The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-25
SHIPPERS GET
| RATE HEARING;
BONUS FUTURE
Senate Action Doubtful on Adjust.
ed Compensation Measure; On
Agriculture Committee.
Washington News Bureau.
Rock Island Argus.

freight rates In Illinois at the hear
ing called in Chicago, April 10, &C
cording to assurances given here
late this week by the interstate
commerce commission to Illinois
congressman and senators.
Illinois members of the house
held an informal meeting last We'd
snesday in the Office of Representa-
tive William J. Graham of the
Fourteenth district, to discuss the
railroad rate situation.
ssssTelegrams had been received
from Chairman Frank l.. Smith OF
the commerce commission, asking
that the delegation use its influence
to obtain a full hearing before the
interstate commerce commission in
an effort to have rates reduced.
The delegation appointed the fol-
lowing committee 10 appear before
the commission: William ]. Ora
ham. Aledo: Edward f. Denison.
Marion; Richard Yates, Springfield,
and Frank II. Funk. Bloomington.
Later in the week the above del
egation called on members of the
commission. accompanied by Sena-
: tors Mccormick and Mckinley and
Representatives Loren f. Wheeler,
y Springfield: Edwin B. Brooks. New
{ ton, and John J. German. Chicago.
The Illinois delegation was re-
eeived by Chairman McChOrd and
Commissioners Aitchison and Esch,
the latter being the author of the
Esch Cummins transportation act
of 1920 under, which the present
rate level in Illinois was establish
ed on Aug. 26, 1920.
Rates @ChaOtic.-
Spokesman for the delegation de-
scribed the rate situation in down
state Illinois as chaotic" 1t was
explained 10 the commissioners
that since the -Cummins law
went into effect Illinois shippers
have had to contend with four diff
ferent rate systems within the Dor
ders OF the state 1t was pointed
out at the conference that in 1920
Interstate freight rates were in
Fcreased 80 per cent in western and
northern Illinois, % per cent in
southern Illinois (south of the ILL
nois river and 40 per cent in east
ern Illinois least of the Illinois
river. At the same time. fiat in
crease was ordered on all intra-
~ state shipments.
Chairman McChord gave positive
" assurance to the Illinois members
OF congress that the whole rate
question will be threshed out at
the hearing to be held April 10
The Illinois commerce commits
sion through Chairman Smith has
already petitioned asking that ILL
nois be included in the territory for
which a reduction of 10 per cent in
freight rates on grain products and
hay was granted. Only the west
ern section of the state was grant
ed this reduction under the order
sof the commission.
The railroads, meanwhile. have
asked that there be a rehearing on
the order and that western Illinois,
which includes all territory north
&of the Illinois river, be excluded
from the territory for which the 10
per cent reduction was granted.
Both the shippers and the rail-
roads will be heard in Chicago.
Within a few months thereafter a
decision is expected which will re-
lieve some of the inequalities of
which down-state Illinois shippers
have been complaining for the last
Us months. since the rate advance
went into effect.
AS forecast in this column sew
eral months ago, Uncle Joe" Can
non, Danville, was the only down
state Illinois member of congress
TO vote against the soldiers bonus,
when that measure came to a vote
this week in the house.
Representative James R. Mann,
Chicago, also voted against the bill,
but all other members OF the dele,
CATION, from down-state districts
and from Chicago as well. voted in
the affirmative. Representative Will
Ham A. Rodenberg, East St Louis,
was absent, but it was understood
among his colleagues that if pres
ent he would have voted for the
bill.
Uncle Joe" Cannon took the
floor. and in one of the last impor-
tant speeches he is likely TO make
IN the house, vigorously attacked
the measure. declaring he was OPP
posed to the bonus in principle
Representative = at large Richard
Yates made a short speech for the
bill and was supported by Repre-
Sentative Ira c. Copley, Aurora,
who was one OF the joint sub-com-
mittee which reported the certifi-
cate plan OF payment to the house.
Washington is still in doubt as
70 what action will be taken on the
bonus question by the senate.
There has been some sentiment for
altering the plan OF payment by
amendment in the senate, but the
substitution Of a sales tax. as rec
ommended by President Harding,
seems unlikely because OF opposi-
ton to the sales tax in the house.
Both Senators Mckinley and Nc
Cormick, it is probable, will vote
for the bonus bill, although neither |
would comment on the bill this |
week because the treaty debate in |
the senate had prevented either |
from making O study of its terms
E Illinois gained the representa- J
ton on the senate committee on |
agriculture and forestry which its
rank as an agricultural state de-
serves, when Senator Lodge this
week announced in the senate the |
appointment OF Senator Mckinley /
to that committee.
+ When Senator Mckinley entered
the senate last March he applied
for membership on the committee,
but there were not enough vacan-
etes TO go around and he was as
signed to the committee on apprO-