On page 40 the committee says: “Railroad companies are not disposed to regard themselves ‘as holding a public office and bound to the public,’ as expressed in the ancient law. They do not deal with all citizens alike. They discriminate between persons and between places, and the States and Congress are consequently called on to in some way enforce the plain principles of the common law for the protection of the people against the unlawful conduct of common carriers in carrying on the commerce of the country.” On page 188 the following example is given: “One reference to the testimony must suffice to illustrate the universality of individual favoritism, the reasons which influence the railroads in favoring one shipper to the ruin of another, and the injustice of the system. Mr. C. M. Wicker of Chicago, a former railroad official of many years’ experience, was asked if he knew anything of discrimination upon the part of the transportation companies as between individuals or localities, and testified as follows: “MR. WICKER. Yes; I do. And this discrimination, by reason of rebates, is a part of the present railroad system. I do not believe the present railroad system could be conducted without it. Roads coming into this field to-day and undertaking to do business on a legitimate basis of billing the property at the agreed rates would simply result in getting no business in a short time. “SENATOR HARRIS. Then, regardless of the popularly understood schedule rates, practically it is a matter of underbidding for business by way of rebates? “MR. WICKER. Yes, sir; worse than that. It is individual favoritism, the building up of one party to the detriment of the other. I will illustrate. I have been doing it myself for years and had to do it. “SENATOR HARRIS. Doing it for yourself in your position?