| Show further legislation Is not necessary he contends cincinnati 0 oct aff although confined to his biome under the orders of his physician and compelled to cancel several speaking engagements during the ladt few days united states senator foraker has been following closely tho agitation agit atlon over railroad freight rates and today save to the press a statement answering particularly the arguments advanced by secretary of war tatt in his speech in akron ohio last saturday night in tho course of his statement senator foraker said no question has arisen in american politics in recent years of anything like such importance excepting the free silver question he then takes issue with the assumption that those who do not agree wath the remedy proposed by secretary taft are opposed to any remedy whatever so far as I 1 am aware says senator foraker it is universally admitted that in the past many evil practices hae obtained but some of them still obtain that none of them should be allowed to continue that any efficient and expeditious remedy should be provided against all of them in so tar as legislation can provide the sole difference is as to whether conferring the rate making power on the interstate commerce commission Is the only or even necessary remedy my contention Is that it is not necessary and that of all remedies that have been suggested it is unqualifiedly the worst senator foraker says that if there be any occasion for conferring the rate making power on the interstate commerce commission it is not in alls opinion to be found in the necessity for heading ott and defeating any movement of 1 character under the direction of mr bryan or any of such political leaders as suggested by secretary tatt these discriminations consist not only of discriminations between shippers and localities but discriminations between commodities in classification by means of terminal charges elevator charges refrigerator charges and many other kinds of charges and devices too numerous to mention this has been a most serious trouble continues the senator we undertook to deal with it when we passed the elkins law there Is no reason whatever why it any locality thinks it is discriminated against application should not be forthwith made for relief and relief secured it the charge can be sustained for the court is by the statute expressly invested with full jurisdiction to entertain the complaint and administer a complete remedy this has been in dorco ever since the lath day ol 01 february 1903 it secretary tatt or anybody else will tell wherein this remedy is deficient or tell me in what manner a better remedy can be provided by conferring the rate making power on the interstate commerce commission we shall then have reached the point where glittering generalities can be dismissed and intelligent discussion may commence senator foraker outlines the nature of the change which ho would make in the present law in the following words answering secretary tafts suggestion that the burden of all litigation should be placed on the railroads it is no hardship on the shipper but a direct benefit to him to require hla proceeding to be under this statute and it is and will be when amended for because of the tact there cannot b one change made without necessitating hundreds and perhaps thousands of others every such proceeding would be not for the benefit of complaining pla ining shippers alone but for a whole community ot shippers hundreds and probably thousands the proceeding would therefore in tact be in behalf of the public and should be in the name of the government and at the expense ot the government or the railroads as the courts may deem fusa and equitable and in no case at the expense of the shipper these proceedings should be commenced by complaint filed with the interstate commerce commission which should conduct only preliminary investigations to the extent of determining whether or not there Is probable ground and when that point Is reached the whole matter should be turned over to alie department of justice to be prosecuted not before a special couet which it would be I 1 think unwise to create but before tha circuit court of the united states having jurisdiction in the particular case in this ivay these cases would be dis tributes tri buted throughout the whole country and be confined to a judicial system with which we are familiar find the working strength of which we can increase as found necessary by the appointment of new judges this wo would leave the making of rates in the hands ot skilled men but subject to review upon complaint made bv courts skilled in the weighing of tes the analysis of facts and the application of the law and the same courts to which by the proposed legislation or any other legislation that may be suggested the controversy will have to be submitted any how at some stage of the proceedings tor we could not it we so desired take away from the parties to the controversy the right i to submit their contentions to the court for final UNITED STATES JOINS IN rome oct ac ace news that the united stales cruiser minneapolis had gone to genoa to take part with the french and british warships in the ceremonies attendant upon the inauguration of the new harbor works on saturday produced tha best of impressions the press and foreign officers show great appreciation of what Is considered to be a delicate compliment on the part of the united states |
