New-York tribune., 1910-05-26
IA FOLLET7E'S LONG TALK
Speaks Five Hours AGAINST Ad.
ministration Rail~ad Bill.
FOR CUMMINS AMENDMENT
Saws Morgan and Rockefeller
Control Transportation, and
Rates Are Extortionate.
from The Tribune Bureau


Rates Are Extortionate.
From The Tribune Bureau
washington. May Z.-Senstor La Toilette
..rs,a5 for nearly five hours to-day on the
f-asd bill and then announced that ne
.,s so much more TO say that II would be
.,,ossIble for him to finish before to-
-,o-rou. II he is able TO conclude in two
= -bree hours II is possible that vote
10y be taken tomorrow on The Cummins
,.,duaert TO Section g. The friends of
.hs hill have verified their poll and are
,,,ssent they will have enough votes 20
sesesf Mr Cummins's plan 10 require the
-r-.ers+sfe Commerce Commission TO an
.--ox-s increases IN rates before they be-
co-,e effective. Senator Martin has de-
lid not 10 press his amendment. and Il
Ak --ohs bic that an amendment offered to-
sev bv Senator Jones viii be adopted AS
e-,ended BY Senator Aldrich. Section per-
-nf-s the Interstate Commerce Commission
- suspend any new rate, classification
rer7llsrion or practice for I29 days pending
.he investigation OF its merits The Jones
,-7endment provides that If the hearing is
rot finished within the period of suspen-
sion the commission may extend the period
- suspension. not exceeding SIX months
v-hen the Senate adjourned yesterday il
was understood that Mr. La Toilette
zould finish his speech in three hours and
-bs+ : vote would be taken to-day on the
vs-ious amendments 10 Section 2. The
WISCONSIN Senator was party to this
-srit understanding. and he announced
,hst ne 60 nor desire to begin late yes
.erdsv afternoon. because OF his wish to
Huish his speech in one day. To enable
hin 10 DO this the Senate met at II o'clock
today About the niddl. OF the afternoon
nc bill vas laid aside for half an hour at
the suggestion CT Senator Gallinger, in
nrder 70 allow Mr La Toilette TO rest. At
n Nj La Toilette announced that he
desired 10 discuss fully the three sections |
-eiaring 10 capitalization. and asked that
~ be permitted 10 proceed Tomorrow
The Wisconsin Senator's speech was q /
rensrsl attack on the pending bill, and |
vas delivered with all the dramatic man
ne-sns and symnastic performances which /
are familiar 10 his Chau.auqua audiences. /
Es reviewed the history OF railroad legis-
lstion. and charged that Congress had 1
failed utterly TO respond 10 the popular de- |
rzud for effective regulation end had dis /
carded repeated recommendations Of the
Interstate Commerce Commission. Consid-
e-sbe time and vocal energy were spent
by Mr.. la Toilette in discussing his hobby,
the physical valuation Of railroads He said
= was impossible 10 tx reasonable rates
Until the Interstate Commerce Commission
YES n possession Of all the facts relating
10 the value Of railroad property. TIE Hep
burn act vas OF little service 10 shippers
and travellers. Mr.. La Toilette declared.
and rss nor enacted with a view to grant
ing relief & long-sufering public demanded
Taking Up the administration bill Mr
Is Toilette cited four features which he
said would be beneficial TO the public, and
SCI against them ten features which ne de-
clared we're solely for the benefit of the
railroads He admitted that most of the
-sn features had been eliminated but said
Re desired 70 point out the iniuuity Of the
nsasrre as II came from the hands Of
President Tar and his advisers. The three
ssc-ions relating to railroad capitalization
Thioh Mr. L. Follette will attack to-nor-
=" are tc be stricken from the bill. The
fact that this action would be taken was
announced in The Tribune on Nav / Mr..
ls Toilette spoke 70 an almost empty Sen
ais and practically empty gallery.
Declares Rates Ertortionate.
There is not one line in the statutes 70
fivs = the people reasonable railroad
rates, Mr. Ia Toilette declared. "AI that
has bsen accomplished Is TO afford means
q giving equal rates 70 shippers
Ire interest Of the shipper was by no
means the interest Of the general public,
e said. The people generally were as much I
s1ttled 70 protection as the shippers Forty
years ago the fight vas begun with that | ,
enc in view. he said. and 81 was as much E
tFht against extortion as against discrirai-
nation. but IN the former respect there had |
sssn sn utter failure
Quoting Senator Root a. saying that IN
reasonable rates could be corrected under
re present lar. he said that such 2 state
rlsnt inpesches either the intelligence or
ne cenoor of the man who makes il
lontending that the present railroad rates
trs not only not reasonable but are eZ-
forionate Mr- La Toilette declared that !
those who viii not consent to giving the
commission power 70 exaulin. further in =
crsases betrsy the public interest. I am
hsrs today 70 plead that rates shall not be
t1rThsr advanced until we go hack and
othe the commission With authority to de-
fsrrnins the ressonableness Of rates and
eeup II so that il can perform that ser
'ics
saving that Of the 54a.eeo miles Of rail
ioaos IN the United States the six great
groups controlled 10000 miles, MI La Fol
is1te declared that there really was little
'srlsty Of interest in railroad ownership IN
Ae United States. leaving the control prac-
l-siv IN one gigantic trust He found
'lorssn and Rockefeller at the head Of the
eltlre fabric. and predicted that ultimately
nose two names would stand not only for
'hs financial but for the producing and
importation interests as well.
II La Toilette made two or three ref
slenoss ro the Martin amendment indicat-
-e opposition TO il
loud better have the courage to stand
.p nere and vote the CaIrnr1ins amendment
''n than - dodge the question by adopt
Nle z mere subterfuse" he said