Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1916-12-07
hspt'sd by President TO Bst-
II ceaat|ea II Carriers
MAYcHAxeE PRESENT SYSTEM

pecVlDlOn VI "
tie revolutionizing of the whole. scheme.
Of governmental regulation Of tbeeoun-
try's transportation linex Incidentally
the committee IL to look int the qnes-
1pn Of ugeysrnment sownarship 81 rail;
ways. Telephone and Telegraph lines
and express companies.
" The members Aofg,tbe committee
which will conduet this Important In
vestigstiens are ssnatorsNewlands Of
Nevada, chaiEtnan5 Senator'S Robinson
OF Arkansas. Underwood of Alabama.
Cummins. Of Iona and Brandegee of
Connecticut, and REPRESENTATIVES Ad-
amson Of Georgia. Sims of Tennessee.
1,nllop Of Indiana Esch, Of Wisconsin
md HAMILTON pof Michigan. The in
quiry was recommends by President
Wilson u his nsessageeto Congress in
Decemtes Of last year, He described
as its, purpose to determine what could
be done for lettering the conditions
under which the railroads are operated
and for making them useful serv-,
~antssof the country assA~wholei'
"a Prominent Men al Witasssss.
I'M order to obtain the views of all
interests affected BY the operations Of
the transportation lines the committee
has invited prominent. shippers. bank
ers, representatives Of commercial or
ganizations. railway executives. econo-
mists and others to appear before them.
The first to be heard are railroad
commissioners Of various states who
began their evidence today, Their
testimony Is directed chiefly to ,oppos-
ing any enlargement Of the federal
authority " commerce that would
detract from the powers now exercised
by state bodies. They will he followed
shortly by officials Of, railway labor
organizations who are experted to reg
lister their opposition to the increase
Of governmental authority over wages
and conditions Of labor. > r.
Chief interest In the hearings cen
tiers. in the proposals that will be put
forward by Representatives Of the rail.
roads, for It Is reported that they VII!
advocate an extension of federal au-
thority over rates and securitiesste the
practicat exclusion Of state control Of
these matters. 1t Is understood also that
they will 60 on record in favor Of fed
eral incorporation of all railroad lines.
Legislative Program oflRailroads.
From an authoritative source IL OBJ
tanned the following outline Of the leg.
islative program which the railroads
will ask the committee to consider In
its Investigation: They Will endeavor
to demonstrate to the commission that
one Of the principal defects in,the pres
ent system of railroad regulation is
the lack of coordination resulting from
the Simultaneous and conflicting regu-
lation by the federal government and
by the 4s states. They will, therefore.
ask that entire governmental control
OF the rates and practices Of interstate
carriers. except purely local matters.
be placed IA the hands of q federal
body so that interstate traffic may be
regulated without rafereacs to state
lines. sieasang 10 tie state commissions
liurisdicfion onlysoyersl local matters and
Iocii public utilities Az aspart Of this
plan, Ssconpulsory ssystemn Of federal
interpretation ID 1 besreaommended,
L aScotupsnfed " federal sprervisiou Of
railroad stock and bondstssues.
SsreorwsnizSfaon aof the Interstate
Commerce sCommission WIN be asked,
Nm order to enable the commission prop.
erly TO exercise ,ts increased mowers
.,so TINT I'm. nr.n.r, tion
and ~nrosecntion NJ Eases .psinst Tho
abroad shslI no deleestsd 10 soms
1 o,hor. .yercr NJ tha,rovsrnrent ross,.
4 y, shasn.nsr,snsrts hst.c~ ~ Tho,
/ M eomn,ission nav .dsyota RI snsr.
No. 20 tic .dniri.tra tive Function.
Win tha onmm,,ss,on ,hms ,r,,s,.,
a,,.,.. "a .n,,,
~ hns,rass r.,sa aronn.
pea an 80 sh., H. y"
vs. uels'a'o ~.
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