The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-20
Failure of the Interstate Commerce
Act.

Act.
It Is evident that tho Interstate Com
MERGE act is complete failure, and that the
Board of Commissioners charged with its
enforcement is incapable and inefficient.
The railroad managers throughout the
country make scarcely n pretenCe OF OBJ
serving the act or obeying the Board.
They do not hesitate to disregard the plain
est provisions of the law and the most ur-
gent injunctionS of the Commissioners; and
what is worse, they do not think enough of
either to resort to the slightest device for
concealment. AS administered at present
the act is fragrant farce, tending only to
stimulate the mendacity and increase tho
trckery OF those who might otherwise be
regarded rs honest railroad officers. These
officers do not complain of each other to the
Commissioners. and their failure to do this
arises from the obvious reason that they are
all alike guilty OF violating the law. Neither
shippers nor consignees will become inform
er5, because they are as deep in the mire as
the railroad managers are in the mud.
r, On the other hand, when for any reason
the Commissioners consent to take cog
nizance Of complaints they act as though
they were afraid they might discover some
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of court under an insufficient judgment; or
delay their decision till the public has lost
all interest in the matter, or until the
offender has had ample time to devise some
other plan for circumventing the law, cheat
ing his rival, or getting ahead OF the public.
We have from time to time pointed out
the outrageous injustice OF the competition
between the railroads subsidized by the
Canadian Government and our own rail-
roads, as permitted under the Revised
Statutes. the Treasury regulations, the
treaty of Washington, and the Interstate
Commerce act We have shown that it
would be impossible fairly to enforce the
act until it should be so amended as to
shut the Canadian railroads out of our
carrying trade, just as foreign ships
are shut out OF our coasting trade.
Two years investigation conducted by
the Senate Interstate Commerce Commit
tee has demonstrated in every particular
the truth of these statements; and yet at
this late day the committee come forward
with the recommendation that the Canadian
railways shall be licensed to continue their
depredations upon our commerce.
1t would now be In order for that commit |
tee to ask permission to continue their in |
designations, and after two more years spent |
In the useless examination OF witnesses and |
in the waste OF printers ink, they might |
bring in report recommending some
further amendment of the law for the bene-
fit OF tho Canadians. When it Is remem-
bered that the latter are already exempted
by Canadian statutes from every legal re-
striction which could work against their
affOrta N aanura I'm aripan traffic will
probably be conceded that they will faith
fully observe the terms OF their licenses,
should licenses DO granted, or that they will
at least find way to make 1t appear to the
Commissioners that they have done 80.
Be this as it may, 1t Is certain that the
machinery of the Interstate Commerce law
Is fatally defective, and that so far as it Is
producing any effect whatever, that effect is
wholly bad, especially In the region west
OF Chicago. where the long and short
haul clause bears so heavily upon the gran
ger communities. Why they do not rise up
and demand the repeal of this clause, is one
OF the anomalies Of the times. Their Con-
gressmen nearly all recognize the Injustice
OF the act In this respect, but SO far none of
them has had the pluck to mako a serious
enort for the abolition OF Its Injurious fea-
lures. They seem to be paralyzed, one and |
all, by fear OF the granger vote and OF its |
organs. 1t is true that Senator GoRMAN has |
introduced bill into the Senate to give eff |
feet to the proposition to license the Cana
dian railroads as carriers of Interstate |
commerce.; but that bill Is evidently based
upon the suppositon that 1t will operate
against the American railroads, and will
stimulate competition in the interest of the
granRers OF the Northwest and tho middle
mon OF New England
1t Is but truism that the best way to Sc
cure the repeal OF bad measure Is to enforce
1t rigidly; and this is just as true Of the
Interstate Commerce act as of any other.
While we do not regard tho act itself as
wholly bad, IL seems to be certain that tho
good In it can never be fully enjoyed by the
public till the law Is honestly, impartially
and vigorously administered. This, It's now
evident, cannot be done by a commission Of
old gentlemen holding solemn court in
Washington. or wandering almlossly about
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