The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-12-06

making constructive legislation, not
destructive prosecution, the immediate
object of its inquiries; by conservative
Investigation Of law and fact, and by
refusal to issue incomplete and. hence
necessarily inaccurate reports. Its
policy being thus one of open inquiry
into, and not attack upon, business
the bureau has been able to gain not
only the confidence, but, better still
the cooperation of men engaged in
legitimate business.
The bureau offers to the congress
the means Of getting at the cost of pro-
duction of our various great staples
of commerce.
OF necessity the careful investiga-
ton 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 investiga-
tons affords, under the law, means
for the protection of private rights.
The congress will have all facts ex-
cept such as would give to another
corporation information which would
injure' the legitimate business of a
competitor and destroy the incentive
for individual superiority and thrift.
The bureau has also made exhaus-
tive examinations into the legal con-
dition under which corporate business
is carried on in the various states; into
all judicial decisions on the subject;
and into the various systems OF cor
porate taxation in use. l call special
attention to the report of the chief of
the bureau; and l earnestly ask that
the congress carefully consider the
report and recommendations of the
commissioner on this subject
Insurance.
The business of insurance vitality af-
fects the great mass of the people of
the United States and is national and
not local in it's application. 1t involves
multitude of transactions along 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
can not constitutionally be extended to
cover interstate transactions in In
surance.
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 necessary to put a complete stop
to all rebates. Whether the shipper or
the railroad is to blame makes no diff
ference; the rebate must be stopped,
the abuses of the private car and pri-
vate terminal track and track
systems must be stopped, and
the legislation of the flA,y-eighth con-
for any person or corporation to Offer
grant, give, solicit, accept, or receive
any rebate, concession, or discrimin-
alton in respect of the transportation
of any property in interstate or foreign
commerce whereby such property
shall by any device whatever be trans
ported at less rate than that named
in the tariffs published by the carrier
must be enforced. For some time after
the enactment of the act to regulate
commerce it remained a mooted ques-
ton whether that act conferred upon
the interstate commerce commission the
pOWCI, dAICA ~ Ildu AOullO q SAI0AtCA6S0
rate to be unreasonable, to declare
what thereafter should, prima facie,
be the reasonable maximum rate for
the transportation in dispute. The SUI
preme court finally resolved that Ques-
ton in the negative, so that as the
law now stands the commission SIM
ply possess the bare power to denounce
a particular rate as unreasonable.
While l am of the opinion that at pres
ent it would be undesirable, if it We're
not impracticable, finally to clothe the
commission with general authority to
fix railroad rates, do believe that, as
mission should be vested with the
power, where a given rate has been
challenged and after full hearing
found to be unreasonable, to decide,
subject to judicial review, what shall
be a reasonable rate to take it's place;
the ruling of the commission to take
effect Immediately, and to obtain un-
less and until it is reversed by the
court or review. The government must
in increasing degree supervise and
regulate the workings of the railways
engaged in interstate commerce.; and
such increased supervision is the only
alternative to an increase of the pres
ent evils on the one hand or a still
more radical policy on the other. In
my Judgment the most important legis-
lative act now needed as regards the
regulation of corporations is this act
to confer on the interstate commerce
commission the power to revise rates
and regulations, the revised rate to at
once go into effect, and to stay in effect
unless and until the court of review
reVerses it.
Steamship companies engaged in IN
terstate commerce and protected in
our coastwise trade, should be held to
a strict observance of the interstate
commerce act. a. t..
Agriculture.
The department of agriculture has
grown into an educational institution
with faculty of two thousand special
lists making research into all the
sciences of production. The congress
appropriates, directly and indirectly
six millions of dollars annually to car
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