The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-02-24

ccptiou and banquet OF the Los Angeles Cham
her Of Commerce tonight President f. P. Rip
ley OF the Santa Fe was the principal speaker
His subject Rate Legislation
Mr.. Ripley's Speech
In discussing railway rate legislation. Mr..
Ripley said.
DO YOU realize how easy it ls to form what
! am here 70 say that such public opinion as
eXisto in fGvor OF rate making hy the Inter-
state Commerce commission has been a'tin-
ciolly manufactured-that the commission u
self, with hankerIne for more power. with
tho aid OF one man from Milwaukee with n
grievance. started the agitation. and having
started in snllsting the powerful aid Of the
President hos stampedcd the country and at
cost one branch OF Congress 1t is my belief
that not person in hundred, throughout
the country has any interest In the question
The charge has been made that tho railway
mileage OF the country Is in q few hands-that
few men can get together in Now York and
by stroke OF the pen general order. I'M
pose enormous burden the country by ad-
Nnncing rate5-it is not charged that this
ever done, but only thar II might BE- done. /
know OF no subject on which the general pub
lie has been deceived. or conceIvlng
which there Is such amount OF misappre-
htRslon.
Those Who Control Roads.
II refer you to tho last report Of the Inter
state Commerce commission where you will
md II stated that American railroads
owned by individual stockholders to the num-
bcr OF 32So0O. We cannot teh the number OF
tondholdcrs. but IL must be much larger.
When you read that certain man controls
railroad. you should understand that he Is
simply chosen by majority OF tho stock 10
represent the interests Of the owp9Ts.
Perhaps L may also be allowed state
here TINT In my judgment there are 40 men
In the country more closely watched than
tlose controlling our large railroads. and no
business conducted in moro conservative and
Straightforward manner
The railroads ore today and hnve always
been opposed to rebate system. for various OBJ
rious reaSons-thcy do not want TO give up
any OF their earnings and they have no posi-
ble object to discriminate in favor of any IN
the laws which may be made in that regard.
Railroad Discrimination.
"of all tn, ofrenscs charged against tho
railroads, that OF discrimination Is the only
ono thot has any foundation in fact set mono
OF the bills proposed at this session Of Congress
touches this question at all
The main feature OF all the PROPOSED bills
IL the provision that tho Interstate Commerce
commission may name what IL considers a
reasonable rate. and that such rate must al
once 20 into effect There is 10 provision To-
IIIair,uhhs ll,, INC rato when It is Elado-nnd Of
course II IL Just as easy 10 pay rebates out of
rates named 10y tho commission na out OF those
hnmed by the roads themselves.
VIC nave secn that there Is practically no
complaint as to tho roaSonablenecs og rntss
yet IL is proposed 10 put them in Inc ha,5s 81
q body OF men appointed 3oi. political sar1.lce
without regard TO fitness. Which OF you wouId
IKE TO see your business dealt with ?
ihefe arc plenty OF lnws on the atatute
o"oks ior ouch oncnscs the railroads hnye
laws 10 the limit, boforo taking rosSssstor os
private property. or putting into n a,rni,hy -
Jacket tho one industry that has moini, b,,iI,
up your commerce"