The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-12-08


OF necessity the careful investigation
of special corporations will afford the
commissioner knowledge of certain
business facts, the publication of which
might be an improper infringement Of
private rights. The method Of making
public the results of these inrestiga-
lions affords, under the law, a means
for the protection Of private rights.
The congress will have AL facts except
poration information which would in
jure the legitimate business Of COM
petitor and destroy the incentive for
individual superiority and thrift.
The bureau has also made exhaustive
examinations into the legal condition
under which corporate business is car
RED on In the various states, into all
judicial decisions on the subject and
into the various systems of corporate
taxation in use. call special attention
to the report of the chief of the bureau,
and 1 earnestly ask that the congress
carefully consider the report and rec
concentrations of the commissioner on
this subject.
The business Of insurance vitality af-
fects the great mass of the people of
the United States and is national and
not local in its application. 1t involves
a multitude of transactions among the
people of the different states and be-
tween American companies and for
eign governments. l urge that the con-
gress carefully consider whether the
power of the bureau of corporations
cannot constitutfonally be extended to
cover interstate transactions in insur
ance.
Rebates.
Above all else we must strive to keep
the highways OF commerce open to all
on equal terms, and to do this 1t Is nee
essary to put a~complete stop to all re-
bates. Whether the shipper or the rail
road Is to blame makes no difference.
The rebate must be stopped, the abuses
of the private car and private terminal
track and side track systems must be
stopped, and the legislation of the Fiji
ty-eighth congress which declares it to
be unlawful for any person or corpora
ton to offer, grant give, solicit, accept
or receive any rebate. concession or
discrimination in respect of the trans
poltation of any property in interstate
or foreign commerce whereby such
property shall by any device whatever
be transported at less rate than that
named in the tariffs published by the
carrier must be enforced. While l am
of the opinion that at present it would
be undesirable if it were not impracti-
cable finally to clothe the interstate
commerce commission with general au-
thority to fix railroad rates, l do be-
lieve that as a fair security to ship
pers the commission should be vested
with the power where q given rate has
been challenged and after full hearing
found to be unreasonable to decide, sub
ject to judicial review, what shall be a
reasonable rate to take its place, the
ruling of the commission to take effect
Immediately and to obtain unless and
until it is reversed by the court of re-
view.
Steamship companies engaged In in
terstate commerce and protected in oul
coastwise trade should be held to a
strict observance of the interstate com
merce act.
1.-THE president here discusses the
city of Washington, making numerous
recommendations looking to its better
government He asks that laws be
passed preventing overcrowding in the
tenement districts, for the abolition OF
blind alleys and the proper housing OF
the poor. He also recommends changes
in the criminal code, and would have
wife beaters corporally punished.l
Irrigation.
During the two and half years tina
have elapsed since the passage of til,
reclamation act rapid progress ha!
been made in the surveys and exami
nations of the opportunities for recla
nation in the thirteen states and three
territories of the arid west. Construc
ton has already been begun on the lar
gest and most important of the irriga
ton works, and plans are being com
pleted for works which will utilize TIA,
funds now available.
The forest policy OF the government
is just now subject of vivid publ
interest throughout the west and to tn
people of the United States in general
The forest reserves themselves are o
extreme value to the present as wei
as to the future welfare Of all tn
western public land states. They pow
erfully affect the use and disposal 0
the public lands. They are of spe
cial Importance because they pre-
serve the water supply and the suppl
Of timber for domestic purposes and s
promote settlement under the reclamf
ton act. Indeed they are essential
the welfare of every one of the grea
interests of, the west
l have repeatedly called attention t
the confusion which exists in govern
ment forest matters because the wor
" scattered among three independeI
organizations. AS | have recommend
ed, all the forest work of the govern
ment should be concentrated in the d
: partment of agriculture, where tn
larger part of that work Is alread
done. The Canyon of the Colorad
ahOnId ha rnoGa national narlf ON