The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-02-06
Commissions Big Task
For a Proper Handling
of Railroad Statements
Question of Publicity in Relation to Wall Street
One That Must Be Decided, in Order
to Avoid Leaks"

The Interstate Commerce Commission
is confronting the necessity Of deciding,
very soon, what il viii do when il be-
comes the recipient and custodian Of
the monthly sworn statements Of OpeT-
ations, earnings. gross and net. etc, OF
the railroads.
These statements viii constitute. in
the aggregate. the greatest fund Of in
formation OF immediate value and con-
Germ TO the speculative world that viii
be gathered anywhere. The Government
crop reports will not be a circumstance
IN comparison.
The questions of whether the Govern
ment shall assume the responsibility for
giving out these statements: how they
shall be issued; what sort OF espionage
snail be maintained over them, etc,
have been recognized by the people In
positions OF responsibility as fraught
with possibilities Of the greatest diff
Guilty. complication. and embarrassment.
The scandals Of the late cotton Leak
would not be comparable 20 the posi-
blllues that might develop in the hand
ling OF these railroad reports If an IN
tactfu! or clumsy method were adopted.
Adams Won First Round.
Dr. Henry c. Adams, in charge Of the
statistics for the commission, has
emerged with flying colors from the
first assault that has been made upon
his work. II is by no means assumed,
however. by people familiar with the
work which Dr. Adams is doing, that
this viii end efforts to destroy conf
dence in his methods ana 20 embarrass
the prosecution OF the very vital work
he is doing in connection with the ad-
ministration OF the new rate law.
The incident OF Hanks and Hartman
has been closed. These two now IA
nous railroad economists. as a result Of
several months work. with all the IA
cilities at the command OF the commits
sion. developed charges against The ac-
curacy and integrity Of the work OF DR..
Adams, the charges were investigated
at the instance Of the President and the
commission reports 20 Congress that
were found entirely grOundless
So FAR as concerns the claim o. Hanks
that he would demonstrate that railroad
charges might be reduced 10 Per cent
without reducing dividends or wages,
that has been dropped entirely. So have
the duo OF alliteratiye statistical eX-
perts The President wrote a letter 10
his old college friend. Hanks. in which
he rec0unted his relation 10 the employ
menJ Of the twain Of investigators. told
Hanks that he had entirely failed TO
prove any OF the things they had prom
lsed 10 develop. and concluded that the
incident was closed.
Proves Himself an Expert.
II is known that there are some i'm
p0rtant interests which would have been
highly pleased had the attack on DR..
Adams and his statistical methods been
more successful. DR.. Adams Is the real
administrator OF the most sweeping and
effective provisions OF the new railroad
law He was selected for the position
because in years Of useful and inuminat-
ing Investigation Of railroad questions
he had proved himself perhaps the most
expert. clear-headed and persistent in
quisitor OF railroad records that the
country afforded, as well as an author
ity on financial and accounting methods
OF the roads. Moreover. he is in entire
harmony with the advanced views of
the commission ana the President re-
garting the operations OF the new law.
Il is expected that before long the
workings OF this feature OF the new law
VIII begin 10 Worry Wall street Prof.
Adams mas been working for a long time
on pTellminaTies. with a view TO in
augurating a system Of monthly reports
of the railroads to the commission, COW
ering their traffic and financial opera