Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-06-28

this literature and has been asked to
give it space or careful consideration.
We do not belieS'e it to be wise
move on the part of the railroads, as
tagonism against them rather than to
dissipate it. 1t can have no good eff.
feet upon those STEPPED in prejudice
| and will not change the views of intel
ligent and fair-minded men who do
not seek to make war on the railroads,
but want only what is right. The
great railroads that span the cont
nent have done much To develop the
country. 1t required millions of dol
lars in construction work and now
other millions are necessary for oper-
ating expenses. The business is not
altogether one of pleasure and profit,
but one requiring the very best finan-
cling and management at times to
make ends meet.
But there is feeling, belief among
the people and small shippers that a
good many evils have grown up, in
the heat of competition and strife for
business, that initiates against them
that the big shippers get all the ia
vors while the small ones stand the
expense
Believing that the railroads are I'M
der some obligations to the people and
the government inherently further au-
thority is asked for the Interstate
Commerce commission To the end that
it may change a rate when found ex-
orbitant or unjust, In fact. what is
wanted was tersely expressed by Pres
ident Roosevelt in his last annual mes
sage to congress, when he said:
'The Interstate Commerce commits
sion should be vested with the power,
where a given rate has been chal-
lenged and after full hearing found
to be unreasonable to decide, subject
to judicial review, what shall be a
reasonable rate to take it's place; the
ruling of the commission to take eff
feet Immediately and to obtain I'M
less and until it is reversed by the
court of review
The above is provision the rail-
roads do not want and one they are
going to make strong fight against.
At the recent meeting of the Ameri-
can Association of Local Freight Ag-
ents, held at Minneapolis, resolutions
were endorsed deprecating any fur
Their bestowal of power upon the COM
mission to regulate rates, believing it
would greatly retard the business of
the railways and cause dissatisfaction
to shippers" A part of the resolu-
tons adopted is as follows:
Nov, therefore, be it resolved, That
the American Association of Local
Freight Agents Associations in con
Minnesota, on this, the fourteenth day
of June, 1905, do earnestly recommend
to the president. senate and to the
house of representatives who will rec
ognize our experience IN these mat
ters as emitting us to an opinion and
the privilege of expressing the same
that it would be unwise to enact such
laws as were proposed at the last ses.
sion of congress relating to the max.
ing of freight rates or any other laws
which would embarrass the railroad
companies in making such rates as
may be necessary to conform to eX-
listing and rapidly changing CONNER
cial conditions, to meet competition,
and to promote to the greatest pos
sible extent the free interchange of
commodities between the producers
and consumers, whatever may be their
location
Of course, no one believes that the
power to make rates should be taken
out of the hands of the railroads.
Like any other business railroading
must be conducted by men having a
thorough and practical knowledge of
the minutest details and be in con-
slant touch with all of its ramifica-
tons, and be able to fix rates as the
changing conditions demand.
Conceding this, it does not follow
that some power should not exist to
correct abuses that may arise. The
government clearly has the right to
place this power with the Interstate
Commerce Commission, and the peo-
pie believe it should be so placed. 1t
is not proposed to take the initiative
in fixing rates or in changing rates
generally, but to change specific
rate, if upon investigation it is found
to be unjust to the people or those
making complaint. If found fair and
reasonable the rate as fixed by the
railroad would stand.
While President Roosevelt is firm
in his position as stated above. he
has little time for the clamor of those
who would do anything to knock a
railroad, even to the confiscation OF
its property, for he says:
Nothing could be more foolish than