The Alaska daily empire., 1919-12-08
CRICSBY WINS HOUSE DEBATE
 OVER JOHNSON
Delegate Worsts Washington Represen- tative in Fight Over
 Freight Rates

The Congressional Record of No vember r contains the record of the debate over the attempt of Represen tative Albert Johnson to have the law returning the railroads to the owners and changing the Interstate Com merce Act 50 as to prevent Canadian companies to charge a lower rate between two American points than the rates established between those points by the Interstate Commerce Commission. Delegate George E Grigsby opposed the amendment and it was defeated.
 The amendment was first opposed by Representative Cleary of New York until he was shown that it would not affect the rate between the Great Lakes and Oswego, N. Y., via the Welland Canal, then he desisted MT Johnson then spoke on the amend ment, and asked for vote. The House of Representatives was in Committee of the Whole House The Record contains the following debate:
 MT. Johnson of Washington-Yes but it Mill continue to go by way ol Oswego' if it pays the rates estab klished fby the United States Inter Estate Commerce Commission, and i it does mot pay United States rate;
 it ought mot to come down by way o | Oswego.
 The commodity referred to by the gentleman from New York is a droi in the bucket compared to all Of the business which the amendment l or | fer might affect. The Canadian Pac' fic Railroad has increased it's bu5i ness. even during the war times, st | that it's dividends are above l0 pc cent per annum, and the stock Il quoted far above par|l thing l5o
 The stocks of the American competl tors on this side of the line are be low par. and some of the competing | roads are not doing profltaDle pusi | ness. We pass laws and regulation for commerce in the United State
 that drive commerce across the line
 The amendment seeks to correct thu situation. As this is in order, MT Chairman, would like a vote Q 1 the committee.
 l Mir. Grigsby-Mr. Chairman anf
 gentlemen of the committee, do no understand the purpose or thi l amendment, as far as the rest Of tn l Tinted States is concerned, but l d'
 understand the purpose of it as Ia
 az ii affects the Territory of Alaska As YOU all know, the Territory , Alaska has. no transportation facil
 ities connecting it with the unite'
 States except by water We have tn benefit of no rail competition excep
 the Canadian railways. There IS nj comnetition with the American steam
 shin lines except the Canadian steam
 ship lines, and the Canadian raii
 ways. The greatest drawback to tn development of Alaska, with the pos sible exception of the conservatiol nolicy that has been adopted tOwar' that Territory for the last Is years is the high cost of transportation
 The policy of the Government toda is to develop Alaska.
 Now comes the gentleman Iron Washington with this provision
 which if passed will increase In
 cost of both freight and passenge
 charges to and from the Territory 0
 Alaska. Since the purchase Of Alas
 ka in 1867 the Territory has e'
 ported products to the value or neal lily s1,0O0, 900. 900. Her total commefc has been about $500, 100000. Prot
 ably per cent of the value or ne
 products has been paid out in trans
 portation charges High transports
 ton charges. High transportatio
 rates have been a great obstacle T
 the development of the country eve
 since the gold rush of 1898.
 There the two American steamshi
 lines engaged in Alaska commerce