The St. Louis Republic., 1904-12-07

. avail IN any degree as OnseIs.
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corporat. business is carried on in the various
States: into all judicial decisions on the sub
feet: and into tho various systems Of corporate
taxation in use I call special attention u tse
repo-, Of the chief Of the bureau: and 1 earnest
ly ask that the Congress carefully consider the
repo-. and recommendations Of the Commission
er On this subject
The business OF insurance vitality anects tno
grea, mass Of the people Of the United States
and Is national and not local in its spphca-
ton. II Involves \
multitude sf transac-
inSurahee' items among the peo-
ple of the different
States ana between American companies and
foreign Governments 1 urge that the Con-
rress carefully consider whether tie power OF
the Bureau of Corporations can not constitution
ally be extended TO cover interstate traEsac-
tons in insurance.
Above all else, we must strive to keep the
highways Of commerce open TO al IN eouai
terms: and to do this It is necessary to put
complete step TO all relates Whether the
shipper or the railroad
Is to blame makes no
nepa'eS' difference; the rebate
must be stopped. the
abuses OF the private car and private terminal
track and s.de-track systems rust be stopped.
and the legislation Of the Fifty-eighth Congress
which declares it to be unlawful for any per-
son CT corporation to offer, grant give. solicit,
accept or receive any rebate. concession CT dis
elimination in respect OF the transportation 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. For some time after
the enactment Of the Act to Regulate Com
rerce It remained a mooted question vhstner
that act conferred upon the Interstate Com
merce Commission the power. after It lad found
q challenged rate to be Unreasonable. to de-
clare what thereafter Should. prin,a facie. he
the reasonable maximum rate 70. the trans
portation in dispute. The Supreme Court nrally
resolved that question in the negative, % that
as the law now stands the commission simply
posses. the hare power to denouncs par
ticuIar rate as unreasonable. While am Of the
opinion that at present It would Be- undesirable.
il It were not impracticable, finally 20 etothe
the commission with general authority to fix
railroad rates I do believe that a. a fair Sc
curity to shippers the commission should Be
vested with the power. whore given
rate has been challenged and after full
hearing found to be unreasonable. to
decide. subject to judicial review. what
shall be reasonable ra;e to take its placs; the
ruling of the commission to take eject Imnedi-
ateiy: and to obtain unless and until it - re-
versed by the court Of review. The Government
must in increasing degree supervise and regu-
late tho workings OF the railways engaged IN
interstate commerce. and such increased super
vision Is the only alternative TO an incrsass
oe the present evils On the one hand or
still more radical policy on the other. N my
Judgment tho most important legislative aot
now needed as regards the regulation oc cor
porations Ia this act to confer on the Inter
state Commerce Commission tho power to re-
wise rates and regulations. the revised rats to
at once 20 Into effect. and to stay In skfsot
unless and until the court Of review rsverses II.
Steamship companies engaged Ia interstate
trade should be held to . strict obssrvanos Of
the interstate commerce act
In pursuing the sat plan to make the city Of
Washington an example to other American
several points should Be kspt in
mind by the legislators In the nrSt place, the
people Of this country should clearly understand
that amount Of industrial prosperity and,
above all. no leader
City Of ,nsu,.,i., eouns,s,,on
can In any way atone
for the sapping Of the
vitality Of those who
are usually spoken Of n the working classes
Tho farmers the mechanics. the skilled ana un
skilled latorers. the srnan shop keeperaI make
up the bulk nj the population Of any country:
and upon their well-being. generation after esn-
Grafton. the welI-being Of the country and the
race depends. Rapid development in wealth
and Industrial leadership Is n rood thing. but
only II 1t goes hand in hand with improve
ment. and not dsterioration. physical and
moral. The overcrowding Of cities and the
draining OF country districts ars unhealthy and
even dangerous symptoms In our modern life
We should not permit overcrowdins in cities
In certain European cities 1t Is provided by
law that the population Of towns shall NOT be |
allowed to exceed q very limited cens!ty for n
given area. so that the increase in density uust
be continually pushed back into q broad zone
around the center Of the town. this rome hav-
Ing great avenues or parks within It. The
aeath-rate statistics sfow q terrible increase
in mortality. and especially In infant mortal |
ty. in overcrowded senementH Tho poorex. |
families In tenen,ent-houses live In one room.
md IT appears that in these ons-room tsnements |
he average death rate for . number NJ |
given cities at home aad abroad Is |
about twice what 1t II in two-room |
tenement, four tines what II = In q three |
roou, tenement. and eight times what Il is In |
, tenement consisting Of four rooms or over. |
These figures vary somewhat for different eities
but they approximate in each city thoss s1yen |
above; and In all cases the increase Of NOR
.ality. and especially Of infant mortality, with |
The decrease in ths number Of rooms ussd BIZ
.hs family. and with the oonsequant oTer-
.rowding. Is startling. The sfum sxacts 4 |
heavy total Of death from those who dwell |
therein: and this - the cass not merely In
he great crowded slums Of high buildings In
Sew York and Chicago. but In the alley sIums
Il Washington. In Washington people can
lot afford to ignore the harm that this eausea
30 Christian and civilized community can anord
o show happy-so-iucky lack Of concern for
he youth OF to-day: for, II %. the community
will have to par terrible penalty Of financial
burden and Eocial degradation In the to-mor.
ows There should be severe child labor and
lawa II 10 very desirable
hat married women shouid not WORK m fse-
oriex TIE prime duty Of tAs man = to vusl