The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-12
WHAT CONGRESS SHOULD DO.

WHAT CONGRESS SHOULD DO.
When the interstate commerce law
was passed it was not intended by con-
gress or the country that the commits
sion which it thereby called into ex-
istence should be more than merely
ministerial body. The evils Of unjust
discrimination were those which brought
about the congressional inquiry result
ing in the law and the commission. The
administrative body created by the law
was called into existence to facilitate
the purpose Of putting an end to such
unjust discrimination with reference to
both persons and places. What is known
as the long-and- short-hauI clause of the
law was devised with a view to ending
the practice of building up one locality
against another and was to a con-
siderable extent protective OF interme-
date points as against great terminal
centers. Yet, in spite Of the apparent
paradox involved, it at once greatly
developed terminal business while pro-
tecting intermediate points, since it did
not forbid that as much might be charg
ed for longer as for shorter hauls, but
confined itself to decreeing that no more
should be charged for longer than
for a shorter haul in the same direction
where the conditions and circumstances
were substantially alike
1t was never designed that the inter-
state body should have the powers it is
now seeking. Those powers are greater
than any which any state body is pos
sessed Of, and, If exercised by any but
a body of the highest intelligence and
uprightness, might at any time result in
incalculable wrong in the form of the
unjust discrimination against both per
sons and places which the law was in
tended to prevent.
The excitement created by railroad in
terests hostile to the unity of action con-
templated by the owners of the stock
Of the Northern Pacific and Great North
oAAA ~ Sh%AAAS CAkld1Ilo III great measure
the prevailing demand for interstate
railroad legislation. Not one in ten
Thousand Of those who talk SO glibly
about that transaction or it's consequences
knows anything whatever about it, or is
capable of forming an intelligent iudg-
ment as to what legislation should be
enacted for the protection Of the public
against exorbitant or discriminatory
rates on the part of the railroads. The
subject is a closed book even to the
bulk of the representatives in congress
who would be called, and probably will
be called, on to act with reference to it,
Unless congress shall think proper to
give the railroads some specific power to
make adjustments among themselves they
will no doubt feel forced to oppose any
substantial extension of the present Dew
ers of the commission. They must do so
in self defense. Unless. on the Other.
hand, the commission is granted addition
al powers, or its composition is changed.
1t is quite plain that nothing will be
done, whether or not it can be done, to
put an end to the evils of rate-cutting
which have been shown to be In exist
ence at least on the part of the Chi
cago roads. Administrative. legislative
and judicial powers are involved in tie
exercise of the authority which the COM
mission seeks. Whether or not these
different powers would be so blended.
if the legislation asked were granted.
so as to come within the inhibition Of
all constitutions against the joint exer-
else of such powers by the same old
body, it would not be safe to say. But
it does not admit of the slightest cues
ton that the commission will. next to
the president of the United States be
the most powerful single official agent
in federal government, if the amend
ments to the interstate commerce law
which it seeks are put in operation.
1t cannot be ignored that intelligent
public opinion calls for some action by
congress to prevent the abuse of their
power by railroad officials, such as is
inevitable as long as open competition re-
mains virtually legally imposed condi-
ton- While open competition remains
there will be unjust discrimination. no
matter how heavy the penalties NAV be:
and the some difficulties will remain in
the path of securing evidence to convict
These difficulties are inherent. What then
is the best way in which to meet this
dlfhculty. or is there any way? No
Dill that has been offered yet, so far as
the general public knows its contents.
furnished the needed remedy. Each
measure leans either to one side or the
other-so as to bear with undue weight
on the railroads or to leave recognized
evils practically untouched.
No such law can probably be framed
in the existing condition of the relations
Of the railroads toward each other and
Of each and all of them toward the
public. The needful knowledge on which
to base such regulation does not exist in
congress at the present moment 1t does