Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-17
FAVOR RATE CONTROL
The National Board of Trade
Adopts Resolutions.
AFTER HEATED ARGUMENT
Proceedings Against Railroads to
Originate in Courts.
MASS OF REPORTS PRESENTED
Tariff and Reciprocity Discussed at
Length-Delegates Believe Ding
ley Law Sufficiently Elastic.
MASS OF REPORTS PRESENTED

| ley Law Sufficiently Elastic.
That power should be given to
| the interstate commerce commits
sion to compel the substitution of
a reasonable maximum railroad
freight rate, when such is deemed
| by the commission to be necessary,
subject to the revision of the proper
federal court, was the sense of a
resolution passed almost uEani-
mously by the National Board of
Trade at its meeting here this fore
noon. Severe punishment in cases
of violation of the regulations was
also recommended in the resolu-
ton.
| Debates upon questions of the utmost i'm
| portance to the members and to the COM
| mercal interests of the country occupied
| the time of the National Board of Trade
| at It's session In the New Willard Hotel
| this morning. Resolutions in regard to
| railroad rates. tariff and reciprocity, govern
| mental control of interstate insurance, the
| American merchant marine and a number
| of other national questions were passed
| after earnest consideration and open ex-
| pressions OF opinion
| The meeting was called to order at 10
| o'clock by President ]. ]. Sullivan, who oc-
cupied the chair throughout the proceed
| ings and was kept busy enforcing the rules
| of debate. The railroad rate question.
| which was thrashed in committee until
| after midnight last night was OF the great
| est Importance to the board and was there
| fore considered first
Favor Rate Legislation.
The following resolution was introduced
| by Mr.. William NJ Coates of Philadelphia,
| chairman of the committee interstate
| commerce, bearing the signatures of every
| member of the committee:
The National Board of Trade, believing
| that the interests of the people demand not
| only that the rates of transportation should
| be reasonable and that there shall be no
unjust determinations or preferences, but
| also that there shall be effective govern
mental supervision of all interstate trans
| portaticn agencies. expresses the earnest
hope that Congress will in its wisdom, and
speedily as possible, enact such further
| legislation as may be necessary, with JUS
| uce to all concerned, TO secure prompt and
| complete correction of any abuses in trans
| portation methods or operations which
may, upon due inquiry, be found to exist;
| and. to that end that rebates and personal
| determinations, in whatever form they may
occur and by whatever device they may be
| accomplished, be prohibited; the corpora
! tions and individuals who in any manner
| participate in them be subjected to severe
| penalties, and the most effective machinery
| practicable be provided for their detection
and punishment; also believing that the
government ShOn6 in he Of he
general public. including the purchasers Of
| transportation well as the carriers DOS
! sess means to prevent the naming of ex-
| ceSSive ia ties in the schedules 1t is recon-
| mended that whenever a United States
| court of competent jurisdiction, upon com
! plant of the interstate commerce commits
| sion (Which complaint shall be given pre-
| cedence), shall have determined that an ex-
| isting rate is excessive, the commission or
| some other competent authority, be given
| power to compel the substitution of a rea-
| sonabie maximum rate, such rate to go into
effect within reasonable time md to remain
| in force for such period, not longer than one
| year, as may be determined, the rate so
| fixed to be subject to revision in the proper
| federal court upon proof that such rate Is
! less than reasonable compensation"
| The signers are William NJ. Coates, H E
| T'remaine, Clinton White, J. A. Kendrick
! Samuel G. Douglas, Charles S. Martin, Ell
| more s. Banks. James F. Parker F. B.
! Thurber. II. Lee Early, Daniel Davenport
| n. B. Kelly. w. T. Robinson, II. r. New
| comb, James Richard Carter, Horace VIII
| son.
Arguments Presented.
Mr.. n. e. Kelly OF the Philadelphia
| Trades League, a. member of the committee,
| read carefully prepared argument in favor
| of government control of railroad rates and
| in general approved the committees reso-
| luton delegating the power to fix rates
under judicial supervision to the interstate
| commerce commission. He did not, how
| ever, go SO far as to say how the judicial
| supervision should be exercised. He op-
posed all socialistic tendencies, but did not
| think this proposition smacked of socialism
| in the least.
James F. Parker of the New York nro
| duce exchange explained that he had signed
! the measure as compromise. He and the
organization he represents, he declared are
| directly opposed to the principle of giving
rate making power to the commission
1T is impracticable," he said, for ii will
| force railroads and other business interests
| using the roads to delays which will be
very detrimental Furthermore. / believe 1t
| is wrong to take from the railroads the
right of fixing their own freight rates"
At this point opposition to the commit
tees resolution developed Mr. j II Nc
Hugh of Cincinnati introduced a substi-
| tute recommended by the Cincinnati
| chamber of commerce, declaring he did
| not favor any compromise measure.
Let us stand with the President" said
he Let us stanl with the cabinet and
with the people of the United States; or
| else let come out flat-footed against
| them The country is becoming educated
and knows what it wants.
Pointing to the Potomac river visible
| through the window he said:
over yonder is a mighty stream flow
| ing to the sea You might as well try to
| stop it with your foot to try to stem
| this movement. The railroads will not
| be injured. They can always take care
| of their rights. The commission had this
| power once before and you heard of no
harm from 1t. This is a serious question.
and we ought 90 be on the proper side
| the side of the majority in the country"
| He spoke earnestly and held the atten-
| ton of the entire body.
The Cincinnati Resolution.
The resolution of the Cincinnati chamber
| OF commerce is as follows:
| This body specifically agrees with Presi
| dent Roosevelt that the only constitutional
and effective method for the supervision of
/ rates, classifcations and practices Is by
| amending the Interstate commerce act so
| as to provide that the interstate commerce