The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-02-25

Charleston ~ Na12estH Ia. "a distance
oT s(E ns.3sa. make las- same RATE on fer
sll}zer IS i rat}roaa fregY, savannah 10
NA.dn~ts. distance ~ - miles The
commission seems te ta1uS that a great
wrong IS thereby dome. which " Shetid
30 authorized 81 cerreCt ey making the
ska}~ossa gr2sa Charleston 80 Ns@doS;S
TA2rEe higher snte SEQ fertilizer than
5ac railroad traTn savannah so Na}dossa.
oT. tn either WVT>3s tae commission thinks
5aat i; ~usat 10 sse aNthVfizes 60 give sA-
aA,f,l.4 = monopoly ~ fh@ FERTILIZER htS-
4ats~ AS Aa3aosfa- s'ne necessity 10Y this
= "Nt So apparent az t9v COMMISSION
Sec1as n fhluk since the commission
a&HN 5Ase stress a1 t-fff'saetfttar keS ping
down rates. it Is difficult ~ see Srhy Il IL
H'st ~2sut@fy tAsnk yea Charleston and
SAVANNAH 20 compete ia selling fcrtllsxrr
81 ss+1>fz. tAsrctN gixfae the Naidasfs
0uasrr tAr choice Hf theSs tWa markets
- whica 90 euy his fertilizer with the
i@fs>tste result II reducing tAs price Sc
h@S {" pas. Ner rs * EASY ga S@r why
tDe railroad TvaFn Savannah fa NAls1oSts
should haV5 an sracro0t yisht - ya0nopo-
liEe tae transportation 80 feytihxeT 10
AaisoSsa, when & weul{ hAVr K she cam
~ prn1ia}t}nr the Tatlra.sd frcm Charles
ION u '3dUSiA tTt'rsg sa4s tictpsat}as IN igse.
FERTILIZER tsafle - ne AFTER gisTe
>houia Not Have the Power Asked.
Fae ot&sr Instances given by ghe coyu-
mission likewise sail fc demonstrate the
necessity Tor giving the power - the in
fer~tate commerce commission 80 restrict
certain localities Is certain markets IN
stead ~ leaving EN+s channels pf
lHsrcc nno.est rftc}rd as they Row arr. hat
those examples strongly emphasize tho
tremendous power which tire commission
w"G3 Thereby OBTAIN. apa show the man
Ne~t tmgTupTspty az i0trGsftuG such stu
ps@dous authority "a suy tribunal
u may o' stated in gvDerai thar where
two competing places ara ga the same line
~ railroad, and hat Tive 81 railroad gives
one sc IAoSe places an undue preference.
tire law as 8t present constituted affords
ample rcWesiy for tire correction ~ such
Il - F~ add ~
the commission wishes the power. when
places are ou entirely dlSttnct lines ~
railroad. 20 decree what shall he shelr
relative commercial Importance. ana Ia
establish maximum and minimum rates
which VIII give effect 20 the commissions
views. TIE tremendous importance If any
such power Ca0nog bs rxasgrfated II e
TAR safer to leave these communities 80
tsht their own battles atdesi as they viii
Pc ~ their respective railroad lines since
each Tins ~, ~ course. identified in i'm
tertst VITA the welfare If the places on
Its own ltue "a against all other places
GA other tlneS~taaD 1t would De "a com
mix the entire commercial fatr IT every
section % The country 10 any human tri-
hunal
Cases Fail se show the Necessity.
The commission "details az considerable
length the eases Naleb have cofUe before
4 in the past year bat th0sa eases fail
absolutely 10 Show any necessity for Gre
atiGe Amy ssieh vast power a. the cent
mission seeks fer itself and those cases
failed IN she most striking manner 10 dts
alose any 81 the evils MA N the commits
SION q Year ago assisted wouid necessarily
follow tne decisions of thr courts adverse
10 It's predictions The fact ~ that che
DECISIONS Of the courts merely interpreted
tise art IN accordance With rs plain han
EAage and tn accordance with Va hat the
IL hates or congress show clearly was the
intention Of congress iu passing tie act
and In creating the commission IL is nnt
surprising. however. that The commission
cannot point out she evils which ID pre-
iictrd wear ago FER those evils do not
exist With the single exception ~ thu
constant departure by mans carriers from
t6cir l4Sful rates hN illegal rebates and
other devices tho law has hoen generally
complied with. and today practically the
only eNl 20 any Importance IL the evil ~
rste-cuttimE. That Is wholly Independent
og tac decisions = tne courts. aud cannot
possibly he reached hy any II the amend
neuta which tGc commission proposes
There Is, therefore 0u practical reason
for favurfnw the Demands ~ the commits
sion and Thereby notwithstanding the char
atter 81 fhe commission ans the char
acter OF the act 80 regulate commerce.
M gnJury ter the rubite in Pooling.
II IL be- desired tu authoF.ze carriers
Ia enter i0tu poullne contracts ard agree
me0ts 10 maintain rates ITO Injurious con-
sequences 10 She public nrN3 he appTeheud-
ID bah - ans such aupFe heasiau exists K
IS perfectly plain - any one who takes
conmaE-sense view If the situation ths, Il
81 Such contracts are subject tn he terini-
mattel at tie order ~ Sd" comm. scion. and
II all rates maintained under them are sub
sect 20 bs changed bf the commit s%st-n. then
the smplest ssfeguafd to provided 90 thu
public. since a remedy - Afforded whicf.
- <o-eAtrnSiyo with ihs widest posaihls
limits 90 the eva i0 he prevented To go
tseyoud that ard 70 give ne commission
the power 10 make al4 rates whether any
traffic agreements exist with reference TO
them or not. IS "a reyuiuitoHige the whol.
sehcrue - "a .lroad regulation upon the
fiimsiest frctrSt. and wholly without any
Substantial Justification M better cor
rut-oFas{nn ~ thss assertion f. desired than
the last report of the commission itself.
for despite is great desire 81 increase its
powers many folf 'he report wholly falls
30 disclose auy rensou foF granting the
a-nr.a t.alaala-.-s anllatlnma nafea nlA.