The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-04
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1862.
INTERSTATE coMMERcE COMMISSION.

Ifow To prevent railroads from UNJUST
discrimination is I question that is at
pr.sert before the whole of America, as
well as Virginia The Interstate CONF
. xunrcc Commission, which has recently
been taking evidence in Washington, mas
demonstrated conclusvcly that there arc
rebates given TO the big commission
houses in the West, and that in many
Instances small manufacturers suffer nn-
der most serious diffcrcntials. The testi-
.,tonv which was adduced before the IN
tersiatc Commission leaves very iiltie
.9,ib, rs to tho situation. but it does not
suggest a sufficient remedy. There IS, Oh
course, a cry for greater powers Tor ,iie
Interstate Commerce Commission, nut
this obvious remedy docs not appear TO
guarantee a better situation than that
which we now have
The New York Times very justly OBJ
serves that the present laws are SO
stringent that the penalties are, in the
clrion of the business public, excessive
" hen applied TO the individual officer or
agent of the railroads who make conces-
stems. it is not to &c thought That all oil
The concessions arc made by railroad
managers to hurt other TAilroads-that
is, concessions forced by competition
Many of them arc made by the manage
ment 10 gain private ends, to enrich
themselves and their friends, and this
course of action is pursued at the eA-
,ansc OF the shareholders. A man who.
in a postio. OF trust. Nil! swindle those
who rcposc confidence in him, cannot be
deferred from his course Of action by max
ing more stringent laws. II his own
stockholders do not ind him out. me
Interstate Commerce Commission never
can and what those who are vitality IN
tcrcsted from monetary standpoints fail
to secure can never be secured by gov
crnncntai interference.
The New York Times says: we are
persuaded that much Improvement could
be effected by permitting agreements as
to traffic on the one hand. ana by secH-
ing more complete publicity and more
intimate supervision on the other. There
IS evidence that the stronger and more
enlightened railway managers would as
sent without hesitation TO the latter IN
return for the concession of The former
Indeed. If the companies were allowed 10
make lawful and open agreements as TO
traffic, it would become their interest that
these agreements should be fully observed
and the intervention of Government agen-
cics would only aid them to that end. we
lave tried. and tried earnestly, with all
the powers of the Government, to en-
force competition, and in that way to
secure low rates. We have had certain
amount of competition. but 1t has been
uncertain, often secret, and never has
lasted long. Where it has been most ell
trEetic and efectual il has tended 10 con-
solidation, under which the old-iaShloned
kind Of competition has been made i'm
possible. But the kind OF competition
that is now really effective has not been
rendered impossible. The consolidated
properties have continued with renewed
energy to compete with the waterways
and to meet the competition between
markets. Especially there has been
new motive for lower rates and better
service. the desire and the need OF eX-
tending business. That motive is more
powerful than any that has worked III
Inc past. and it is, in the nature OF
things, bound 10 grow stronger. IL there
is TO be any change in the law relating to
The regulation of transportation by the
United States Government, let us hope
that it will be i'll the line of well-detned
modern tendencies, and not in the direc-
ton of trying TO oppose, check, and bal
1ie these tendencies.
We heartily concur in the above. There
is no sense in trying TO accomplish by
force that which cannot be achieved by
that means. The only way possible 10
prevent the railroads from giving rebates
is by making it to their interest not TO
Go SO, and this must be done along a
line somewhat similar to that suggested
by the New York Times.
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