The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-01
RAILROADS ANXIOUS TO HELP.
Samuel spencer SAYS There Is No Antagon-
Ism Between Them and the President.


Samuel Spencer. president Of the Southern
Railway. who represented many of the lead
ing railroads before the House committee
which has been consider4SAShe bilhs inregard
to the regulation of rates, said last night in
commenting on the Presidents speech
before the Union League of Philadelphia,
that he did not construe the speech "a an
attack upon railroads and railroad men.
If there are ablses-and there undoubt-
edly have been some" said Mr.. Spencer
the railroads Of this country. | think |
may safely say, are unit in agreeing with
the President that such abuses should be
controlled. Any one who will read the
testimony taken during the past few months
before the House Committee on Interstate
Commerce will be impressed by the unanim-
ity of statement Of the railroad represen-
tatives of their opposition 10 rebates and
other illegal abuses, where such exist, ana
Of their desire to put stop 10 them. On
this point there can be no question.
The President 10 right, and the vast
majority of the managers of the railroads
warmly second him when he recognlz y
that conscientious and public spirited rail-
way men should be protected from illegal
acts Of less scrupulous competitors and
from INSCRIPTIONS big Shippers. But
the legislation now proposed for granting
rate making power TO the Interstate Com
merce Commission not only does not afford
such protection but necessarily visits
upon the innocent punishment intended for
If there are abuses connected with
private cars, private tracks and similar
matters these also should be remedied
This might be done by subjeCtinR these
private car lines and private tracks 10 the
provisions of the Interstate Commerce law.
Then If n criminal act be committed II
can be punished, as other criminal acts
are punished under the terms of the statute:
hut in this case again the mere fact that
such an abuse exists is no warrant for as
Stunning control Of railway rates.
The occurrence Of robbery is not suffi-
cent reason for saying that the Govern
ment should virtually take possession Of
all private property with view TO pro-
siuon would be as logical "a the suggestion
that the prevention Of rebates and other
abuses would be secured by giving 10 the
commission the power TO fix rates.
1T is a great pity that the public has not
a better understanding Of what Ia, after
all, the most difficult highly technical
and laborious task before railroad men
the making OF rates Every railroad man
knows the great difficulty Of securing exact
justice in fixing rates, and experience IS
demonstrating that the rate which de-
velops trHffic-and therefore the rate which
the railroad should prefer, from pure self
interests almost certainly the nearest
possible approach TO justice But the
adjustment Of rates in such a way as TO
develop traffic is possible only at the hands
of railway officials responsible for the
results, trained for years to understand
local needs and the limits of possible change
in a wonderfully and necessarily com
pick organization.
Il am glad to soc that the President re-
peatedly cautions against what he calls
violent and ill-advised action and urges
tentative and cautious When one re-
allies that. according to the report Of the
Interstate Commerce Commission for 1908
there were then on file 2.lg6, $50 tariffs. Of
which l65.l7s were filed during that year
and that more than one-th!rd of the com
missions clerical force. or about thirty
clerks. were constantly occupied in the
mere detail Of fling indeNing and furnish
ing information in reference 70 these tariffs
some idea Of the magnitude Of this question
may be gathered
As ] said before the Interstate Com
merce Committee. I desire TO add ernphati-
cally in behalf Of n very large proportion Of
the railways Of this countTy-a very much
larger proportion than / have any direct
authority o speak for, but | can say II safely
that there Is no difference Of opinion
between the railroads. the country, the Con-
gress and the President on the subject that
rebates are wrong and that they must be
stopped. that secret and discriminatory
devices Of all kinds. direct or Indirect must
meet with the same fate and. 10 use the
Presidents own expression. The highways
Of transportation must be kept open TO all
upon equal terms On that basis the rail-
way companies are ready and anxious to
aid and cooperate