OCR Text |
Show rORflliEi! IN OPPOSITION TO RAILROAD Mil BILL ADDRESSES THE SENATE 'J WASHINGTON. Feb. 28. Senator Foraker spoke In the Senate today . in opposition to the pending railroad rate bill.; Mr. Foraker conceded that some evidenced evi-denced evils exist In connection with the railroads, but urged that all of them could be more effectively met by amending the Elklns law than by passing pass-ing the pending bill. Differs With Roosevelt. ' ' - He announced his regret at differing from the President, but said he could tensive railroad consolidations to the fact that the Supreme court decisions against pooling had left the roads without with-out protection from the rebate system except to resort to some general understanding. under-standing. - His Own Position. Announcing his own position, he said.: "I believe In the court plan, as contradistinguishing con-tradistinguishing from the rate-making plan, not alone because It Is much simpler, sim-pler, much more expeditious, much more efficient, and without expense to the shipper, but because, In addition to all that, It avoids all legal and constitutional consti-tutional questions, while the rate-making plan as set forth in this bill encountered en-countered a number of such questions that are of the most serious character, and some of them. In my Judgment, fatal." fa-tal." Bight Not Established. ' Regarding the right of Congress to make rates, he declared "the Supreme court has never yet passed on that question, and that there are many eminent emi-nent lawyers who are of the opinion that the court will hold, when it does decide that question, that Congress does not have that power. "Their reasoning," he said, "seems to me to be sound and the effect of It absolutely fatal to this entire scheme of legislation." He was confirmed In this view, he said, by the opinion of the court In the Northern Securities case. He believed that a remark made In reaching the conclusion In that case leaves the question ques-tion open. He conceded that the different States have the power of rate fixing. not see his way clear to pursue any other course. He gave a general review of the history his-tory of the railroad development of the country and passed to the evils of the system, which he said are necessarily Incident to the upbuilding of so vast an interest. His attitude toward the pending railroad rate bill was correct' ly outlined In his first paragraph, in which he said of the bill, "It is so contrary con-trary to the spirit of our Institution and of such drastic and revolutionary character, that If not in Its Immediate effect, at least as a precedent, the chances are likely to be most unusual and far-reaching." -Some Bailroad Evils. He discussed the railroad' evils as ol three classes, excessive rates, rebatet and discriminations. He found little to complain of undei the first heading, but said there ar some Instances of charges that are toe high, and he thought a prompt and ef fectlve remedy should be provided. A more serious evil he found In re-hates, re-hates, and he traced the present ex- |