The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-10-24

shapes. Rebates are not DOW often
given openly. But they can be given
as effectively in covert form: and pri-
.ate cars, terminal tracks and the like
must be brought under the control OF
the commission or administrative body,
which is to<exercise supervision by the
government But in my judgment the
most important thing TO do is to give
to this administrative body power to
make its findings effective, and this
"a be done only By giving il power.
when complaint is made of a given rate
as being unjust or unreasonable, if it
finds he complaint proper. then Itself
% fix a maximum rate which it regards
as just and reasonable, this rate 10 go
into effect practically at once, that is
within a reasonable time, and TO stay
In effect, unless reversed by the courts.
| earnestly hope that we shall see a
law giving this power passed by con-
gress. Moreover, | hope that by law
power will be conferred upon represent
atives Of the government capable OF
performing the duty Of public account
ants carefully to examine into the
books of railroads, when so ordered by
the interstate commerce commission,
which should itself have power to pre-
scribe what books, and what books
only, should be kept by railroads. If
there is in the minds of the commission
any suspicion that a certain railroad is
IN any shape or way giving rebates or
behaving improperly, | wish the com
mission TO have power as a matter OF
right, not as a matter Of favor, TO make
Il full and exhaustive investigation of
the receipts and expenditures of the
railroad, SO that any violation OF va
sion Of the law ma be detected. This
Is not a revolutionary proposal on my
part, for / only wish the same power
given in reference to railroads that is
row exercised as a matter of course by
the national bank examiners as regards
national banks. My object in giving
these additional powers to the admins
tratiye body representing the govern
ment-the interstate commerce COM
mission, or whatever it may be-is
primarily to secure a real and not a
sham control to the government rep
resentatives. The American people
abhor Il sham, and with this abhor-
renee | cordially sympathize. Nothing
is more injurious from every stand
DOlilL liza al Id" IL liz ClS oOuA1O
and fury, merely pretense, II not ca
pabie Of working out tangible results.
| h0I'e to see all the power that | think
1t ought to have granted to the govern
meut: hut | would fal rather see only
some of il granted. Tut really granted,
than STE a pretense of granting all, in
some shape that really amounts to
nothing
It must be understood, as a matter
Of course, that if this power is grant
ed it is to be exercised with wisdom
and caution and self-reStraint. The
interstate commerce commission Or
other government official who failed to
protect a railroad that was in the right
against any clamor, no matter how vio-
lent, on the part of the public, would
be guilty of as gross a wrong as ii he
%corruptly rendered an improper service
to the railroad at the expense of the
public. When l say a square deal [
mean a square deal; exactly as much
q So alc ntai <or the rich man as for
the poor man, but no more. Let each
stand Oh his merits, receive what is
dle him, and be Judged according to
his deserts. To more he lis not entl-
tied: and less he shall not have.