Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1909-02-13
WANTS COM MISSION
TO PASS ON ALL
FREIGHT RATES
Rep. Madden Would Extend
Power Of the interstate
Body Over Rail.
roads.
EXCESSIVE RATES
MUST Be REDUCED
Report of the Commission Shows
That Time Is Here for the
People to Pass Laws
for Control of

Washington, d. c., Feb. 13.-That |
the Interstate Commerce commission |
should have power to pass upon the |
freight rates made oy the various
railroads of the country before those
rates become effective was ythe decla-
ration made today on the floor OF the
House by Representative Madden, of
Illinois. He Immediately added that
it would be better stin to give the
commission power ito make valua-
ton of the properties of the carriers
of the country and to base the rate
upon such a basis as will yield them
a reasonable return upon such valua-
ton"
Mr.. Madden declared that the re-
port which has been made by the
commission in response to the resolu-
tion of the House asking for informa-
tion about increased freight rates In
various sections of the country has
satisfied everyone that excessive in
creases in freight rates have been
made and that the time has come for
the people of the country, through
their representatives, to enact such
legislation as will prevent the contin-
uance of excessive charges for the
den accused the Interstate Commerce
commission of being committed to
the economic fallicy that public SER
vice corporations are. entitled as of
right to remunerative returns upon
their stocks in addition to interest on
issues of bonds"
-. He further accused the commission
OF having in its reports Inadvertently
fallen into the groove well-worn by
railway officials in making annual re-
ports. They indulge" he continued,
"in the same misleading assumptions
and deceptive Technology employed
by the railroads. They have never
segregated the net earnings so as to
show the entire sum of actual profits,
itemizing the vast amounts devoted to
improvements under that head"
The first mentioned hereey, the
speaker declared "if once accepted
and fixed, ever as unwritten law, will
impoverish the people of the country
and transfer to Wall street what still
remains Of government at Washing
ton. Why should the government
he asked, guarantee the solvency and
, also the prosperity of railroads any
more than that of manufacturers
, merchants and farmers" After
speaking of the cause of panics and
depressions, Mr.. Madden declared
that panics ARE not attributable To
the enforcement of law against the
railroads Not only So" he added
but it is also clear that it's enforce
ment, or rather its non-enforcement
has had little if any. bearing upon the
condition of railroad business or up
on any general business. He declar-
ed that the subject of panics had beer
seized upon as a substitute for sount
argument in an effort to bring abou
a repeal of the antitrust law.
''But while the railway manage
} ments," he said, make show and pre-
tense of holding council with tn
shipping interests they invariabl.
: consult their own interests and form
ulate their plans in advance and II
secret. If possible, they hoodwinl
4 commercial and other interests, bu
in case of failure to do so, they pro
ceed to execute their own plans, rely
% ing upon tact intrigue and the law
delays for a safe deliverance at tn
S hands of the Interstate Commerc
commission"
70 Mr.. Madden declared that the rail
. roads have some advantages over 9th
G er business institutions, one of thes
1 being that, being monOpolies and 4
e a combination for having adopted
70 community of interest plan, they ca
g recoup their losses after a panic ha
spent its force and have the usua
mOnopOlistic advantages during
business depression because there is
y large volume OF traffic which mus
O go whether times be flush or dull.