Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1896-11-27

! INTERSTATE COMMERCE. PROBLEMS.
! II is not probable that anything will
| be done at the coming session Of con.
grcSs looking TO the solution of the inter
state commerce problems which demand
attention. but they are likely to receive
some consideration preparatory to def.
mite action 10y the succeeding congress.
enc Of those problems. involving the
tariff, or at least tho efficiency of the
protective system, Is of great interest
The Interstate Commerce commission
established rule regarding import rates
10 the effect that the rate for the car
riagc Of freight over a prescribed rail
route, say from New York to Chicago.
must not be higher whore the carriage
was wholly within the United States
than where this route might constitute
part of Il longer route. including ocean
carriage. The supreme court last March
rendered decision that this rule was
not justified 10y the language of the
interstate commerce act. The court left
to the commission full discretion in pre-
scribing that such rates bc reasonable
in either case. but denied that the law
gave authority to establish fixed rule,
While the commission is not likely to
permit radical differences in rates. it
will point out in its annual report that
any difference at all in favor of the
import rate opens the door for defeating
the will of congress in fixing protective
duties. This is Obvious. 1t is said to
be already the case that certain classes
of iron can be laid down for Il smaller |
combined charge for ocean frGights and |
tariff duties at the American SeabOard |
than the charge for railroad freights |
alone from distant interior points. The |
effect of tariff duties ut the seabonrd |
is thus negativcd while leaving them in !
full force, with additional freight |
charges, in the interior The commits |
sion, it is stated will clearly set forth |
this indirect assault upon protection and |
it is certainly matter that must re-
ceive the careful attention of congress.
Another important question is as to
the power of the commission to pre-
scribe rates. The only power assumed
by the commission in this respect has
been, in cases where complaints have
been made of unreasonable charges. to
name the rate considered by the com
mission to be reasonable and to require
the railways to conform to it. 4 recent
supreme court decision has been con
Strucd as implying that the commission
has only the negative power to declare
,,i,-
tive power to declare what it should
he ana IL is stated that the railway at
tOrncys have used this in the lower
courts as Il reason for refusing to suS-
tain the commission in prescribing rates.
There is now pending in the supreme
court Il case involving the issue and
should the decision he adverse TO the
congress will be asked to
confer upon it power to prescribe rates
after full hearing of complaints of I'M
reasonable discrimination
These questions awaiting solution
show that the Interstate commerce act
IS still imperfect in important respects.
Its recent operation appears to have
been fairly effective in some directions,
but its faults and defects have not all
been removed and they furnish ground
'or some opposition to the law.