Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-23
BILL BEFORE CONGRESS CALLS
FOR ELECTION OF DISTRICT
AIDES.
WOULD FACILITATE WORK
OF INTERSTATE COMMISSION
Deputies Would Hear Evidence and
Dispose Of Minor cases-PIan TO
SuppIant Present Travelling Exami'
nsrs and stenosraphsrs-Werk Of
Commission Increasing.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
WASHINGTON, Jan 23.-The Peters
bill for the establishment of deputy
commissioners of the interstate COM
merce commission in the principal CIT
ties or districts Of the United states
is an administrative measure the pur-
pose of which is to facilitate the enor-
nous and growing business Of the in
advantages of this plan, as summarized
by a friend of the bill. are as follows:
First-The district in which the Of
flee of the deputy is established VIII
have the advantage Of the services
advice and help of an officer, thorough
lily familiar with all the local condl-
tons, and who will gradually become
acquainted with a large proportion o.
the people interested in freight ana
passenger traffic. Such a man will be
niLch better fitted to handle INDIVIDUAL
and local complaints than an examiner
travelling about from place to place. IN
fact, if examiner "a should be 10
Gated. say at Detroit, and made
deputy commissioner, in short time
he would be much. better fitted TO
handle all Michigan matters. for ex-
ample, than he is now with no fixed
abode. and no chance to concentrate
and secure comprehensive knowi-
edge of the conditions in any one
place.
Second-There are many cases IN
which the amount involved is not large.
t,,S in oh j.YS done
or real grievance of an honest diff
ference of opinion exists. Perhaps IN
no one of these cases do the conditions
warrant an appeal to distant com
mission, but the deputy commissioner
with his knowledge of local conditions
with the confidence which he will have
inspired in both railroad officers and
shippers. will be able in many cases
to hear these complaints and perhaps
make a satisfactory and definite settle
ment of them, with very little expense
in time and money. and without fric-
ton.
Would Save Time.
Third-The deputy might take up
matters in which rates, practices and
service Of a more or less local nature
are interrelated, and obtain satisfac-
tory results IN perhaps OI1e-uoAA ~
one fourth Of the time that the same
results could be obtained by going to
the commission itself, which is already
so over burdened with work that 1t Is
only with tremendous efforts that they
are able to keep out from under the
load Of the great cases which are COM
ing up before them constantly.
F'ourth-The administration OF such
an Office ought to be OF great value
not only to shippers but to railroad
companies as well, thru improved recf-
procal relations. Railroad officials, as
a rule, undoubtedly will appreciate. III
timately if not Immediately. the value
Of the installation Of such an office,
upon which they could always call for
advice, the settlement of petty differ
ences and the removal OF friction.
The expenses in connection with the
establishment OF say twenty such Of
fees, scattered all over the United
States, would perhaps be s250.oo0. To
Offset this there would be q very large
saving thru the doing away with the
salaries and travelling expenses Of ex-
aniners and their assistants and stem