Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-08-07
out its prohibition Of discrimination in

out its prohibition of discrimination in
rate making said the Iowa republi-
cans, and in some quarters it is con.
tended that this declaration strikes
at every root of the trust evil. 1t ID
commended, and such was the test,
mony of many high authorities before
great commercial combinations were
deprived of advantages in transporta
ton, if they were treated exactly az
the small corporations and individuals
are treated in the matter of freight
rates and in the granting of railway
facilities, there would be no necessity
for any further legislation to regulate
the trusts: 1t is well known fact
that the existing Interstate commerce
law has fallen far short of what it was
expected to do in the way of prevent.
ing discrimination between shippers or
between communities. This has been
realized by the members of the inter.
state commerce commission, who, year
after year, have in their annual reports
and in hearings before committees of
congress advocated such extensions of
their powers as seem to be advocated
by the Iowa platform.
The commission at present is prac-
tically powerless. 1t can say that a
rate complained of by a shipper is not
reasonable but it can not say what is
a reasonable rate. Even when it has
declared rate to be unreasonable, it's
decision can not be enforced until it
has been reviewed by a Unit
ed States court if the trans
portation company chooses to
carry it to such court. AS rule ii
takes six years to carry case through
the commission and through the courts
and by that time the conditions which
existed at the time the first complaint
was made have ceased to exist. What
the Interstate commerce commission
wants is the power, when question Is
raised as to the reasonableness of the
rate, not only to declare whether it is
reasonable or not but, if it is not rea
sonable, it wants power to declare
what a reasonable rate in the case in
question would be. In addition to this,
it wants the law to be so modified as
to give to its decision practically the
force of the decisions of court. When
it has decided what would be a reason.
able rate in given case it wants the
iaW W COlllpSl lue COllpduy W accept
that rate until it's action has been re-
viewed by United States court.
There has been much opposition
heretofore to giving the interstate
commerce commission any such pow
ers. and if the Iowa republicans, by
their platform declaration mean to ad.
vocate such an enlargement of the
powers of the commission, they will
find themselves opposed by very pow.
erful influences. 1t is contended that
such power over rates is too great to
be exercised by any body of govern
ment officials, and that it would make
the interstate commerce commission
very important factor in politics.
When he discussed this matter be-
fore the industrial commissioner. Fran.
els Lynde Stetson declared that if the
interstate commerce commission was
to be given such powers it ought to be
placed on the same footing as the Unit
ed States courts, with life tenure of
office. If" said Mr. Stetson, ''you
should leave it possible for the per-
sonnet of the commission to be chang
ed by each administration there would
be no more campaigns fought in the
country on any question except that of
which party should control the rail-
ways"