Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-05-07
MUST SEE BOOKS.
MORE MONEY NEEDED 70 MAKE
PUBLICITY CLAUSE Or HEP
BURN BILL EFFECTIVE.
PRESIDENT URGES ACTION
Failure to Make SUFFICIENT ApproprIa-
tIon for Examination Of Rail-
road Accounts Would
Annul the Act.

Washington, May 1.-THE usrNl
point Of no quorum was raised when
the house reconvened Thursday on
the motion pending from Wednesday
that the house go into committee Of
the whole for further consideration OF
the sundry civil appropriation bill un.
Ter the five-minute rule. The doors
were locked and the roll was called
on the motion, which prevailed. In
accordance with Wednesdays agree.
ment the committee took up the
amendment proposed by Mr.. Town
send of Michigan TO increase from
s5O,0 to- s35O,O0O the appropriation
o enable the interstate commerce
omnlssion to enforce that clause Of
the Interstate commerce act directing
The commission TO examine into and
make public the accounts Of interstate
railroads and AUTHORIZING the employ
ment OF special examiners for that
purpose.
Speaking to that amendment Mr..
Townsend quoted from message
from the president in which the ex.
ecutive said that failure to make ap-
for carrying out the pub
lefty clause Of the Hepburn act would
be to attack the law in its most vital
point and to give relief to those cor
rupt corporations which the law was
Intended to reach. Mr.. Townsend said
hat the publicity provision had not
been q part Of the law long enough
% enable any one to say that It
'hould be abandoned; that the pur-
lose OF the provision was to find out
whether the railroads were obeying |
he Hepburn act and that refusal by
congress to provide for the expense
Il these examinations would be tanta.
Mount to an informal reputation and
epeal Of the law itself.
President Roosevelt Thursday sent
or Representatives Hepburn Of Iowa.
'ownsend of Michigan, Campbell Of
,anras and Sulzer Of New York and
rged them to make vigorous efforts
0 secure a larger appropriation in
he sundry civil bill for an investiga-
lon Of the books Of the railroads Of
he country to determine whether they
re complying with section 20 Of the
Hepburn railroad rate law, providing
nat q system of uniform accounts
lust be kept as prescribed by the In
srstate commerce commission. For
le present fiscal year the committee
rs an appropriation Of $4,000, but
as not been able to make much
eadway in the work. For the next
seal year the administration desired
a appropriation Of from $250,0OO to
10000, but the house committee on
preparations cut the amount TO $780,
70. It Is claimed by the president
nd the interstate commerce commits
on that this amount will be entirely
sufficient. Section 20, It is stated,
considered the most effective por-
on Of the Hepburn law, really being
. publicity clause. BY careful in
sstlgation Of the books Of the roads
le granting Of secret rates or rebates
ould be revealed. It is understood
lat the fight for larger appropria
on will begin in the house at once.
While the civil appropriation bill
as under consideration in the house
thursday, Mr.. Townsend (Mich.) Of
red an amendment increasing from
10000 to SS5O,00O the appropriation
II the enforcement BY the interstate
commission Of that clause
the Hepburn act directing the com.
ission to cause to be made examina.
ons Of the accounts Of the interstate
lilroads Of the country to determine
neither that law is being violated, and
} make public the results Of such ex.
After a debate lasting ,
'ur hours, the amendment was agreed