The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-01

fix rates, every one should Know, for
all business between Kansas City and
St. Louis is subject to the jurisdiction
of your state laws. They IL not as broad
| as any In the Union, are certainly as
| comprehensive as any ever advocated
| by the Comfmerce Commission. / leave
| II TO you, gentlemen, and particularly
! to the guests of this association to say
whether you have solved the problem
! so far as business within a single state
is concerned. You know you have not,
and that there remains yet in your
/ state law. a defect as serious as any
lack in the act to regulate commerce.
Its Impractical nbility.
And here was interposed the most
J contradictory piece of legislation in all
history. A law was enacted by Con-
gress popularity known as the antitrust
act Its trainers and advocates said,
while ii was being debated on the floor
of Congress. that ii was not to apply to
railroads. But the Supreme Court said
1t did. Commanded to maintain rates,
and forbidden to agree to do so; told
that instability was the one thing II
| proposed to have, the owners saw but
one practical way in which company
could do what 1t was commanded to do,
and yet forbidden to do In concert with
ether companies. Then began the move
! ment which threatened TO terminate in
a few men directing the affairs of all
the railroads in America. This is some
thing the owners do not want and
which railway officials deplore. 1t has
come as the result of an absurd, contra
dictory set of laws. that has worked no
good for the people, and harmed every
interest except the favored few. Even
| those who think a single ownership in
| evltable must concede the time for II
! has not come. Neither individuals nor
! the whole people are prepared for such
! a tremendous undertaking as the man
agement OF all the roads as a single
| concern.
j know of no matter of public con-
cern more important or more urgent
than the vexed question we know
no better name for than the railroad
problem. 1t is not a matter of special
interest to the few. but one of mighty
consequences to the nation. Daniel
Webster said that the commerce
clause did more than any other in the
constitution to induce the union of the
original states. If the right to freely
use the navigable streams and trade
with each other without unreasonable
restraint was a matter of such moment
to the thirteen states, who can meas
ure it's value now to the forty-six that
are literally bound by bands of steel.
And yet the most unjust tax that was
ever laid on any commerce is that be-
ing levied to-day on the business of
everyone who does not receive a secret
rate, in favor of the few who do; nay,
more, on everyone who receives a re-
bate, provided another receives
greater one. Our domestic commerce
will not be free. nor honest competi-
tion be permitted to work out it's own
destiny. until there is but one rate
for all. The lowest rates that are
possible cannot be secured until we
relieve the companies of every unnec-
essary restraint, and leave them free
10 do their business in the way most
economical. We have proceeded to
the point where 1t Is our declared pol
icy to regulate the railroads.&c.
foundation of that policy rests upon
the assertion that the rail-
road Is "a public agency,
and its functions, therefore govern
mental Advancing with that policy,
we either have taken. or propose to
take. from the companies those pow
ers which every other industry pos
sesses of fixing the price at which II
will sell its product, and to whom, and
under what conditions it Will sell, If
at all With the exercise of great
power let US not forget we have taken
on great responsibilities, and in assert
ing the right 70 control, we have in
CURED the obligation of securing for
lnehe pubic servants tne same meas
ure Of protection accorded all others
They required no assistance when
treated as private concerns, but now
that we have deprived them of the
power to stand alone IL is unfair. and
useless as well, TO command them to
do so: for in such case they must
either assert the power we deny them
or fail TO obey such command.
1t is the duty of every citizen to
meet this question In spirit of fair
ness and with a firmness of purpose,
for IL is not to be solved I'm a day And
of all classes, what one is better fit
ted than our profession to aid I'm the
solution? Possibly none of us has yet
seen the true light, but II we Will all
bury the animosities of a century, that
Is itself dead, and realize that the
question Is one wherein our duty as
citizens rises superior TO our obligations
10 clients, we may do even them n
aovyfra eutlal IN that We ntvo eoqfafv