The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-06

it appears quite plain that the commits
sion has not acted with that zeal or en-
ergy which it should have shown.
If congress complies with the demand
Of the commission in the amendment Of
the law it ought to do so advisedly. The
| power which it asks to be placed in it's
hands is practically without limit Let
US suppose that given classification OF
freight has been in operation for years
under which the commercial world has
been paying certain specific rates, or that
a given rate on certain commodities has
for long time prevailed between certain
points, against which no complaint has
been heard; and that on the complaint
of one or a number of shippers, repre-
senting but in small measure the inter
ests affected, the commission decides to
substantially change the classification or
materially reduce the rates thus in opera
ton. Should the commission in such a
case be permitted by law to make a rad
ical change either i'll classification or ex-
listing rates, without first having the con-
currerce of the court back it? That is
such power it may inflict irreparable IN
jury on the carrier without doing any
substantial good to the body of shippers.
On the other hand, take the case set
forth in the last report of the commission
to congress wherein it is represented that
Sin every part of this country carriers
have by concerted action, without any
notice to shippers, and indeed against the
their rates upon a large proportion of
the merchandise carried under class rates
an average of one-fourth." In consider
ing a case of that kind it is not neces-
sary to accept the extreme statement Of
| the commission, that when hundreds of
shippers complain that a public servant
has perpetrated a wrong on the public in
| the discharge of a public duty there
should be some tribunal before which in
quiry can be had and by which redress
| can be administered" in order to see
that a grave wrong may in the way spec1-
| fed be done by the carriers to the gen
I eral public Can the courts be depended
| on to- give to the public relief from such
an intolerable state of things, and give it
| SO promptly that it is unnecessary to in
vest the interstate commerce commission
with power to compel a least temporary
suspension of such action by the car
rier? T h G o b o does not believe So
1t believes that in such a case an equally
! irreparable wrong may be done by the
carriers from which the public has virtu-
ally no adequate remedy unless the COM
mission or some other administrative
body is authorized by law to step in and
afford immediate protection.
The public is demanding more effect
i've exercise of federal supervision Of in
terstate carriers than is now in operation.
That demand cannot be ignored by con-
gress. Yet it is quite plain that if con-
gress is to act intelligently and disinter-
estedIy on the demand it will hesitate to
grant the practically plenary powers
which the commission asks, and will be
equally careful to withstand the insist
ance of such railroad officials as Vice
President Hines, that the law as it now
stands is practically adequate for the pro-
lection of the public against unjust dis
elimination as well as against the main
tenance of unreasonable rates by the in
terstate carriers.