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Show Commissioners Are j Heard onjlate Matter Rates Should Be Made by Roads First, and Be Subject to Revision. WASHINGTON, May 22 Inttrotate Commerce Commissioners Francis M Coekrell and Joseph w. Flfer wero among the witnesses todav before the BenatQ Ci mmlttee on Interstate Commerce, whose Invesllsiitlon t railroad rates has almost drawn to a close. Commissioner Flfrr spoko of rebates and rate-cutting, and said they were Induced In-duced by railroad men dlmtrustlng' each other Rates, he said should be made by the railroads In tho first place, but should be subject'to revision! " ll said thai Mi commission could adjust a rate complained com-plained of in accordance with rates on like commodities In other sections under like condition ". Roads Would Be Careful. He thought the adjustment of the long And short-haul difficulties should be lelt to the commission. He believed that the power of rate regulation. If given to the commission, would rot be exerelsed very often, as the roads would be careful not to get Into trouble with the commission Commissioner Flfer spok- ..f the danger of Government ownership unless the raii- loads w.'io Justly inlmlrlsl.-r d. Should Have Power to Chnnge Rates. Former United states Senator Coekrell 0l Missouri, now a member of the commission, commis-sion, said he would leave the origination of rati-s to the rullruao.- giving the com mission power to . nii.lcnin a rate found to le unreasonable anil to tlx a different rate in Its place to take effect Immediately. Immedi-ately. Trn- railroads h contended should have the right to appeal to the courts, and ih.' latter should deteririiqe whether the railroad rail-road rate was unreasonable or the commission's com-mission's rate unreasonable, If Congress should enact a law to this effect, he said, the court would take Jurisdiction over rates to the extent of deciding BUOh cues) Ions Judiciary Is Divided. llf would m ike the railroads responsible for Icing and other charges of private car lines Commissioner Coekrell cited a nuns-be nuns-be of cased where decisions of lower (.arts sustaining the commission In rat. matter: had been reversed by the Su-ja.no- . ourt lb- did this to show tint Uv Judiciary m's divided on these rate l .l.s.-S May Have Come on Passes S 11 Cow. in. representing tli live-stock shippers "f the Southwest also appeared today before the committee. He eonlro-verted eonlro-verted statements made by other witnesses wit-nesses as to satisfactory rate conditions, and t laim.-il that the cattle rates w-re too high. He asserted that the railroads had used diligence to bring men hero to tes-t'tv tes-t'tv to satisfaction with rates He charged that these witnesses may have come on passes, and that ii was possible that an Intimation was given them that it was better for them to come. Zlkins Makes Statement. Chairman Blklna remarked that tht Committee had summoned all the men whose names had been furnltthed by Mr 1. i on in tin interest of the ptcposed . i;- ihiation, and that expenses and per diem had be. n i Mowed all who appeared. |
