The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-12-18
COMMISSION MAKES
 COMMERCE REPORT
Presents an Argument Against
 So Many Consultations.
.ENDANGERS COMPETITION
Criminal Provisions Of Law Governing Commission Are Inadequate, as It Will Be Noticed No convie-
 tions Have Been Made.

w aSAAAllb AhiAs 1tEttAhutI Ais-1ut ltAt- deney to combine continues the most significant feature of railway develop ment according to the annual report of the interstate commerce commission, issued today. The report says:
 Tt is not open to question that the competition between railroad carriers which formerly prevailed has been large ly suppressed, or at least brought to the condition of effective restraint. The pro- gross of consolidation in one form or another will at no distant day confine this competition within narrow and un- important limits, because the control of most railway properties will be merged into a few individuals, as probably noth- ing else can in equal degree, the observ- ance of published tariffs, and so meas ureably remove some of the evils which the act was designed to prevent, the resulting situation involves consequences to the public which claim the most seri- ous attention. A law which might have answered the purpose when competition was relied upon to secure reasonable rates is demonstrably inadequate when that competition is displaced by the most far-reaching and powerful combinations. So great a change in conditions call for corresponding change in the regulating statute"
 Reaffirms Declarations.
 The commission reaffrms It's recom- mendations for amending the interstate commerce law and urges the grave nec- essity for legislation.
 The report says that the fact that no onnUfafiat1e hax p1af nNr indictments found in tae cases of the roads which were shown by an investi- gation last winter to be given secret rates to grain shippers emphasizes the fact that criminal provisions of the pres ent interstate law are practically dead letters.
 The commission says that the effect of issuing injunctions to compel roads to ob- serve published tariffs, has been to mate rially advance on the commodities the rate actually received by the carrier and actually paid by the shipper, and that their operation as applied to the present condition of railroad ownership enables advances in rates which might not other wise be made and maintained. While the producer of grain will undoubtedly pay from now on from five to seven cents in some instances ten cents per 100 pounds more to transport that grain from the uelu 10 the deStlnatlon than ne hau paid for some time before these iniunctions took effect; this. is not to be regarded as an argument against the injunctions. There ought to be some power, which cannot only compel these carriers to maintain the published rate, but which can compel them to- publish fair and reasonable rate. fThirty-eight formal proceedings double the number brought In the preceding year and involving rates and practices of three hundred railroads were instituted during the year.
 To promote more general conpliances with the spirit of the safety appliance law in the use of airbralies, the commit tee recommends the passage of an act forbidding the running of trains in which less than one-half of the cars are equipped with power brakes and em- towering the commission to issue gen. eral orders to that effect