The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-02-23
STANPEDED ON
RATE QUESTION
Santa Fe President Says Issue
is Not Understood
PROPOSE I'LL INADEQUATE
Dscr eStion Is the Only Charge
A. Roads Which tIas Founda-
tlo. In Fact and the Bill Does
Not Touch the Subject.

Los Angeles, February 22-President F..
p. Ripley of the Santa Fe railroad, ad-
dressed the Los Angeles Chamber of
Commerce at the annual banquet tonight
In discussing railway rate legislation
Mr. Ripley said
DO you realize how easy it is to form
what is called public opinion on any
subject? l am here to say that such
public opinion as exists in favor of rate
making by the interstate commerce COM
mission has been artihcially manufac-
tured-that the commission itself with
hankering for more power, with the aid
of one man from Milwaukee, with a
grievance started the agitation, and hav-
ing started in enllsting the power of the
President, has stampeded 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
interest In the question.
"The charge has been made that the
railroad mileage of the country is in a
few hands-that a few men can get to-
gether in New York and by a stroke
of the pen or a general order impose
advancing rates-lt Is not charged that
this was ever done but only that 1t might
be done. I know of no subject on which
the general public has been more de-
ceived, or concerning which there is
such an amount of misapprehension.
Owned by 2s,ooo Stockholders.
81 refer to the last report of the inter-
state commerce commission where you
will find 1t stated that American railroads
are owned by individual stockholders to
the number of 23s,o0o We cannot tell the
number of bondhclders, but 1t must be
much larger WNh you read that
certain man controls a railroad, you
should understand that he Is simply
chosen by a majority of the stock to rep
resent the interests of the owners
Perhaps l may also be allowed to state
here that in my judgment there are no
men more closely watched than those con-
trolling our large railroads. and no busi-
ness conducted in a more conservative
and straightforward manner.
"The railroads are today and have al
ways been opposed to the rebate system
for obvious reasons-they do not want to
give up any of their earnings, and they
have no possible object in discriminating
In favor OF any Individual, tney 90 not
care how stringent are the laws which
may be made in that regard.
Does Not Touch Discrimination.
''Of all the offenses charged against
the railroads, that of discrimination is
the only one that has any foundation in
fact. yet none of the bills proposed at
this session of congress touches this ques-
ton at all. The main feature of all the
proposed bills is the provision that the
interstate commerce commission may
name what II considers a reasonable rate,
and that such rate must at once go into
effect-there is no provision for maintain
ing the rate when it is made-and, Of
course. 1t is just as easy to pay rebates
out of rates named by the committee as
out of those named by the roads them
selves
1--WE have seen that there Is practically
no complaint as to the reasonableness
of rates. yet it is proposed to put them
In the hands of a body of men appointed
for political service without regard to At.
ness. Who of you would like to see your
business so dealt with?
'fThere are plenty of laws on the statute
books for such offenses as the railroads
have committed or may commit. Enforce
these laws to the limit before taking pos
session Of private property or putting
into a straight Jacket the one industry
that has mainly built up your commerce" ="