The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-05


The Interstate-commerce Commission, in
Its fourteenth annual report, repeats its
previous recommendations for the amend
ment of the interstate-commerce act, and
says: Under the conditions now existing
it is inevitable that frequent discrimina-
tons should occur and endless acts of in
justice be committed. Theoretically it is
possible for each road to observe it's pub
lished schedules in every particular, but
this in many cases must be done, If done
at all, only at the loss of needed traffic,
unless all rival roads with equal strict
ness and honesty conform in like manner
to their published rates. The idea of pub
lie regulation implies certain standards of
correct conduct to which all carriers shall
conform. Ii also implies some measure
of supervision and control over those sub
ject to it's requirements to the end that
these standards may be observed and prac-
| tees made TO conform thereto. This, with
out doubt, is inconsistent, to some degree
at least, with actual and constant compe-
tition as that term is commonly under
stood. If, as is alleged, that competition
Is compelled in all things by one law which
is binding upon the carriers, it can hardly
be supposed that another law of more or
less diverse and opposing tendency will
at the same time be obeyel 1t is universal
experience that capital takes advantage of
competition. If public transportation can
be bought and sold like a commodity the
largest purchaser will, some of the time
IL not all of the time get the best terms.
1t is idle to suppose that railroads will
actually and all the while compete with
each otner as to every item of service or
facility, and at the same time expect that
all their patrons, small and large, will be
treated exactly alike. Such a result has new
er yet been realized, and practically will not
be realized. ne policy now pursued can
not and will not prevent an outcome of
hat fc -
unfortunate of all, those determinations
favor the 60 and place the many at dis
advantage. They aid the strong, who have
no need of assistance, and handicap the
weak with burdens which, by comparison.
are always unjust and often destructive -
In regard to combinations the report
says: Owing TO wasteful competition
transportation by rail actually costs more
than ii ought. To eliminate that COMPETE
ton will be to work an actual saving i'm
the cost of the service. and this should
and the shipper. The danger lies in the
fact that the only check upon the rate Is
thereby removed. Hitherto competition be-
tween carriers has kept down the price of
carriage. If that is taken away nothing
remains except the force of popular opin-
ion and the feeble restraints of the present
| law. which are of little effect when d.
rected against slight and gradual advances
| 1t will lie within the power of two or three
| men or at most small group of men 70
| say what tax shall be imposed upon the
vast traffic moving between the East and
| West. The nature of the service and the
| conditions under which this species OF
| property is operated may be such that II
/ cannot be. and perhaps ought not to be
brought under the controlling force of com
petition. but those very conditions make II
imperatively necessary that some other
/ control should be substituted for competi-
| ton. Ii is idle to saw that freight rates
| cannot be advanced During the past year
| they have been. by concerted action upor
| q vast volume OF traffic advanced in every
part of this country. tt is equally idle &c
| say thas they will not be advanced. IL Ii
| both human nature and the lesson OF his
/ tory that unlimited power induces misuse
/ of that power. Railways are not combin
| irg for the purpose of extortion and
i abuse. but none the less should the people
| provide some protection against that posi-
/ bic result OF the combination"