Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-05-11
9in1rs Republican, 9larslatnmt, anaua5 5ap ~ 1905

'9AIflAsu!U.d1t JA1ALu1pes!sAN
the lowest point of profitable opera
ton. When the enormous increase IN
tonnage during the last few years ls
recalled, and when 1t Is remembered
that the density of traffic is the CHIEF
factor In economy of operation we
may put aside amy fear that n COM
mission with full sense of its respon-
sihlity will by reasonable reduction
now and then, bankrupt the railway
companies.
No General Rate Making Proposed.
1t seems to me also that some COM
fusion has been introduced by the
witnesses before you upon another
point. They have sought to make 1t
appear that the authority proposed to
be given to the Interstate commerce
commission Is an authority or caulla-
lent to an authority, to take up the
whole subject of rates, and make tar
lifts for all the Interstate traffic of
the country. The impossibility OF five
or seven men doing this work is
graphically depicted, the revolution In
business which Ii Is claimed would
tilSNG IS I'illiNtu w lllt uNclltSi iVI-
ors, and the whole scheme is de-
nounced as thoroughly impracticable.
If ] thought 1t were necessary In or
der to accomplish justice, that rate
making should be entirely taken away
from the railways, and a commission
charged with the duty of initiating
complete rate schedules for the Unit
ed States, | would not shrink from 1t.
1t would require no greater men nor
more of them for the government to do
the work thhn for the railway COM
panies to do 1t. But at the present
time 1t Is believed that adequate reme-
dies for existing wrongs can be ad-
ministered without giving to the COM
mission the power, or imposing upon 1t
the duty, of general rate making. and
neither the bill before the senate nor
any other of which l have heard. pro-
poses to require the commission to
generally establish rates. There is
vital difference between clothing
commission with authority to make a
specific rate In the stead of one that
has been condemned after full hear
ing, and clothing II with authority to
prepare and publish general rate sched-
ules
Syllogistic Reasoning.
1t Is said, however, that II the COM
mission should change one rate, it may
become necessary for the railways to
change others. This may be true In
certain instances, but 1t would only be
true with such other rates as were al
so unlawful, and SO clearly so that the
railways themselves would recognize
hn 1t,I
There is nothing in the proposed meas
ure to increase the number OF COM
paints laid before the Interstate com
merce commission. Its purpose is rath-
er to provide more effectual remedy
In cases of the same character as
those which have heretofore been re-
ferred to the commission. II all ex-
listing rates were to finally come UNI
der the action of the commission, and
new rates declared in their stead, it
would simply be proof that all the
rates We're wrong and IL they are, the
sooner they are righted the better.
Nothing New or Radical Proposed.
! now venture upon an opinion, ac-
companied by some illustrations that
have come under my observation, re-
speeding the policy of giving the au-
thority which / have attempted to de-
fine, to the commission. l cannot be-
lieve that there is anything radical,
severe, or unjust In granting the au-
thority that the bill proposes. From
the day the first common carrier began
his initial journey, the government has
asserted the right to determine, In
some form, the reasonableness of the
charges made for the service. A court
and jury have had the jurisdiction to
determine in each instance of carriage,
what should be charged, .end to rem
der verdict and Judgment against
the carrier for any excess over a fair
and reasonable compensation. If con-
ditions were still as simple as they
formerly were, the remedy thus afford
ed would be sufficient, but with the
compleXity Of modern transportation,
with the extent Of territory covered by
the carrier. the variety of traffic, the
Interchange between carriers-the or
iginal remedy long ago ceased to- be
Of any value, and for years the gov
eminent has been trying to find some-
thing to take it's place. Theoretically
considered, the proposal to give to
commission the authority to fix rate.
after hearing, is much less radical,
much less dangerous, than to give to
a court and jury the authority to rem
der Judgment for an overcharge.
Therefore, in the bill you have before
you, thereo is nothing essentially new,
and if it passes congress, it is exercis-
ing only a part of the power which.
from the beginning of our civilization,
governments have exercised over COM
mon carriers.
I concur with many who have al
ready been before your committee, in
saying that. even though the authority