The Ladysmith news and Ingram news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1905-1906, 1905-11-04

4
| elimination in respect to the transporta-
ton of any property in interstate or for
! elgn commerce whereby such property
| shall by any device be transported at q
| less rate than that named in the tariff
published by the carrier, must be en-
| forced
| have not the honor or pleasure of a
| personal acquaintance with Mr.. Roose-
| welt, but it is well known that he has
| never been man of affairs, and that his
tastes have led him to study history and
| literature, rather than practical econom-
| les, and, besides, it goes without saying
| that no man can know the details OF All
| the vast economic affairs of the world
But although he may be inexperienced IN
| trade, he seems to possess, in an unusual
| degree, the great fundamental principle.
| which makes trade successful in the long
| run, the principle of the square deal.
/ can imagine that at the time he wrote
| his message he knew very little ABOUT
| the rebate system, but had absorbed from
| reading, and from contact with the peo-
! pie, a pretty clear idea of the vicious
| ness of the system, and that his love or
q square deal led him to pen the portion
of his message which have quoted.
| / can imagine, further, that after he
| had written it his innate honesty or pur-
| pose told him it was not a fair deal to
| let the railways make their own rates
| and compel the people to pay them, right
or wrong. Hence, he added the follow
ing !s;n,, 90 +bo on,n,o, +ha+ -
present it will be undesirable, if it were
not impracticable finally to clothe the
commission with general authority to Fix
railroad rates, do not believe that as
should be vested with the power, where a
given rate has been challenged, anG
after full hearing found to be unreasona~
BILE, 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
unless and until it is reversed by the
court of review.
"Steamshin comuanies engaged in in
terstate commerce and protected in our
coastwise trade should be held to strict
observance of the interstate commerce
act"
Offers Arbitration.
If this recommendation of the presi-
dent, in connection with the present pro.
j visions of the law, be analysed, i:
That the railway companies may make
the rates, but whenever a controversy
shall arise as to their reasonableness and
iuStneSS this dispute shall be submitted
for arbitration to disinterested,. perma-
nent arbitration commission appointed by
law. subject to judicial review.
The president therefore offers the prlnee
ciple of arbitration, and the principle OF
arbitration is a square deal. If the de-
tails are worked out on intelligent lines
it would result III as nearly practlcal
Justice as is possible in human affairs
In working out the details of such
scheme, the language of the law. which
says: ''All rates shall be reasonable and
1uSI ana IHdI every u1JuSt anu OAAt 90
sonable rate is prohibited and declared to
be unlawful should be construed 10
mean just what is says.
The language is now construed TO mean
that if any rate is found to be too high
to be reasonable and just, it must be re-
duced by the law. But If, on the otner
hand, one railway company, by reason OF
corrupt favoritism toward a particular
industry, or to accomplish the purpose OF
the unlawful rebate by. issuing MID
night tariff or otherwise, makes rate
Ill inc
railway companies, which rate an otner
companies, from the nature or the busl-
ness, are compelled to accept, SUCH rate
cannot be increased by law.
Such an unnatural construction or the
nlain language of the statute is not
square deal The law, to be just, should
be just to the railways as We'll as to the
people. AS Mr.. Roosevelt often says:
"a square deal is a square deal, exact
ly as much a square deal for the rlch
man as for the poor man. but no more
Let each stand on his merits receiving
what is due to him, and be judged by ms
deserts. To more he is not entitled, ana
less he shall not have"
If, therefore, the law is to be amended
on the basis of g square deal, the arb1-
tration commission must be given au-
thority to decide as to the reasonableness
of rates between the railways and the
railway, as we'll as between the railways
and the people; must have authority to
raise rates which are unreasonably low
as well as to lower rates that too
high In no other way can symmetrical
and lust rates be obtained which shall
give to every locality and every industry
In no other way can discrimination be
prevented. as many of the worst cases of
such discrimination are produced by one
railway making rates IN the manner
which has been stated, for no other pur-
pose than to give an advantage by dis
elimination, which rates, in the nature
of the business, all other companies are
compelled to adopt. This practice must
be stopped or the whole scheme, of the
law to prevent determinations will fail.
Judge and Executioner.
Experience has proven that no commits
sion can be a disinterested board of az
bitrators while at the same time 1t is en-
gagged in the prosecution of the case at
bar Hence. if the recommendation OF
the president is adopted, the arbitration
commission, which should be appointed
for the purpose of arbitrating disputes
in respect to rates, should not be charged
with the executive duty of enforcing the
decisions.
The men appointed members of the
commission should be men of the highest
capacity and of the strlctest integrity,
appointed for these merits and not for
the purpose of regarding political serv-
ices The position of arbitration commits
sioner should be made of as much Dig
nifty and their tenure of office be as Sc
cure as justices of the supreme court
of the United States.
Like justices of the supreme court, their
subject to dictation of any other branch
of the government. and they should hold
their offices during life and good behavior, |
removable from office only by 1mpeach-
ment and conviction.
MY own judgment is that. for reasons |
stated at considerable length in an adj |
dress at a meeting of the Washington
Economic society last February, it would
be wiser to clothe. legislative committee
with general authority to make the
schedule rates. but the recommendation
of the president. with a properly consti- !,
tuted arbitration commission, would work
out, in the course of years, practically
the same results, and perhaps gradual
working out of the problem would be !
wiser.
Mr. Chairman, never before has the !!
American people had a Roosevelt for
president Never before has president,
in season and out of season, in official
documents and from the stump, So cour-
ageously stood for the square deal: Elk !
actly as much q square deal for the rich ,
man as for the poor man, but no more. |
For these qualities the American people 4
honor and love Theodore Roosevelt.
Would that he. or such as he. could be
president alWarS