lines, as common ear
rlers.
Second, whether the officers Of any
Of the carriers aforesaid or any per-
son or persons charged with the duty
Of distributing a + or furnishing ia
%cilities to shippers are interested, Ell
Their directly or indirectly, by means
of stock ownership or otherwise, in
corporations or companies owning,
operating, leasing, or otherwise inter
ested in any coal mines, coal proper
ties, Or any other traffic over the rail
roads with which they or any Of them
are connected or by which they or
any of them are employed.
Third, whether there is any con-
tract, combination in the form of
trust or otherwise, or conspiracy in
restraint of trade or m among
the several States, in which any COM
mon carrier engaged in the transport
tation of bituminous coal or other
products is interested, Or to which it
is a party; or whether any such COM
mon carrier monopolizes or attempts
to monopolize, OF combines or con-
spires with any other carrier, COM
pany or companies, person or persons
to monopolize, any part Of the trade
or commerce in bituminous coal, or
other traffic among the several States,
or with foreign nations, and whether
or not, and if so to what extent, such
carriers or any Of them limit and con-
troll, directly OF indirectly, the output
of coal mines or the price Of coal.
Fourth, if the Interstate Commerce
Commission shall find that the facts
set forth in the three paragraphs
above do exist, then that it be fur
Their required to report as to their
effect upon the general public as con-
sumers Of such coal and other pro-
ducts.
Fifth. that said commission be also
required to investigate and report the
system Of car distribution in effect
upon the several railway lines en-
! gagged in the transportation of btu
minous coal or other products as
aforesaid, and whether said system
is fair and equitable, and whether
the same are carried out fairly and
property; and whether said carriers
Of any Of them discriminate against
shippers or parties wishing to become
shippers, ver their several lines, Ell
Their in the matter Of distribution of
ars or in furnishing Of facilities of
mstrumentalities connected with the
receiving, forwarding or carrying Of
coal as aforesaid.
The commission is also required to
report remedies for the evils if they
exist, to report any pertinent facts or
conclusions, and to make the investi-
cation at it's earliest convenience.
In the House.
The House had sport with the bill
to establish a whipping post for wife
beaters in District Of Columbia, and
then laid it on the table, effectively
~disposing Of it by a vote Of 1853 to 60.
The most impassioned speech for the
measure was delivered by Mr.. Hep
burn, of Iowa, who depicted the bru-
tality Of the man who beat his wife,
and declared that to be whipped was
hardly adequate punishment. Mr..
Adams opened the discussion with a
serious speech in favor Of the bill. All
of the opposing speeches partook Of
levity, and Mr.. Adams received more
than one fling because he is a bach
elor.
Mr.. Sims, Of Tennessee, opposing
the bill, predicted that it would get
n vote only in the House. The
President, he said, had advocated in