The Washington times., 1911-03-17

on the question Of morals, instead OF
here"
The bill 20 require the true contents
IN weigh: or measure to be printed or
Ia belS of food packages was favorably
reported from the Interstate Commerce
Committee in February, but 1t was not
reached on the call OF the calendar.
Fear Adverse Influence.
II this legislation, demanded by food
producers, dealers, and consumers, is
to pass it viii require to be reintro-
duced and again reported from the
committee in the new Congress. If Mr..
Adamson is chairman of the commit
tee the friends of the bill fear it will
nave rough riding to get through.
With respect to railroad Legislation,
Mr.. Adamson's record discloses the fact
that he carries his extreme States
rights view with him to the extent of
opposing any legislation except the di-
rect regulation of rates and practices
in interstate transportation
He supported the Hepburn bill as II
passed the House, and is on record as as
favoring the strictest regulation OF
rates by supervision of the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
But he opposed the Mann bill, which
extended the powers of the commission,
as an unnecessary piece OF leg1slatlon.
He believed that the Hepburn act was
sufficient to meet all the requirements
of the people
Under the Hepburn act the commits
sion could set aside a rate found to
De unjust and unreasonable after COM
plant and a hearing.
The Mann act gave the commission
power to suspend proposed rate on It's
own motion, and to forbid II II II was
found after hsaIing to he unjust ana
power the commission py a unanimous
decision recently forbade the imposition
of Increased freight rates as proposed
by the railroad companies.
Adamson Consistent Opponent.
Two measures discussed in Congress at
the time the Mann bill passed were those
authorizing the commission to make a
physical valuation of the railroad prop
critics of the country, and to give the
commission the power to supervise the
issue of stocks and bonds by corpora
tions doing business as common car
riers. To both of these propositions Mr..
Adamson was opposed.
If the. new Congress has anything to
do with railroad legislation one or the
other, or both, of these matters win
come up. hTe majority of the Demo-
Gratis have indicated by votes and
speeches that they favor both PROPOSE
IlOuS. II MI. AudIuoOu Is the
of the committee, and sticks by his rec
ord, he will be found in opposition to a
majority of his party associates on these
measures.
As far as he was willing to go in the
direction of physical valuation or super
vision of securities issues was to ap-
prove proposal to give the commits
sion power to make a physical examina-
tion, of the property of specific rail-
road when rate 1t had made was com
planned against, and the railroad de-
Tended its rate on the ground that the
proposed reduction was confiscatory. He
also approved of a proposition to give
the commission the power to investigate
the amount of water in the securities OF
any railroad defending rate reduction
on the confiscatory plea,
Mr.. Adamson's attitude on these SUBJ
jects is apparent from his statements
made on the floor of the House and in
the committee room. Speaking in the
House on the amendment to give the
Interstate Commerce Commission power
to supervise the issue of railroad stocks
and bonds, he said:
I'VE set out to regulate rates and