The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-20
A STRONGER LAW NEEDED.

~ nee more the Interstate Commerce Comm1S-
| sion, in its annual report complains that the
~ law under which it acts is inadequate and de-
fective and asks that it be amended 1t begins the
report of its work during the past year with the
statement that the law in its present condition can
not be enforced and that until further and important
legislation is enacted the best efforts at regulation
must be feeble and disappointing.
Proceeding to more definite statements OF the evils
resulting from the defects of the law the report says
Tariffs are disregarded, determinations constantly
occur the price at which transportation can be OBJ
tanned is fuctuating and uncertain. Railroad man
ayers are disrustful of each other, and shippers all
the while in doubt to the rates secured by their
competitors. The volume of traffic is so unusual as
to frequently exceed the capacity Of equipment yet
the contest for tonnage seems relaxed. knor-
nous sums are spent in purchasing business and
secret rates accorded far below the standard of pub
lished charges The general public gets little benefit
from these reductions, for concessions mainly
fined to the heavier shippers All this augments the
advantages OF large capital and tends to the injury
and often the ruin of smaller dealers These are not
only matters of gravest consequence to the business
welfare OF the country, but they in no less
degree the higher interests OF public morality"
Considerable space in the report is given to a re-
view OF facts brought out by Investigations made by
the commission during the year These cover wide
range of subjects. Secret rebates were given on
some roads, secret freight rates others, one tur
pentine company was discovered to have constructed
a large number of oil tank cars with a capacity Of
$500 gallons and certified that they held 6ooo gallons,
and thus had 500 gallons carried free on each
load, and another railroad company was found to be
carrying coal for large coal interests at less than its
published rates.
These instances serve to show the nature of the
violations of the law and the commission is power
less to prevent their repetition considerable
space is given to statement of the results of traffic
associations and the arguments of the railways in IA
vor OF forming pools for the purpose Of fixing freight
rates and thus eliminating the competition which
leads to discriminating rates for large shippers The
commission does approve of the pooling arrange
ments and declares if they to be permitted they
should be made under governmental supervision and
every part of the contract should be open to public
inspection.
The issue is one of the most important before the
country for, as the report says: mo thing does
so much to-day to force out the small operator and
build up trusts and monopolies, against which law
and public opinion alike beat in vain, dscrinina-
tons in freight rates" The commission makes a
clear case support of their claim that the present
law is detective and Congress should either amend it
abolish the commission and put end to the pre-
tense of railroad regulation