Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-08
ASKS FOR AN INQUIRY
Governor Dawson Complains OF
Railway Domination.
IN THE GRASP OF A TRUST
Says West Virginia's Development is
Restricted.
MATTER DISCUSSED IN SENATE
Mr.. Elkins Declares That State Law
Affords Adequate Remedy-BiH
to Pension Photographers.
IN THE GRASP OF A TRUST
MATTER DISCUSSED IN SENATE

There was a larger attendance IN the
Senate galleries today than usual, owing 10
the expectation that there would be some
revival of yesterdays scenes over MT.
Patterson's caucus resolution.
Mr. TiIlman opened the proceedings or
the day by referring to petition previous
,v presented by him from the Red Rock
Fuel Company of West Virginia. complain
ing that the Baltimore and Ohio company
had refused to permit that company to
connect its tracks with those of the Balti-
more and Ohio, thus, as Mr. Tfllman ex-
pressed 1t, ''bottling up the company" He
said that at the time Mr.. Elkins had said
there was a remedy under the state laws or
West Virginia He then presented letter
from Governor Dawson of West Virginia,
complaining of the difficulty in administer
in gthe laws. The governor added:
Practical Control by a Railway.
at may be that the Pennsylvania Rail
road Company does not legally own con-
trolling part of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company or the Chesapeake ana
Ohio Railway Company or the Norfolk and
Western Railway Company, but L have
no doubt that an investigation will show
that the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
practically controls these three great trunk
lines which traverse West Virginia ana
which are the only means WHEREBY the plo-
ducts OF this state, including coal, can De
shipped either to the lakes in the west, or
other markets in the east. Hence, II IS
fact that West Virginia today Is In the
grasp of railroad trust, which practically
says what part of the state shall be de-
veloped and what shall not he developed,
how much coal shall be shipped out OF the
state to what points or ports 1t shall DE
shipped and when ii shall be shipped. or
course. it makes its own rates and we are
helpless The Pennsylvania railroad is very
largely interested in the production or
shipment of bituninous coal; it will natur-
ally look after its own interest and the
interest of the people along its lines In
Pennsylvania and elsewhere first of all,
and therefore the interests of West Viz
ginia are sUbordinated to the interests of
those others and our railroads upon which
we are dependent are controlled nv an alien
corporation practically in competition with
us"
The governor closed by requesting an Off
cial Investigation into the state of affairs,
and Mr.. Tillman said that he would move
for such an investigation but for the fact
that the House was moving in that Girec-
tion. He said that as the letter came from
the republican governor of the state it was
of transcendent Importance and he did not
see how an investigation could be refused,
and unless the House should move in the
matter he would ask the Senate to order an
inquiry.
Remedy in State Law.
Mr.. Elkins said that there was a state law
affording an adequate remedy by mandamus
for such conditions as those represented,
but that shippers hesitated to employ ii. He
suggested that the governors letter be re-
ferred to the committee on interstate COM
merce. and it was so referred.
Mr.. Foraker expressed the hope that there
would be an Investigation along the lines
suggested by Gov. Dawson. He said that
the governors complaint went to the heart
OF the railroad trouble all over the country.
and he expressed the opinion that a remedy
for the evil complained of would do more
to solve the problem than anything else.
Mr.. Gardner on Pensions.
In presenting the pension appropriation
bill Mr.. Gardner detailed an interesting
array of information concerning pensions
Forty years after the civil war, he says,
the pension appropriation is at its maxi
mum. There are 100000 pensions, all but
81. 42I of them from that war, with an an
nual roll of S139,000,o0O. In the -, 424 are
represented veterans of all other wars the
country ever had.
The civil war cost $4,000 600. Up to
the present time half as much again has
been paid out for pensions, and Mr. Gard
ner predicts that before the end of its
pension roll comes the first cost of the war
viii have been equaled In twenty years
from now he predicts the pension rolls will
contain half a million names, of which
l32.4i4 viii be chargeable to the Spanish
American war. At the present time he
says. the pension roll costs the government
Just one-fourth Of all other expenses
In 1851, one year after the civil war, the
interest on the public debt was s143, Isl. 591,
and the pension roll $50 1913 551 Now these
two items are practically reversed as to
amount. Mr. Gardner compared this pen
sion roll Of Sl%9.0O0.Ooo to that OF France.
with an annual expenditure or SIG, 600. eco:
Germany $2I.OOO,0o0: Austria-Hungary.
100000. and Great Britain. s9.0OO.G00. As
10 Spanish war veterans he said today
there were more of them on the pension
rolls than were in Skaters entire army
IN Cuba.
The necessity OF enactlng the Presidents
order No. as into law. Is provided for I'm the
bill was explained by Mr. Gardner This
order was intended automatically and TO
make age the only proof of disability. Com
missioner Warner had found the order in
conflict with statute provision. and 1t
thereby robbed OF its operation.
BY eliminating surgeons fees Mr.. Gard
ner estimated that by enacting the order
into law money would be saved the gov
ernment and benefit extended the veterans
The amendment he regarded as a virtual
service pension law, saying in time II would
place every soldier OF the civil war on the
pension roll at a maximum pension of So
a month.
MIR Hale from the committee on appro-
priatIons. reported the urgent deficiency
appropriation bill and gave notice that he
would tomorrow ask the Senate to take
it up.
The railroad rate bill was received from
the House of Representatives but the SEN
ators generally We're not made aware Of it's
arrival The bill was referred to the COM
mittec on interstate commerce.
To Pension War Telegraphers
Mr.. Scott addressed the Senate at some
length In support of the bill placing tele-
graph operators of the civil war on PEN
sionable status. He paid n high tribute to
these men. saying they had been subjected
TO many OF the requirements of soldiers and
granted few OF their privileges. He assert
ed that while they had necessarily been in
trusted with all the important secrets of the
civil war. not one of them had Ter been
known to betray the confidence OF the
corps engaged I'm 1S6l-5 only $50 survive.
At the close of Mr.. SCOTS speech the bill
was passed
The Senate then took up the calendar and
passed large number of private pension
bills. and also the following:
Providing for the erection OF a federal
building at Fernandina, Fla, and appro-
priating 100000 for the purpose.
Authorizing the withdrawal OF lands
needed for town site purposes in connec-
tion eth irrigation projects
A bill authorizing the use of ST. 10000 of
the reclamation fund ba araf