Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-02

L
dent, 1 think that the senator from
Aroostook explained few minutes ago
that the chief objection that the railroads
had to this bill was that it encouraged
the continual hammering and bounding
OF the railroads at this session which
was injuring their credit; and I will say
that is one OF my chief objections to the
bill or to any bill that is making a radical
change; and no one, so far as have been
able to find, has ever tried to get an ac-
ton looking to the regulation of rates.
asked the railroad commissioners If
ever anyone had applied to them or had
grievance from Aroostook county and
they said they had not. I asked several
gentlemen in this House, one from Houl-
ton, Mr.. Cleveland, potato Shipper-I
asked If he had ever applied in any way
to regulate the railroad rates; and he
said he never had. Now it seems to me
there ought to be some other way before
we enact law for a few people up in
Aroostook county and hound all the rest
Of the railroads in the State
Mr.. MILLIKEN: 1 would like to asl,
the senator from Waldo question
through the Chair.
The PRESIDENT: Will the senator
permit an inquiry?
Mr.. COLCORD: Certainly.
Mr.. MILLIkEN: I would like to asl,
II you asked the railroad commissioners
whether in their opinion the present law
was sufficient for them to effectively reg
ulate rates?
Mr.. COLCORD: I did not
Mr.. MIILIkEN: The senator's objec-
tlon, namely, that this is a bill intending
TO hound the railroads, it not true. If
that were the intention of it that would
be good reason for voting against the
Whole proposition. If the senators wants
10 follow this, If it is adopted by any
hInd OF resolution of the State express
ing our confidence in the railroads, I am
entirely willing to agree to that: and
nothing has been shown here that there
is anything in this bill which is unfair to
the railroads 1t is simply and solely, as
near as it could be drawn by a careful
lcWyer, proposition that the shippers
shall go, if they like to, to the commits
SION and have these matters heard If
there is anything about it that is unfair.
or which ought to be changed, am en-
tirely willing, if the bill is supported, that
any difficulty shall be remedied. All
want is to have the thing fixed so it can
be effectively done. and so that nobody
who wants to have that machinery set
motion shall not be deferred from fear
Of the costs of the proceeding
Inc senator has said a good deal about
scleless corporations and the grinding of
the faces of the poor. l submit to the
senate That l made no argument along
mat line. do not wish to take that DO
sltlon and never have. The position
which L take is that we want to be fair
between the railroads and the shippers
as between man and man. 1 say again,
as said few moments ago, that I can
see no particular and no particular has
been pointed out by this committee where
this bill transcends the authority which
the commissioners should have 1t is de-
signed to give an effective method.
want to say one other word to those
who arc interested in railroads + do not
believe it is good policy for the railroads
to Keep opposing anything that tends to-
ward any regulation OF supervision of
their rates. 1 do think there is a good
argument against this Legislatures at
tempting to go into every freight rate and
regulate it, but want to saw
in my opinion if this thing keeps
on and the railroad attorneys
keep On feeling that they are
obliged to oppose everything that
looks toward anything of this kind,
that these difficulties as they occur are
going to keep pling up until finally we
shalt get some legislation that will be
unfair to the railroad / submit this
to you as proposition that is fair. /
submit to you that these people who
think they have complaints, wherever
they live. are entitled to an opportunity
to have their cases heard and decided,
and hope that the motion of the SEN
ator from Waldo will not prevail
Mr.. MACOMBER Of Kennebec: Mr..
President, 1 would not undertake to an
swcr the conundrum proposed by the
senator from ArOostook. I think that
would be impossible. But, if this means
anything, it means a regulation by this
Legislature of the freight rates and the
passenger tariffs of the railroads in
this state, either directly by the Leg
isiature or through it's creatures, the
railroad commissioners. 1 believe that
there is not a member of this Senate
idea that we are competent or that the
board of railroad commissioners good
men as they are, should take up
question and determine it on it's mer-
its. / base my opinion in this matter
on an experience WHICH l have had in
the state of Texas, where they have a
law like the one proposed hire. The
law there provides that the railroad
commissioners shall have entire juris-
diction over this matter of rates. The
re suit is that after a trial of two or
three years, that law has demoralized
tho business between the railroads and
shippers more than any law that was
ever passed in Texas. One large cor
poration operating thousands of miles
of road, was forced into receivership
because of this bill giving the railroad
commissioners this right, because one
never knows who is going to be COM
missioner or what position he is going
to take. believe this impractical and
not feasible to have anything to do
With this matter of rate regulation.
Mr.. MILLIKEN: Will the senator
from Kennebec permit a question