The Washington herald., 1914-05-06
SCORES EFFORTS
TOCOERCEL. c. c.
Senator La Toilette Charges
Roads Have Used Un- p,
due Influence.
HE READS MANY LETTERS
Declares Newspaper Campaign Has
Been Conducted to Obtain
Rate Raise.

Senator Robert NJ. La Toilette, OF Wis
consin, made a long and impassioned
speech in. the Senate yesterday in con-
demnation of what he declared to be an
organized attempt to influence the In
terstate Commerce Commission in favor
Of the application of the Eastern rail-
roads for permission to increase rates
five per cent The Senator from Wis
consin read correspondence into the
record and cited instances tending to
prove the existence of an organized
movement to coerce the Interstate Com
merce Commission.
Many months before this application
was filed" said Senator La Toilette.
newspaper interviews by prominent
railway officials appeared from time to
time setting forth the pressing necessity
of the railroads for increased revenue;
from time to time It became evident that
a concerted newspaper campaign was on
to create a public opinion. which the
Interstate Commerce Commission should
be made to feel
A Bold Attempt.
The Senator declared that an attempt
such as had never been made before any
other tribunal in the country. was being
exerted ito subject the commission to
every form OF influence and pressure
which human ingenuity can devise in
order to force from it a decision favor
able to the railroads"
The Senator referred to an alleged
railway publicity bureau in Philadelphia
and certain communications sent out by
Franz W. NoXon, 30 Church street. New
York. He read advertisements in trade
journals presenting the railroads side Of
the controversy, some of them full page
advertisements. The Senator declared he
had received $50 letters and telephones,
obviously inspired by these advertise
ments asking me to use my influence as
Senator with the commission TO get
the per cent increase approved"
Senator La Toilette created something
Of a sensation by calling to the fact
that these letters had been referred to
the Interstate Commerce Commission
from the White House. stamped: Re
spectfully acknowledged" or Respect
fully referred for acknowledgement and
consideration. with Secretary Tumulty's
name affixed. Senator Borah, of Idaho,
suggested TO Mr.. La Toilette that mas
much as a rubber stamp was used that
the incident had no greater significance
that a routine communication had passed
through the White House on its way
TO the commission, for which il was evil
lnlSDOtO.
Il don't know about that" replied
Mr. La Toilette. The Senate can draw
its own conclusions. bearing in mind that
these letters were referred TO the In
terstate Commerce Commission. and
signed by the Presidents secretary.
Was Routine Duty.
Senator Hughes. OF New Jersey. told
Mr. La Toilette that he had called up
the White House and was informed that
the transmission of these letters to the
Interstate Commerce Commission was
the routine duty of a clerk.
Would the same routine duty re-
quire the White House clerk to send
similar letters to the Supreme Court Of
the United States?" inquired Mr.. La
Toilette.
Il think it would" replied Senator
Hughes Il can't think OF better
place to send such communications than
to the Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion.''
Senator La Toilette declared a letter
had been sent by former Congressman
Joseph Fl. O'Neil. of Boston. president
of the Federal Trust Company. to Sec
retary Tumulty. which said:
Il am writing you as one who can put
in a word close up
Mr. O'Neil then avowed himself prac-
tical man who was writing to another
practical man and continued:
DO this thing and in my opinion the
Republican party need not nominate a
candidate against us in 1916. Do not d..
it. and~I believe there will be no need
for our nominating n candidate"
Senator La Toilette expressed the opin-
ION that the firm OF White & Kendall.