The Pensacola journal., 1907-05-03
SnAcIaI to The journal.

address upon the railroad rate ques-
ton was delivered last night by Con-
gressman w. B. Lamar, by request,
before the House of Representatives
MIR. Lamar's Address.
1t is just as we'll in this day of so
many political issues" that the peO-
pie of Florida keep their eyes very
particularly upon one very important
public issue 1 mean the railroad rate
question.
The Hepburn Railroad Rate bill, is,
without further amendments, just
what l termed it on its passage in
the House of Representatives, viz:
"A delusiOn and snare
1t is the product of the "cOnserva-
tive element in the United States
Congress. l mean by conservative,
to designate the corporation element
in the United States Congress.
The Hepburn Bill, without import
ant amendments, is a piece of duplic-
ity in public Legislation. Should it not
be duplicity, it certainly can be proved
to be the grossest possible piece of
ignorance.
For fifteen years, the Interstate
Commerce Commission, at Washing
ton, have pointed out in their reports
to the Congress the important amend
ments needed in a railroad rate bill.
The Industrial Commission, appoint
ed by President Mckinley to study
the transportation question, among
other questions, was composed of four
members of the United States Senate,
four members of Congress and ten
prominent business men from all
no .fcs rNf h.
This Industrial Commission took
testimony in different parts of the
country for a period covering a year
Or two. They took testimony of rail-
road men and of shippers, of manu-
factupers and representatives of or
ganized labor.
Their conclusions and opinions were
stated TO the American Congress in a
most elaborate report which filed
many printed volumes. Upon the rail
road and transportation question, the
opinions and conclusions of the lp-
dustrial Commission, as to necessary
legislation in behalf of the shipping
public. were practicallySid identical with
the recommendation made from year
TO year to Congress by the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
The members of the United States
Congress, and the Senate, have had
access from year to year to these
suggestions made by these public
Commissions. If the members of Con-
gress, at Washington, are not familiar
with these public recommendations
of the Industrial Commission ana the
Interstate Commerce Commission,
then they are too ignorant to stay in
Congress and legislate upon the in
+ fprpSTc Of their ron Stitnp0tS
The Hepburn Bill at present is very
deficient. The interests of the ship
pers in Florida of lumber, phosphate,
early vegetables, citrus fruits, cotton,
tobacco, and every species of freight
shipped out and into the State of
Florida, are not secure now under the
provisions of the Hepburn Bill. Their
interests can be made secure, but the
Congress of the United States does
not seem to be at all interested i'll
securing them.
Two Classes of Men.
The people all over the United
States should take out of the Con
gress of the United States, both the
Senate and the House of Representa-
tives, two classes of public men.
The first class is, those who are
open, visible attorneys Of railroad cor
pOfauOnS, engaged In interstate COM
merce generally. 1t is impossible for
a man TO go to Congress, holding a
commission from a corporation which
has important business that may be
affected by Federal legislation, to con-
sistently represent the interests Of the
people, whose interests may be prac-
tically contrary to and adverse to the
corporation interests.
No man, be he ever so honest, can
with perfect honesty, represent, at the
same time, two masters with conflict
ing interests. He is compelled to sell
| out the one or the other.
The second class of public men that
the people should keeD from Washing
ton in the Congress. are those who
secretly represent corporate interests,
in that their campaign expenses for
getting into Congress have been f.
nanced and paid for by railroads. or
other trusts interests.
These men are corporation lawyers
in disguise. That the American Con
gress has a considerable element of
corporate Representatives in it, must
be evident, when ii has been impOssi-
BILE to pass a railway rate bill COM