Evening journal., 1904-12-06

cannot conStitutionally 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 it 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
tion to offer, grant give, solicit, accept
or receive any rebate, concession or
discrimination in respect of the trans
portation Of any property in interstate
or foreign commerce whereby such
property shall by any device whatever
be transported at q less rate than that
named in the tariffs published by the
carrier must be enforced. While 1 am
Of the opinion that at present it would
be undesirable IL it were not impracti-
cable finally to clOthe the interstate
commerce commission with general au-
thority to fix railroad rates, I do be-
lieve that as a fair security to ship
pers the commission should be vested
with the power where a 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 our
coastwise trade should be held to a
strict observance of the interstate COM
merce act.
lThe 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 punished1
Irrigation.
During the two and half years that
have elapsed since the passage Of the
reclamation act rapid progress has
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-
tiOn 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 the
funds now available.
The forest policy of the government
is just now a subject of vivid public
interest throughout the west and to the
people of the United States in general.
The forest reserves themselves are OF
extreme value to the present as well
as TO the future welfare of all the
western public land states. They pow
erfully affect the use and disposal OF
the public lands They are Of spe-
cial Importance because they pre-.
serve the water supply and the supply
of timber for domestic purposes and SO
promote settlement under the reclama
tion act. Indeed they are essential to
the welfare of every one Of the great
interests Of the west.
have repeatedly called attention tC
the confusion which exists in govern
ment forest matters because the work
is scattered among three Independent
organizations. AS 1 have recommend
ed, all the forest work of the govern
ment should be concentrated in the de
partment of agriculture, where the
larger part Of that work is already
done. The Canyon of the Colorado
should be made n national park. ant
the national park system should in
clude the Yosemite and as many az
possible Of the groves of giant trees il
California.
i Pensions.
The veterans of the civil war havl
claim upon the nation such as NJ
other body of our citizens possess. Thl
pension bureau has never in its historl
been managed in a more satisfactorl
manner than is now the case.
Consular Service.
Our consular system needs improve
ment. Salaries should be substituted
for fees, and the proper classification
grading and transfer Of consular OF
ficers should be provided. l am no
prepared to say that a competitive sys
TON, % ovo,,,iuotfope for oppofptv,o,
would work well. but by law it shoul,
be provided that cOnsuls should b.
familiar. according to places for whicl
they apply. with the French, German
or Spanish language and should pos
sess acquaintance with the resources o
the United States.
1t is desirable to enact a proper ma
tional quarantine law.
call your attention to the grea