The Cairo bulletin., 1905-12-06

merce-tlat is, over the great majority
or the big corporations--it will be inn
possible to deal adequately with these
evils.
7 RAILWAY RATE QUESTION
am well aware of the difficulties Of
the legislation that | am suggesting
and Of tile need OF temperate and eau
t!ous action in securing it, | should
emphatlcally protest against improper
ly radical or hasty action The first
thing to do IS to deal with the great
corporations engaged in the business of
interstate transportation. AS ! said in
my message of Dee. last, the imme-
\ date and most pressing need so far as
| legislation is concerned is the enact
ment into law Of some scheme to Sc
! cure to the agents of the government
| such surerVision and regulation of the
rates Charged by thu railroads Of the
country engaged in interstate traffic as
shall summariy and effectively pre-
vent the imposition Of unjust or unrea
sonable rates 1t must include putting
Il complete stop to rebates in every
shape and form This power to regu-
late rates, like all similar powers over
the business world, should be exercised
with moderation, caution and self re-
straint. but II should exist, SO that it
can be effectively exercised when the
need arises.
The first consideration to be kept ID
mind is that the power should be af-
fl1natiye aGd should be given to some
administrative body created by the
cougress Ii given to the present in
terstate commerce commission or to a
reOrganized interstate commerce com
mission, such commission should be
made unequivoeally administrative. |
do not believe in the government inter
ferinG with private business more than
is necessary. / do not believe in the
government undertaking any work
which can with pr0priety be left in pri-
waite hands. But neither do l believe
ia the government dinehing from over
seeing any work when ii becomes evil
therein unless there is governmental
Supervision 1t is not my province to
indicate the exact 1erms or the law
which should he enacted, but | call the
attention Of the congress to certain cX-
listing conditions with which it is desir
able to deal. In my judgment the
most important provision which such
law should contain is that comforting
upon some competent administrative
body the power to decide, upon the case
being brought beforeit, whether given
rate prescribed by n railroad is reason
able and just, and if ii is found to be
unreasonable and unjust then. after
full investigation of the complaint, to
prescribe the limit of rate beyond |
which ii shall not be lawful to go--the |
reasonable rate, as it is COM
monty called this decision 10 g into |
effect within q reasonable time ANA to
obtain from thence onward. subject to |
review by the courts 1t sometimes |
happens at present, not that a rate is |
too high, but that a favored shipper Is /
given too low rate In such case the
would have the right to fix |
this already established minimum rate
as the maximum, and ii would need
only one or two such decisions by the
TO cure railroad companies
OF the practice Of giving improper min
imum rates / call your attention TO
the fact that my proposal is not TO give
the commission power TO initiate or
originate rates generally, but 70 regu-
hate Il rate already fixed or originated
by the roads upon complaint and after
\ heavy posalty should
be eXactod from any corporation which
fails to respect an order of the commits
sion | regard this power 20 establish
] maximum rate as being essential TO
my scheme of real reform in the mat
Ter Of railway regulation. The first
necessity is Ia secure 81. and unless 1t
s. granted TO the commission there is
little use in touching the subject Mt all.
Evaeiors Of ths Law
illegal transactions often occur m-
Ter the forms of law. II has often oc-
.uTed that a shipper has been told 10y
. traffic officer 10 buy large quantity
VI some commodity. aud chen after it
las been bought an open reduction is
made in he rate 70 take effect imme-
liatCiy, the arrangement resulting 10
lie profit Of the one shipper and the
ne railroad and TO the damage OF all
heir competitors; for il must not be
.orgottcn that The big shippers are at
east MS much 30 blame az any railroad
n the matter of rebates. The law
.houl1 max. 10 clear so that nobody
AN fail 20 understand that any kind
II commission paid on freight ship
ncuis. whether in ikis form or in the
0rm Of fictitious damages or Of n CON
cssion. free pass, reduced pasScn- /
ger rate or payment OF brokerage. is
Illegal u IS worth while considering /
whether It would not be wise to confer
N the government lhe right OF civil
ction against The beneficiary Of n
ehate Tor az least twice The value of
he rebate. This would help stop what
< rca.y biasbmaiL Elevator allow
noes should be stopped. Tor they have
.os, grown TO such an extent that they
rc demoralizing and are used rs re-
.ates.
The best possible regulation OF rates
would. Of course. he that regulation Sc