The Washington times., 1905-05-24
MAIN LINES OF STATE PLATFORM.

lines of our country with the Gulf and
the Republic OF Mexico.
The control Of single trunk line or
the magnitude of one OF these involves
and things. On the possibility OF cheap
transportation depends the existence or
non-existerce of markets. Therefore
the controller OF q trunk line may, Dy
the rates of transportation, impose upon
the traffic, make or break. II he IS per-
mitted to exercise lis power arbitrari- :
town or locality or individual situated
only on this one line of railway and
engaged in agriculture or naanqIaeLuF-
ing or other industry. He should treat
each town and locality with absolute
justice and equality. and all individuals
alike, without the slightest diserinina--
| such a power as this has in times past
tempted many controllers of rail-
| roads TO use It for the bene-
| fit of one corporation as against
, another fer the benefit of one shipper
as against another, for the bene1l OF
one locality as against another, ana
sometimes 10 use ii for the purpose OF
exacting freight rates IN excess OF
| those which reasonable conversation
| for the carriage and the inyestIp eut
would justify.
Law of Supply and Demand.
/ Generally the genius of the common
| law is found IN the expression 'caveat
ernptor, or in the homely phrase
| Every man for himself, and the devil
| take the hindmost.' The principle is
that in the long run III this country
where opportunities are equal and COM
petition has its full sway, it is most un-
| wise for government BY law to attempt
10 interfere with the economic law or
supply and demand. which fixes prices
| both for labor and for goods 1t was
always recognized, however, al common
/ law even IN the days when coaches
J he only or travel, ana
t when the heavy wagons or pack horseS
were the only means OF transportation,
that the economic law OF supply ana ds-
mand would not suffice to secure fsas-
| enable rates for either passenger OF
freight traffic as between the individual
and the common carrier or owner ot
| the coach or wagon line. The reason
/ for the difference was that the single
member of the public was not supposed
| To be able TO deal on an eqqahty Win
the public common carrier. VINO chJoyed
| = franchise OF dealing with the pubHc
and with respect TO whom there was
/ frequently hot competition snfncleht 10
| secure reasonable rates.
! Hence IL was that at common law II
a common carrier refused to carry goods
at a reasonable rate and the owner OF
/ the goods paid an unreasonable rate,
/ ne might bring suit TO recover back
from the carrier the dlnefeilce betWeeii
! a reasonable and unreasonable rate Tor
/ the service rendered ise same rue RUE
i obtains in all countries where there
/. is any considerable amount OF PUBIC
travel. and laws have generally been
| adopted from time 10 time TO regulate
the charging OF the railway rates
Need OF Regulation.
"some years ago the feeling that the
| ra aiIroads needed regulation manifested
itself in the passage of the so-caiIed in
terstate commerce law by the Congress
Of the United States. This provided for
the appointment of an Interstate Conn
merce Commission before whom COM
plants of excessive rates and of dis
crimination in rates might be lodged and
after a finding and order in favor of the
complainant and failure of the defend
ant railway company to obey the COM
mission order. a provision was made by
which appeal could - made TO the
United States court TO secure such COM
pliance with the order as the court
| might deem proper. / do not think 1T
too much to say that the administers
ton of the law under the interstate
commerce law with amendments has
as TO excessive and discriminate ting rates
and rebates have been improvea. But
it is also true that inequality and
injustice remain and the law has not
accomplished all that was hoped for by
those who passed il.
The proposed remedial bill as it has
passed the House of Representatives at
temptS TO give more power 10 the rail-
road commission so that its orders when
made shall be effective until set aside
by judicial hearing. 1t does not as yet
provide for general fixing OF a table OF
rates by the commission, but only calls
for Il fixing of 4 maximum rate upon
complaint with respect TO q specific in
stance of injustice. 1t seems a moderate
measure. calculated TO give the added
power 10 the commission necessary to
effectiveness in remedying specific
wrongs in rates without cPeating an all
powerful tribunal which shall in adj
vance take away from railways the
power OF rate-making, and of elasticaIIv
responding to varying conditions III vii,
not thus paralyze individual effort in
meeting the changing demands of trade.
Remedy to Come.
| Just what remedy viii be reached
after the new Congress shall have con-
sidered the matter. after all the evi-
ds nee has been heard. after they have
become charged with the possible wish.