Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-26
WE'RE IN GRIP Of
RAILROAD TRUST
SAYS LAFOLLETTE
Morgan and Rockefeller Own En-
tire Transportation Fab
ric, Is Statement
SENATOR'S VIBRANT SPEECH
Present Rates Are Not Only Not
Reasonable but Are
Extortinnate'
SENATOR'S VIBRANT SPEECH
Associated Press1


WI ASHINGTON, May 25.-"Before
w the interstate commerce COM
mission can become effective, it
will be necessary to equip 1t more
thoroughly" said Senator LaFollette
in the senate today during a speech
which consumed practically the entire
session.
He urged the reconstruction of the
commission and said the country should
be divided into districts in charge OF
a subcommission. The Wisconsin SEN
ator spoke for almost five hours in
support of the Cummins amendment
regulating railroad rate increases and
had not concluded when the senate
adjourned.
WASHINGTON. May 25.-"There is
not one line in the statutes to give the
people reasonable railroad rates. de-
clared Senator LaFollette in the sem
ate today. "All that has been accom-
plished," he said, '"is to afford a means
of giving equal rates to shippers
The interest of the shippers was by
no means the interest of the general
public, he asserted. He declared the
people generally were as much entitled
to protection as the shippers. Forty
years ago the fight was begun with that
end in view, he said, and it was as
much a fight against extortion as
against discrimination; but in the for
mer respect there had been an utter
failure.
With a huge chart to show the rel
ative Importance of the various groups,
the Wisconsin senator spoke in sup
port of the Cummins amendment to the
railroad bill, requiring the prior ap-
proYal of the interstate commerce COM
mission of increases in railroad rates.
RAPs SENATE RULES
"The interstate commerce commits
sion is engaged in a mere child's play"
said Mr.. LaFollette. 1.-The rules of the
senate seem to be so formed as to pre-
vent enc from speaking the truth. The
railroads have been having their way
for forty years. We have the sins or
many congresses to atone for before we
permit this bill to pass from our
hands"
While the rate regulation provision
of the presidents original bill was in
the public interest, Mr.. LaFollette said,
the provision had been modified by
Senators Aldrich and Elkins wholly in
the interest of the railroads.
Since January l, he said, the rates on
wool from ST. Louis and Duluth to New
York had increased II and Is per cent;
on grain and grain products, domestic,
from ST. Louis to New York, IL per
cent and from Chicago to New York.
30 per cent; fresh meats from Missouri
river points to Chicago, 16 per cent;
Missouri river points to East st. Louis,
% per cent, and the rates on mules and
horses between st. Paul and La Crosse,
10 per cent. He contended that instead
of an increase there should have been a
decrease.
Quoting Senator Root as saying that
unreasonable rates could be corrected
under the present law, he said, Such
a statement impeaches either the intel
ligence or the candor of the man who
makes it,"
RAILROAD EXTORTION
Contending that the present railroad
rates are mot only not reasonable, but
are extortionate," Mr.. LaFollette de-
clared: "Those who will not consent TO
give the commission power to examine
further increases betray the public IN
terest. | am here today to plead that
rates shall not be further advanced un-
til we go back and clothe the commls-
sion with authority to determine the
reasonableness of rates and equip II SO
it can perform that service.
saving that of the 100000 miles of
RAILWAYS in the United States six
groups controlled 100000 miles, Mr..
IaFollette found there really was very
little variety of interest in railroad
ownership in the United States, leaving
the control practically in one gigantic
trust. He found Morgan and Rookie
Teller at the head of the entire fabric,
and he predicted that ultimately those
two names would stand not only for
fhe financial but for the production and
TRANSFORMATION interests as we'll.