The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1904-12-15


A Live Question
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
Above all, we must strive to keep the highways of
commerce open. From the presidents message. ::
An entire column of editorial is too much to dis
in all its phases the recommendations made by Pres
1dent Roosevelt In his recent message respecting the
arged powers OF the interstate commission Be
of those recommendations the question of railroads
becomes vital issue in American politics.
Comments this portion of the message present some
interesting features There are some republican leaders
who limiting, in effect that the president has adopted
democratic populst policies Bryan's thunder
to railroad supervision Many of the warmes express
sions of praise of the message from leading demo
Gratis. Burk Cochrane, for instance says The presi
dents message vibrant with the spirit of the American
people,. The criticism and lack of appreciation somes
almost entirely from those ancient senators who cannot
keep the hot pace Of vigorous president and railroad
managers The people regardless of party pleased to
have president who proposes to do things.
What is the recommendation of the president that has
excited much comment In word it is this: Increase
the powers of the interstate commission so
that upon complaint Of unreasonable railroad rate and
after full investigation the commission may decide what
the reasonable rate The decision to the rate shall
stand and become operative subject to review by the
courts. That does read like radical proposition
unconstitutional procedure It does put the rate full
making power in the hands of the commission. 1t does
give the commission power to correct abuses and nequa
ties And makes the decree absolute unless changed by
a decision of the courts
The president has adopted substantially the provisions
of the Cooper Quares BILL pending According to the
provisions of this BILL if the commission upon hearing
determines that railroad rate is unreasonable it may sub
sute what it believes to be reasonable Such rate
shall be operative within thirty days and shall stand
less reversed by appeal to the courts.
Now the railroad managers and attorneys who have
been quoted insist that the rate shall not be operative
til the same has been passed upon by the courts Exper
fence proves that such arrangement practically eimn
ates the commission from the situation The shipper
would well appeal to the courts at Before he could
get verdict probably the need for rate, the value of
it, would have passed away Railroad attorneys adopts
at hanging up the courts Delay would hinder the
remedy and make appeal useless.
There paid out in this country for railroad trans
poration, last year, the of 81 800 15O679
nearly three times the received by the govern
men from all for the period The total net
revenues of the railroads. last year, 1874 329
The total receipts of the United States government were
1864 $40 O8S 2236 less than the net
of the government.
The railroads therefore, financially speaking more
powerful than the government. The government eves
for sufficient to pay expenses only The railroad
1evies made for profit and in instances all the
traffic will bear And these tariffs, either through
changes in classification or by direct methods, tend up
wards. The conclusion is inevitable Either the people
must have relief through control gov
eminent ownership must come.
And no thinking is alarmed by the prospect of
government ownership. Anyone who has travelled in Eu-
rope railroads operated owned by governments know
that the plan practical While the problem in this coun
try presents features that not present in Europe
there is doubt the difficulties could be And
the people would receive large benefit either because of
lowered rates because of lowered taxes through the
earnings of their transportation lines But neither the
time the demand has for government operation
What is wanted is federal supervision And this is new
demand. Many states have railroad commissions empow-
cred to fix rates within their borders. It simply pro-
posed to extend supervision to interstate