The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-23
|MELLEN SPOKE |
SENATOR'S VIEWS
His Speech on Railroad Rates Re-
fleets Opinions of New Eng
lands Twelve Senators.
~ w. w. Jermane.

Nl. W. W. JeFIUaNc,
Washington, March 23.-The signif-
cance of the recent address of Presi
dent Mellen of the New York, New
''Get Together club in New England,
the other day, lies in the fact that he
reflected the opinion of the twelve SEN
ators from the New England states,
none of whom will vote for the Hepburn
bill unless it can first be amended along
the lines suggested by Mr.. Mellen.
With the twelve New England votes
alluded to must be counted those of
such senators as Elkins, Foraker, Kean,
other words, it is very doubtful if the
rate bill can be put thru the senate
without an amendment that will make
it certain that the great trunk lines
will not be compelled to share their
expensive terminal facilities on equal
terms with nondescript independent
feeder lines, and be subject to the
competition of these short lines in hauls
partly by rail and partly by water, as
was brought out in the Melien address.
Meaning of Mellen's Speech.
In this haul, partly by water, Mr.
Mellen was referring to the Fall River
line, PLYING between New York and
Boston via Long Island sound. This
line is owned and operated by the New
York, New Haven & Hartford COM
pany. There is weak competing line
tor this water traffic, line capitalized
for 100000. Its competition at pres
emit cuts no figure. But under the Hep
burn bill, Mr.. Mellen claims that the
competitor would increase it's stock to
$l,O0O,O0O or more, turn half Of that
| stock over to some rival railway com
pany coming into New York from the
west, and then give that railway COM
pany, access to Boston, and share on
minals of the New Haven road.
Mr.. Mellen holds that this provision
in the bill, which places it within the
| power OF the interstate commerce com
mission to give weak competitors bv
rail and water the benefit of terminal
| facilities owned by other companies
would open the way to a reign Of graft
and blackmail such as the country never
| has witnessed and in comparison with
which the recent insurance happenings
IN New York would be innocent Sunday
school amusements.
Mellen Meets President.
Mr.. Mellen supposed that he had this
feature OF the case before the presi-
dent in way that would insure some
amendment to the Hepburn bill in the
| house committee or on the floor Of the
| house, but in this he was mistaken
| The president $ attention was called to
the matter by Mr.. Mellen, and the pres,
raised. When, after the lapse Of weeks,
it became evident that the matter had
escaped the president s attention, Mr.
Mellen came again to Washington. The
president saw him for a short time
one forenoon and arranged to meet
him at o'clock with certain other gen,
tlemen who were interested in the rate
| question. When Mr.. Mellen returned
to the executive offices at the hour
named, he found himself in company
with Attorney General Moody, Mr.
PrOuty of the interstate commerce com
mission, and several members of the
senate. The interview which followed
quickly took the form of an exchange
of tart compliments between Mellel
and Prouty, the latter valiantly defend
ing the original Hepburn bill The pres
ident listened until he had hear(
enough, and then, turning to walk on
OF the room, said:
"This matter has come down to
controversy between you gentlemen a
to what the bill should contain. Tha
is something that I think should be lef
to congress- and without more adj
he walked away.
Mellen Is Angry.
Mr. Mellen left the executive office
shortly thereafter, and at once arranged
to deliver the address which was mad
early this week before the Get Togethe
club. / am divulging no secrets whel
I say that Mr.. Mellen is very angr,
with the president and has said he vii
never go to the White House again
He thinks that the president agreed t.
stand by him in the matter of urging
amendments to the rate bill conform
able to the suggestions contained i
the Get Together address, and then de
iberately went back on him. q
course the president feels that Mr.. Me-
len is mistaken and is unfair in tal1in
such position. The president is no
ment of any kind with Mr.. Mellen, an
there the case rests for the present.
" Incidentally, it may be said tina
such men as Senators Nelson and Clap
Of Minnesota, both hearty supporter
of the president s rate policy, are sal
to have expressed a willingness to at
cept the amendments which Mr.. Me-
len wants, and which have been put int
: legislative form by Senator Lodge o
Massachusetts.
. Judge Prouty, in his debate with MI
Mellen at the executive offices, admit
ted that the interstate commerce con
mission would have, Under the Her
burn bill, the power to do the thing
complained Of by Mr.. Mellen, but h
? didn It think that such power woul
ever be exercised. Mr.. Mellen thought
on the other hand, that it would be eS
l ercised,. and almost at once. so heav
, would be the pressure on the part 0
j the railways not now enjoying termins
facilities in the great cities for the us
e Of these facilities.
Amendment Likely to Stand.
The facts brought out in this articl
represent the newest important develop
j. ment in the rate situation. The. attitud
Of the New England senators was We:
terday outlined in the speech, by Ser
6 ator Lodge. in which he made a forms
q and carefully prepared reply to a speec
h recently made" in Boston. by Jude
l. Prouty, who is the militant member c
E the interstate commerce commission, S
: far as the rate question is concerne,
Mr. Lodge does not indorse the Prout
= position. and he does indorse the Me
q len position. =