The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-03-20
MELLEN DENOUNCES
 HEPBURN RATE BILL
Continued from First Page.)


 What the effect would have been up- on the business of this country had the present interstate commerce commits sion possessed the authority 1t is so urgently seeking at the present time, with the records of above 95 per cent of its contested decisions reversed by the courts, can better be imagined than described.
 A sort of promissory note Is now pro- posed, to be met by the carriers, in payment for an additional grant of au- thority, which we have the right to be- lieve would be equally well interpreted and mis-used
 Benedict Arnold had thought of no greater damage to the interests of this section than it is possible to cause through the powers granted in this bill, and you must consider not so much the disposition of those framing it as the measure of the grant it contains. Give the power and man will come forward at some time to exercise it.
 Under existing laws, amended to in- clude car companies and other carriers not now subject to the Interstte Con- merce act. and with power to examine books and accounts and give such measures of publicity to the operations of the carriers as might be adjudged necessary, I would myself undertake to stamp out and hold in restraint the payment of all rebates and the practice of discrimination as completely and ef- fnnfnal1xr crimes against persons and property in all well organized, well disposed and law abiding communities.
 More than this is impossible, and such billas this is unnecessary to eradicate the only evils of railroad management of which complaint has been made, or which are claimed to be existing, and would appear to be an att tempt to obtain doubtful legal powers for an ulterlor purpose not frankly dis closed
 If a square deal is more than a well sounding phrase, if the Senate of the United States was constituted as a safe and sane barrier against misguided and temporary popular clamors, the noise of numbers the mlsdirectsd zeal of those who wish to divide with those who have, that which they have not (the socialists, the anarchists, the mob), ,-then such a measure as this must fail, or be radically amended, be- coming law.
 It is easy to incite, it is exhilarating to lead, it Is pleasing to be applauded but the man is yet to come forward who can satisfy and control the mob and it is well for the sober, successful citizen to think whether or no he should wait until his own particular in. terest is attacked before he rises to de- 1 fend from such attack an interest SC large, so important, so far reaching as | the railroad interest of this country for the precedent established, his own 1 interest will stand next in line waiting l for the same disposition to interfere and manage 1t to his detriment.
 To attempt in the short time at my disposal thorough analysis of thi ! Hepburn bill is impossible, but vii refer to one or two sections that have received but little attention by thu press, and which seems to me to b, open to most serious objection as beinF | dictated by no public interest, and un necessary unless there may be some ul terior object, and. certainly giving sucl a grand chance for graft as to rendei a position upon the commission one o the finest opportunities in the specula tive world.