Omaha daily bee., 1889-10-11
PATE MANrprLArtnNS.

IL 10 "iNOa VIZ
promise of reform given out at the time
OF the organization OF the Interstate
Commerce railway association, and the
assurances OF better conduct following
the explicit warnings of the interstate
commerce commission, TO find that rail-
road managers have been behaving
quite as badly as before, IL not
worse. Such is the fact, how
ever, rs shown by the exposure
OF a general manipulation OF rates
by the roads west from Chicago.
The statement regarding this
latest development of the insiucerity
and chicauery Of western railroad man
ayers will he something OF n surprise to
those who had become confident that
the united influence OF the "gentlemen's
agreement" and the Interstate COM
merce commission would compel n
measure of integrity and fair-dealing
among the managers. 1t shows that
these influences have been absolutely
imperative, and that so far as the former
is concerned it is u wholly worthless ar
rangcment, which we're better ahan
doued at once, since 1t has
served no good purpose and
appears utterly incapable OF doing
so. In this matter of manipulating
rates. the offending roads, none Of
which denied the charge, are members
OF the Interstate Commerce Railway
association and are strong enough to
defeat any attempt to punish them
Al. e -
What possible reason can there be for
continuing an organization which is
powerless TO secure respect for its regu
lations or to punish those of its
members who violate them? 1t
has. no standing in law, and
consequently cannot proceed against an
offending road under the Interstate
commerce act. and since it has been
abuudautiy . demonstrated that the
foundation OF -''honor among gentle
men'' upon which it rests is a snare and
adelusion, the sooner it is dissolved the
better. 1t serves only to mislead public
confidence and blind the eyes of those
who ought to keep a vigilant watch upon
the operations of railroad managers.
There would seem to be in this
exposure of a distinct and flagrant
violation of the interstate COM
merce law, n great and urgent oppor-
tunity for the commission to show the
country that its assurances of Il deter
mination to enforce the penalties of
the law were sincere. 1t is said that the
very cnormity of the offeuses by these
railroads makes the offenders certain of
immunity. If this should prove to be
the case there would be an end of pub
lie confidence in the power of
the national government to pro-
tect the public interests against
the lawless and unscrupulous
practices of the railroad cor
poratons. If it should be demonstrated
that the Interstate commerce law can
be made effective only in requiring in
dividual corporations to conform to its
requirements and furnishing such for q
failure to do so, but must fail when con-
fronted with the common ofenses Of
numerous corporations, then the time
will have come for seriously consider
ing whether the law Is worth preserv-
ing. But there will be no such demon
stration il those charged with admins
tering the law will do their duty. 1t is
sufficiently broad and comprehen-
sive in its scope and authority
to deal with any and all cases
of its violation, whether happen
ing singly or in combinations, and
there is the necessary power in the
government to enforce it. And the
greater the enormity of the offense the
stronger reason there is for enforcing
the penalties of the law without fear or
favor The idea that violations OF
law may attain proportions that will
give immunity to the guilty cannot
be tolerated under government whose
foundations rest upon Il respect for law
and whose preservation depends upon
the universal observance of the laws.
Not very long ago Chairman Cooley,
of the Interstate commission, SAID to
the railroad managers that the inter-
state commerce law was made to be en-
forced, and he assured them that 1t was
the determination of the commission to
enforce it to the full extent of its au-
thority. Thus far the commission has
done little more than advise, warn and
suggest. The last congress amended
the law so as to provide adequate pen
alties for it's violation. 1t has been fla
grantly violated, and there will be q
great deal of interest regarding the ac-
| tion OF the commission.