Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-02-28
BROWN ON RATE BILL
Junior Senator Thinks He Has Been
Misunderstood in Omaha.
LETTER TO COMMERCIAL CLUB
Believes Present Long and Short Haul
Clause Needs Amending.
CITES SOME ILLUSTRATIONS
Warren Introduces Bills for Public
Buildings in Wyoming.
TAFT TO SPEAK IN THE BLUFFS
Secretary IL to Deliver Address AZ
Commercial Club Banquet April
Seven-Fuel Contracts for
Public Buildings,
CITES SOME ILLUSTRATIONS
AFT TO SPEAK IN THE BLUFFS
fFrom a staff correrponaentl


| WASHINGTON Feb. T.-(Special Tele-
gram.) )-senator Norris Brown feels that
he has been misrepresented by J. NJ
Guild commissioner of the Commercial
club of Omaha, regarding his position on
the short and long haul clause OF the In
Iterstate commerce act. In The Bee of
Monday, a story is printed with reference
| to Senator Browns position on the bill
now pending before congress amending sec
tion four of the Interstate commerce act,
giving greater elasticity to.Athe commits
sion regarding the long short haul
Today Senator Brown made public his
letter to ]. NJ Guild, commissioner of tho
Omaha Commercial club, under date Of
February g. which is as follows:
! II have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your favor of the 18th instant in
reference to the proposition to amend sec
ton four of the interstate commerce act.
1 thank you for the letter and information
! it gives me, and beg to assure you that
the same together with the legislation re-
ferred will have my most careful consid-
Grafton
II think section four should be amended
in some way. to provide more equitable
rates. Every locality is entitled to at least
part of the natural advantage belonging
to it on account Of its distance from the
length of haul, should be factor OF some
Importance in fixing rates.
states His Position.
| 'Tt is a we'll known fact, with perhaps
an occasional exception, that rates from
Pacific coast terminals to the interior
points of Nebraska are made by adding
the rates from the coast TO Missouri river
points TO the local rates from the Missouri
hac 10 tp4a rrN.t.
direct and indefensble discrimination
against every interior town in Nebraska
on the main line of the Burlington, Den
YER Omaha, Denver-Kansas City line and
on the Billings line; also the Union Pacific
main line. This rate is justified by the
transportation companies on the sole pre-
text that the rate is necessary in order 10
meet water competition. AS you and
know, water competition has no existence
on transcontinental business so far as Ne
braska territory is concerned.
! IF what you term elasticity in rates can
not be had except by maintaining the pres
| ent schedule of rates as indicated above,
1 am against the so-called elasticity. I beg
to suggest that the business men Of Omaha
should not allow themselves to become
alarmed at the proposed modification of
! the bill, which, in my judgment, will not
destroy true elasticity. but will result in
more equitable rates for all localities. You
must remember that the rate fixed from
! the far west to Omaha and other Missouri
! river points is fixed by the railroads them
selves and therefore we have a right to
! assume II is a compensatory charge for the
service rendered. The proposed amendment
will not increase the rate to Omaha but
will, If enforced. reduce rates from the west
to interior towns Of Nebraska. which are
nearer the shipping point ana therefore en-
titled to some reduction on that account
! THE rates on these roads must be compen-
satory to carriers. else they would not have
fixed them low. I am, therefore, not in
favor of allowing carriers to raise such
rates. but am in favor OF so amending the
law that carriers can be compelled to lower
rates to interior points In the state. Surely
! the Commercial club Of Omaha did not in
! tend by their resolutions to oppose relief
! for the state outside of Omaha so mani
! festly right and just and 80 long denied to
interior points under the law as It now
exists"
Irrigation Law Discussed.
An important conference was held here
| today between officials of the Interior
| department and representatives of west
ern interests with view to framing a
! bill designed to take the place of the pres
ent law granting permits for the use OF
rights-of-way through the public lands for
! the digging of bitches. canal and other
water conduits to promote irrigation. I'm
der the law of February 16, 1901. the secre-
| tary OF the interior is authorized to re-
woke such licenses in his discretion. This
authority is considered by those interested
as working a hardship in that they cannot
afford to put capital in enterprises that
are subject TO such regulations It is now
proposed to draft measures that will
] authorize the granting of such permits
! for term of years. which, II is argued,
will encourage the development of largo
enterprises. No conclusion was reached at
| todays meeting.
Appropriations for wyoming.
! The committee on public buildings and
! grounds Of the senate today authorized a
/ favorable report Warren's bill appro-
! priating S65,OOO for the erection OF public
building at Lander, Wyo. The committee
also made favorable report on Warren's
bill appropriating $4,000 for public build
! ing at Rock Springs Wyo.
Taft 10 Speak I'm Bluffs.
! The Commercial club Of Council Bluffs
has extended, through Congressman Walter
| l. Smith an invitation 10 Secretary TAFT
10 attend and address this organization at
| a banquet on April z Representative Smith
was today advised by Secretary Taft that
/ he would be delighted TO address the Coun-
ell Bluffs Commercial club.
Minor Matters at Capital.
! The secretary Of the treasury has awarded
contracts for coal for the use Of the fol-
| lowing public buildings for the next fiscal
! year: Fremont. Neb.. 10 Consolidated Fuel
company. at S4O2; Iowa City. Ia, to George
! Hummer. 81 S5O2: Council Bluffs. Ia. 10
/ Fenton-Wickham Coal company. at H.l40
! Rural free delivery carriers appointed Ne
! braska--Endcott, route /, John W. Allen.
carrier: Edward Kelley, substitute. Morrill,,
route /, Campbell n. Fleenor. carrier; VIII
lam o. Fleercr. substitute. South DAkota~-
Aberdeen, route 4, Isaac A. IVerD0n, caaRaSvI
/ Miles Al Ivsrson auhatitufa