Counselman objected to testifying in regard to rebates, because to do
so would incriminate him. Notwithstanding there was a provision in
the act to regulate commerce that the testimony should not be used
against the witness he objected. The Supreme Court held, notwith-
standing that provision, that he was entitled to the exemption, and



PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF INTERSTATE-COMMBBCE LAW. 349-

that the only way a witness could be compelled to testify in such a
case was to give him absolute immunity from prosecution. Then, to
meet that, and to enable the Commission to proceed and obtain facts
at all in respect to such matters — because it was only the parties that
were guilty of the offense that knew about it — Congress promptly
passed, in 1893, an act complying with the suggestion of the Su-
preme Court,. giving immunity to a party when he testifies in respect
to these cases.
