Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-02-24
Says Hepburn Introduced Unpopular
Measure and Promises Nothing.
COMMERCIAL CLUB DISAPPOINTED
Sought Aid of Nebraska Delegation to
Retain Elastic Rules.
WOULD ELIMINATE COMPETITION
AbrOEation Of Long and short HaEI
Clause Would Injure Commercial
centers ana DO No Good 20
Any Locality.

Senator Norris Brown Of Nebraska f.
non-committal on the subject OF senal.
bill No. 127. which has for its purpose n
rlgid long and short haul clause in tho
interstate commerce law, which. railroaC3
and shippers declare. would work a great
injury on Omaha and other commercial
centers and do no good 20 any shipping
interest or locality.
The Commercial club has received a reply
from the Junior senator TO its prote at
against the elimination of the words under
substantially similar circumstances ara
conditions" from section 4 of the act 70
r, gulate commerce, which words give the
elasticity TO the law which practically all
shippers and railroad traffic officials con-
slider necessary.
Senator Brown is Indifferent to the dis
astrous effects which the passage of the
bill would have on the competition of the
railroads in Omaha, and has replied that
the bill was introduced by Congressman
Hepburn and was read twice In the senate,
then referred to the committee on inter
state commerce.
disappointed in Letter.
Members of the Commercial club ard
shippers of Omaha express great disap-
pointment at the attitude of Senator Brow.
as they had hoped that when the demerits
OF the bill were called to his attention by
Commissioner J. NJ. Guild of the club that
he would take an active stand against the
measure.
over a week ago Commissioner Guild
wrote to all members of the Nebraska
delegation protesting against a measure
which had so much evil and no good in it
for the commercial interests Of the country.
Mr.. Guild said in part
I'VE have every reason to believe the
railroads in preference TO applying termi-
nal rates at intermediate points, especially
on circuitous lines, will cancel rates AT
such terminal points and thereby deprive
them OF much needed competition with no
benefit to other points.
I'VE are not opposed to a reduction of
rates, but believe in equalization TO permit
competing towns to DO business in the sama
territory on an equitable basis, but in this
instance we can see no benefit for anyone
and only injury to commerce generally"
The commissioners deep-rooted convie-
ton is that II the change as contemplated
is made in the act all elasticity In rates
win be killed and the discretionary power
of the commission taken from 1t. He
therefore, urged upon the delegation to op-
pose the measure.
Traffic League Protests.
Since the attention of the Nebraska dele
Cation was called to the bill by the Omaha
Commercial club the National Industrial
Traffic league has sent a special committee
to Washington to protest against taking
the discretionary power from the commits
sion. The legislative committee of the
league met in St. Louis a week ago and
passed drastic resolutions condemning the,
proposed change. The league Ia composed
of the largest shippers OF the United States
and representatives of many commercial
organizations p. ]. McVann. secretary of
the Omaha Grain exchange, being a mem-
ber Of the legislative committee. Mr.. Nc
Vann is outspoken in his condemnation OF
the proposed change in the long and short
haul section,
Congressman G. M. Hitchcock will hold
a conference with members Of the Com
mercial club and the commissioner today.
In his reply to the protest from the COM
missioner Congressman Hitchcock says that
his support for the measure has been
solicited by the Commercial club OF LIN
coln which is anxious TO get the short
haul rate on the Rock Island lines from
the south. The Rock Island company has
already said that It would rather so out
of the competition for Omaha business from
the south than have the long and short
haul section of the interstate commerce law
made rigid.