The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1904-12-23
RAILROAD REGULATION.
Commerce Commission to
Govern Freight Rates.
Government is Making Efforts
to Protect the People From
Various Frauds.
OTHER MATTERS OFINTEREST.

Washington, d. c.. Dec II, 1904.
The question OF deepest Interest to
the President and Congress. and dis
cussed by politicians in Washington
more than any other, ba, to do with
the proposal to give the Interstate
Commerce Commission power to reg
ulate freight rates. This proposition
also attracts wide attention In the
country. especially among all classes
OF shippers who are dependent upon
the railroads to carry their produce to
market. Some 5000 produce and
fruit dealers through the nation have
askei the President to appoint some
one In their line OF business upon the
Commission. Secretary Morton, who
has been a railroad man all his HE,
has promised the President to take
up the problem of the supervision OF
railroad rates, and see what can be
accomplished. This may appear
little unusual for the Secretary of the
NAVY, but Mr.. Morton is a man OF
experience. He believes in the doc
trine OF consideration Of the rights OF
the people. He says the railroads
should not oppose rational govern
ment supervision, and that they
should cease to manipulate politics
and legislation. The PRECEDENT In
slsts that the railroads, as we'll as
other interests. shall have fair play.
Reforms of method are needed; there
Is no war upon railroads, which are
recognized az the great civilizers and
missionaries of the age. Secretary
Mortos advocates a central court OF
Interstate Com merce with but FIVE
Judges. Instead of nine. as proposed
by Senator Elkins. They should
have final jurisdiction save In ques-
lions requiring constitutional Inter
probation. He would have all Inter
state carriers afford cars. tracks and
terminal facilities to all shippers
alike. The President Is seriously In
earnest Ia this. as In other matters,
for the welfare of the common people,
aud 1t Is hoped this session OF Con.
gress will not end before some de-
cisive action Is taken. There are
many Senators who are credited with
representing railroad interests, and
they are yet to be heard from.
In all directions the government Is
making vigorous efforts to protect
the people from frauds and unscrupu-
lous advertisers. The Post Office
Department has issued numerous
fraud orders, denying the use of the
mails to bogus silver ware, piano,
get-rich.quick concerns, and work-at-
home offers, which prove to be either
lotteries or uuconscionable fakes.
The pure food bill now before Con.
gress, seeks to prevent the importa-
ton and sale of adulterated foods and
drugs. The extent OF this fraud up
on the unsuspecting public Is alarm
Ing. A recent inspection OF medi-
clnes put up by druggists in Chicago
revealed the fact that very large per
cent. of them were adulterated. AL
coholic liquor are frightfully impure,
with fatal consequences to those who
drink them. Food Is colored or pre-
served with substances harmful to
the health of HUI an beings.
Land frauds on the Pacific coast,
involving hundreds of thousands OF
acres, the most extensive ever known
In the history OF the Interior Depart
ment, have for long time engaged
the attention of Secretary Hitchcock
These have been exposed and many
persons engaged In them have been
punished. The Secretary says the
frauds were perpetrated by men Of
high standing, socially and political
ly, and that men of prominence In
this city and In Congress are impli-
Gated. Patents have been refused for
most of this land, and 1t has been
restored to the public domain. There
are now 3a4 criminal suits pending,
and las civil. The Secretary prom
ises startling revelations. He is de.