Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-01-17
Announced that Breakers
Are Ahead for Admins
tration's Further Rate
Measures.
KEYNOTE OF FIGHT IS SOUNDED
Chairman Mann of House
Committee Has Bill of
His Own to Push.
(By RooERIcK cLIFFoRo)

D
Washington. Jan. l7-Breakers
: ahead is the announcement today OF
those officials and members OF con-
gress who are interested in the ad-
ministrations program for further
railroad rate legislation. President
/ Taft's measure, which has the endorse
ment of Attorney General Wicker
sham. the Interstate Commerce Com
missioners and those members OF the
/ House who have been closely allied
with railroad legislation, will meet
with opposition. This fact was MADE
patent. when Chairman Mann OF the
! House committee on interstate and
/ foreign comemrce. which committee
/ has Jurisdiction Of the proposed chan
ges in the law, offered bill OF his
own preyious TO the Presidents mes
sage
It provides radical changes in the
present law and sounds the key note
of the fight the opposition of the
Presidents plan OF cerating an Inter
state Commerce Commission court.
Then. too, Mr.. Mann suggests a new
method of filing complaints, when
shippers find themselves injured by
! Increased freight charges.
Instead of confining the work of
enforcing the law to the commission,
Mr.. Mann suggests the establishment
of a bureau of transportation, under
the direction of the department of
commerce and labor All complaints
against rates. according 10 his plan
must be filed with this bureau and,
If considered to be OF merit. are pass
ed on 10 the Department of Justice,
whose attorneys will press the mat
ter before the commission. His plan
envolves two of the executive depart
ments in addition 10 the commission
itself
The principal objection OF the Mann
suggestions. in administration cir
cles. is this program OF submitting
complaints OF the Bureau Of Trans
portauon. This procedure. II is said,
would involve an amount Of delay
and red tape which is not encount-
cred by shippers under the present
procedure. and might lose 20 them
some important rights which they pos
sess at present. Under existing work
ing conditions n shipper believes
that his rights have been violated
he can secure full investigation OF
his complaint with no necessary ex-
pense OF himself In fact. all that is
' necessary TO set in motion the gov
ernment machinery is TO write a let
ter TO the Commission setting forth
his grievance Upon this basis the
commission will examine the rate OF
practice complained Of; and If an ap-
parent violation Of law is disclosed
will informally request the carrier "a
discontinue the rate or practice. In
case the carrier is unwilling to make
the change. the shipper is informed
and a formal complaint filed Then
the commission enforces IT'S order
President Taft's program calls for
railroad rate court This court
which it is proposed TO have perma-
nent headquarters I'm Washington
will take over all OF the work now
b going to the federal courts through
apeals Of the railroads from the In-
terstate Commerce Commissions de-
cisions. The understanding is that
the court Is to consist Of FIVE mem-
bers, at yearly salary OF ten thous-
and dollars each. Tt is pointed out
that such 2 cour. will not only in
time become experts in railroad rate
matters, but that they will expedite
al. matters coming before &c.
At present some appeals have beeD
delayed two years before final decis.
ion is mad by the courts The Taft
plan is To limit The proposed court 10
sixty days IN passing upon cases that
Continued on paoe eix1