Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-06-01
SUPPORTS cuMMiNs' AMEND.
MENT IN FIVE HOUR SPEECH
IN SENATE.
WOULD STRENGTHEN COMMERCE
coMMissIoN-AsKs PHYS
IcAL VALUATION.
DECLARES NO VARIETY OF RAIL
WAY OWNERSHIP IN UNIT
ED STATES.

Tor a. brief time given to the general
calendar, the senate devoted its ses-
sion yesterday to consideration of the
railroad bill. Senator La Toilette &C.
cup!ed the floor for almost five hours
in support OF Mr. Cummins amend
ment requiring approval of increases
in railroad rates by the Interstate
commerce commission. In the course
of his speech he said it would be
necessary to add greatly TO the equip
ment of the commission in order to
put it into condition to give effective
service
He went to the extent of declaring
necessary a revision of the law and a
reconstruction of the commission,
and said that the country should be
divided into districts in charge OF sub
commissions to insure effective serv-
ice. The Wisconsin@enator had not
concluded when the senate adjourned,
The speech had the effect of side
tracking the effort set on foot yester-
day to obtain a compromise on the
basis suggested by Senator Martin,
but there was more or less private
discussion of that provision. The gem
eral opinion is that it will be accept
ed when the vote is taken Mr.. La
Toilette made several references to
the Martin amendment indicating OPP
position TO it.
You would better have courage TO
stand up here ara vote the Cummins
amendment down than to dodge the
question by adopting mere subter-
fuge," he said at one time.
Freight Rates Advanced
Since January l, he said the rates
on wool from St. Louis and Duluth TO
New York had increased IL and is
per cent; on grain and grain pro-
ducts, domestic, from ST. Louis to
New York. is per cent; and from
Chicago TO New York, 80 per cent;
fresh meats from Missouri river
points to Chicago, Is per cent: Mis-.
souri, river points to East St Louis
20 percent and the rates on horses
and mules between st. Paul and La
Crosse, 10 per cent.
Out of multitude of rates TO be
come effective June /, he cited the
following: Agricultural implements
Chicago 10 St Paul, 1342 per cent;
brick, St. Paul to Chicago, 10 2-S pei
cent; cement, ST. Paul to Chicago, Ii
per cent: harness, St Paul TO Chica
go, Is per cent; hides. green salt, st
Paul to Chicago, 243 per cent; paints
Chicago to st. Paul, 1874 per cent:
wagons, Lake City. Mimi, to ST
Louis, IA per cent; wool, st. Paul tc
Chicago. Is per cent.
He contended that instead of an in
crease there should have been de
crease.
Quoting Senator Root as saying
that unreasonable rates could be cor
rected under the present law, he said
that such statement impeaches
Betrayal Of Public Interest.
either the intelligence or the candol
of the man who makes it,
Contending that the present railwa!
rates are mot only not reasonable
but are extortionate," Mr. La Fol
lette declared that those who viii
not consent to give the commission
power to examine further increase!
betrays the public interest am hers
today to plead that rates shall not b.
further advanced until we 60 baci
and clothes the commission with an
thority to determine the reasonable
ness of rates and equir it SO that 1
can perform that service
Railways in Giant Trust.
Saying that OF the 100000 miles o
railways in the United States the si'
great groups controlled 100000 miles
Mr.. La Toilette found that there real
~ was very little variety of interes
in railroad ownership in the Unite,
States, leaving the control PRACTICAL,
in one giant trust He found Morgal
and Rockefeller at the head of th'
entire fabric and predicted that ulti
mately those two names would stan'
AOt O1ta Abi NuC iAAahNtNaA BlA lOA III
production and transportation inter
ests as wei.
Mr.. La Toilette gave much atter
ton to the question of physical valu
alton of railroads and said he wouI
offer an amendment providing 70
such valuation.
The house considered various bill
on the calendar. Measures wer
passed to provide railroad in tn
Hawaiian Islands and to build i
Nome, Alaska, house of detentio
for persons suspected of being IL
sane
Mr. olmsted of PENNSYLVANIA el
planned at length his bill 10 proyid
a new civil government for Port
Rico.