Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1903-01-21

9SEaAr Express; They affect alike all
interstate commerce, and are intended to prevent or
punish practices that discriminate in rates Of trans
pOrtatiOu or in selling prices in such a way as to
break down competition and promote monopoly.
They would have only indirect effect upon large
combinations Of capital as such preventing them
from an abuse of the power that comes from the
control of g great volume of business.
There is no doubt that the greatest advantage Of
these combinations in the past has been derived
from special rates. rebates, drawbacks or other dis
eliminating devices in transportation and this is
wrong which the whole power Of the government
should be exerted to remedy. The interstate COM
merce Law has proved inadequate, and the proVi-
siOns suggested by the attorney general would, II
enforced be efectua, and there is every reason to
believe that they could be enforced. They make it
penal Ofense to solicit or receive as we'll as to
grant variations from the regular scheduled rates
on railroads, and by imposing penalties in the form
Of fines directly upon the corporations or persons
violating the law would close the lOOphOle Of escape
which the courts have discovered in the present
law. These provisions fully and fairly enforced
would be a protection to railroads as we'll as to
their customers.
It is not 80 clear how the provision would work
which prohibits discrimination in buying and selling
whereby competition is destroyed by variation Of
prices. The government can reach this practice
only when it pertains to commerce among the states
and them apparently, only by interfering with the
transportation OF the commodities involved In such
transactions. Even in that case itwOuld be neoss-
sary to prove the purpose or intent, in making
pFioas hl q one placs and low il another to des-
troy competition and promote monopoly. How far
this would be praetible Is question, but it ie .
matter that may well be tested by setting up the
prohibition and dealing with cases when they arise.
OF the WrOngfulness OF the practice, when its pur
pose is to crush the weak and build up the str0ng
there can be no doubt, but there would need to be
cooperation OF state authority with that Of the ma
tiOn and the support OF public opinion for both alb
sOlutely to prevent it.
The proposal OF a commission to make investiga.
Ons, ascertain violations of the law and and attend
TO its enforcement is intended not only to furnish
an agency for obtaining the necessary evidence and
putting the machinery of prosecution in motion,
but to give publicity to facts, bring the power OF
public opinion to beaT and afford guidance for fu.
ture legislation. Something Of the kind would be
necessary to give effect to such enactments, and
the only question is whether one interstate CON-
merce commission is not enough provided its func-
tiOns are properly enlarged and defined, and its
powers made sufficiently specific. That which
we have had for fifteen years has been strictly con-
fined In its efforts to interstate transportation
der powers not sufficiently well defined or fully
tanned. Whether new and separate commission
is necessary may be questioned.