Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-10-01
BIC CROWD HEARS
CHARLES A. PROUTy
At SAINT ALBANS
CONTINUED from page one.)

manufacturing center and the prosperity
OF northern New England depends largely
upon the prosperity of those manufac-
lures. The raw material which our man
ufacturers use is brought from distance
and the market in which their product ts
sold lies at a distance. If transportation
were to be had entirely by railroad tho
rate would be so against the New Eng
land manufacturer that he must soon
disappear from business.
1t so happens, however. that both the
raw material which is used and the prod
uct when finished can be carried by wa
ter at n cost and rate which compares
favorably with that available to the great
manufactures OF the middle West.
The cost of carriage by the mile upon
The ocean is much less than by rail. In
days when the only means of water com
munication between New York and San
Francisco was by sailing vessel around
the southern end of South America the
actual cost Of carrying goods from New
York to San Francisco by water was less
han cost of transporting them by rail.
When the steamship was substituted for
the clipper ship and the time reduced
from nine months to three months and
hess, the advantage was even more pro-
for years given 10 New England the same
rate to the Pacific coast which is en-
1oyed by Chicago and even by Denver
When the Panama canal Is completed a
modern steamer will pass from Boston to
San Francisco In 20 days. as ahort and a
moro reliable schedule than by rail. and
the actual cost of transporting freight
by that method will be much less than
the cost of transportation from Chicago,
New England can reach al, Europe, all
South America. the western coast Of the
United States, and the Orient at a less
TRANSPORTATION charge than can Chicago.
The Importance of preserving to New
England the benefit of this advantage in
water transportation cannot he overstated.
In the past the transcontinental rail-
roads have managed by their nonopoistic
practices 10 control rates between the
Atlantic and the Pacific seaboards by
both rail and water. They subsidized the
Panama railroad when that was owned
by private individuals. They owned at
one time the steamers plying between
Colon and New York, as well as between
Panama and San Francisco. "hey have
had for years a virtual understanding
with the American Hawaiian STEAMSHIP
company, which has been their professed
competitor between New York ard Sar
Francisco
Now I felt that if, when the Panama
canal was opened, these transcontinenta
railroads were allowed to interest them
selves in the ships which piled through
that canal, they would inevita bly, by va
rious means and devices control thos
ships There was no good reason VIII,
they should own those ships, and I wa
of the opinion that the law should for
bid such ownership; that the people o
New ENGLAND and the people OF the ma
ton could in no other way obtain tn
full benefit of that canal
The right of railroads to own and op
crate competing lines of steamships ha
prevented in all parts of this country tn
legitimate effect of water competition. I
has been the policy of railroads to bu.
up such competing ships and either pu
them out of service or maintain rate
which We're no lower than these by RAJ
If this country Is to enjoy the benefit o
water competition as a regulator o
freight rates, the railroad must be re
quired to keep It's hands off the steam
ship. These were also the views of tn
interstate commerce commission, and
being at that time chairman of that com
mission, was instructed to appear befor
the Senate committee having the Panam
bill in charge and present those views
7 did so, and | also wrote a letter SUE
costing, as an Individual, that certai
other amendments should be made. Thes
ideas were embodied in the nth sectio
of the Panama act, which is one Of tn
most far-rcaching and comprehensiv
measures of railroad regulat ions enacte
since the Hepburn bill.
The railroads openly and earnestly or
posed the passage of that section in III
Senate. The vote was a fair test of raj
road influence at that time In that bod!
The bill passed 4s voting In favor and
against Mr.. Dillingham; OF Vermont, wa
against This vote the last test {
railroad strength in the United State
Senate, If remember Mr. Aldrich ha
gone but Mr.. Dillingham;, true to his fol
mer education and instincts, was sti
found upon the side OF the carriers
have said that Mr.. Dillingham; wa
opposed TO effective railroad regulation
He has denied this. and In evidence of tn
correctness Of this statement he has wr
ten letter referring to his vote upo
certain measures of railroad control. Wit
respect to this letter I may say tw
things,
First. all of the bills referred to e,
cept one are of no significance. The Ell
ms bill was accepted and supported by a
parties The commerce court bill WI
both supported and opposed by the frien'
of regulation. II increased In some r
Bpects the powers of the commission b
upon the other hand 1t created a cou
which the railroads expected would lin
the activities of the commission. The o
iy measure of real significance Is the He
burn bill, and | shall only consider Z
attitude of Mr. Dillingham; to that mea
ure.
Second, it should be carefully noted tn
in all the votes to which Mr.. Dillngha
refers he voted with either Senator Al
rich or Senator Elkins, and that In
case did he vote against either OF the
men. If his votes prove him to have be
the friend of regulation. they show wi
equal force that both Aldrich and
kns were the friends of regulation, viii
Is patent absurdity since these men we
the avowed leaders in opposition to
effective regulation.
The statements in Mr., Dillinghams II
ter do not. therefore, show him to ha
been upon the side Of the public in the
contests. but neither do they show TT
he was upon the side OF the railroad.
must demonstrate that In some otf
way, and In doing so I am compelled
refer to matters in which ! was perst
ally concerned
In the spring Of 1897 the Supreme Coz
of the United States handed down cert'