The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-10-19
LEDGE-HAMMER
BLOW IS DEALT
Presidents Speech to North
Carolinans Is a Bold De.
fance to Railroads.
MUST BE CONTROLLED
Nc ala or Ands" In His Declaration
That Power Must 30 Granted to
Secure Square Deal for
the Shipper, Too.

Charlotte, ~. c., Oct. .i.-The eva
zion which President Roosevelt re-
celved during his journey through n
portion OF Virginia was continued as
ne travelled through North Carolina.
beginning with his arrival at Raleigh
nj 3 o'clock, h. was greeted by cheering
crowds nj Durham. Greensboro, High
Point, Lexington. Salisbury and h
lotte. the demonstration In this city
being a fitting farewell OF the citizens
OF the old Tar Heel state.
paieieh. n. c., Oct. 2i.-President
Roosevelt and party arrived In this city
M $50 and We're greeted by Lieutenant
Goyernor Winston and Mayor Johnson,
with a military escort and n citizens
committee. The party proceeded at
once TO the state fair grounds, where
the president addressed the multitude.
thousands OF people greeted the pres
ident at the station with a volley OF
cheers and these were repeated again
and again as he passed along the
streets In Y carriage. bowiag to right
and left, and waving hts hands In
greeting 20 little children. AZ the fair
Ths extraoTdInary development, OF In
dustriallsm during the last half century
has becn due 10 several causes, but ABOVE
all 20 the r~rNoiutlon w tne HsNnous ~
transportation and communication: that
a.. TO steam and TO electricity. TO the
railroad and tho telegraph.
When this government was touil.u
was carried on by essentially
the same Instruments that had been In use
not only among civilized. but among bar
barian.. nations, ever sine. history
drawn by animals. by pack trains. and BY
sailing ships and rowboats.
Tho old laws and Old customs which
were adequate and proper To meet the old
conditions need radical readJus,ment IN
order 10 meet these new conditions. Tho
cardinal features Ia these changed con-
highway, the railway. ia. from the com
mercLai standpoint, OF Infinitely greater
Importance IN our industrial life than was
The scoS old hishvSS s r tho S,s r0a The a raii
whereas the old highway. the wagon road.
was in the hands OF the state; The man
or rather or the intricate web OF railroad
lines which cover the country. is n task IN.
nnitely moro difficult. more delicate. and
more Important than tho primitiveiy easy
task OF acquiring or keeping In order the
old highway. 30 thar there In properly
no analogy whatever etwce tho TWO
eases.
He Opposes Government Ownership
do not believe In government owner
ship Of anything which can with propricty
he left In private hands. and In particu-
lMf Il NuOulu iU0NL NkTNnuOuNil NhlNNk "
government ownership OF railroads.
But I believe with equal firmness that u
u out OF tho question for the government
not 20 exercise a supervisory n rcgula-
tnry right ever the railroads: FOR Il Is
vita. TO the wcll-bcing Of the public that
they should be- managed In a spirit OF
fairness and Justice toward all the pubic:
not possible TO leave the railroads uncon-
trolied. Such a system, or rather such n
lack OF system. IL fertile In abuses OF ev-
80 ENw1 al UNNUH a nFA~lffnf fnnn I'M
scrupulous and ruthless cunning In rail-
road management: for there are some big
shippers AMI some railroad managers who
are always willing TO take unfair advant-
age OF their weaker competitors. and they
thereby force other big shippers and big
railroad men who would like to do de-
Gently into similar acts OF wrong and IN
Justice. under penalty OF being left be-
hind IN the race for success,
Government supervision IL needed quite
rs much in the Interest OF the blk ship
per and OF thu railroad man who wants 20
do right rs ~ the interest OF the small
shipper and IN" consumer.
What We Really Need.
Experience has shown that the present
The effort TO prohibit all restraint OF com
petition, whether reasonable or unrcason-
able. Is unwis.. What W. need is TO rave
some administrative body with ample
power 10 forbid combination that Is hurtful
20 the public and 10 prevent favorit.sm Ia
one individual at the expense OF another.
In other words, we want an administrative
body with the power TO secure fair and
Just treatment as among all shippers who
use tn" rnilToads-and all shippers have
q right 10 uEe them.
We must not leave the enforcement OF
such a Law merely TO the department OF
Justice: Il 81 out OF the question for the
Law department OF the government TO do
what should be purely adminiStratiV
work. The Department OF Justice IL 20
stand behind and cooperate with the al
illustrative body, but the administrative
body. Itself must be given the power to
accountability for the exercise OF that
power. The delays OF the law are pro-
verbal. and what we need In this matter
4 Il reasonable ~uuickncss OF action.
Mature OF the Abuses.
The abuses OF which We have n genuine
right 10 -omrlain take many shapes. Re-
/ bates are not often given openly. But
they can he given Just "a effectively IN
4 covert form. and private cars. terminal
tracks and the like must be brought under
the control OF the commission or admins
traiive body. which is TO exercise super.
vision by the government.
But in my Judgment the mast important
thing to 10 l. to give To this administrative
body power 10 make Its Bindings effective,
power, when complaint Is made OF a givcu
rate az being unjust or unreasonable. II II
finds the complaint proper then itself "a
nx a maximum me which u fcIatdS as
effect practically at once. that H. Within q
r~.asonabi, time. and TO stay Ia effect,
unless reversed 10y the courts.
I earnestly hope that we shall see = law
giving this I'"wcr passed by congress.
Moreover, I cope hat by Jaw power will lie
coafcrcd mon representa- dives OF the gov
eminent capable OF performing the duty
cf public accountants carefully TO exam.
fic into th" books OF railroads. when ~
ordered by ~, Interstate com.
mission, which should Itself have power "a
prescribe what books. ana Wat books
only. should be- kept by railroads.
Need Right to Act Quickly.
e there q In the minds OF the comm!s,
sigu any suspicion hat "A certain railroad
j. o. any shape or Nay giving rebates or
hrhAyinR Improperly. I wish Inc commits.
s.ug 10 have power rs a matter uf right
no. a. q mater OF favor. 20 MAKE a ful
and exhaustive investigation OF the re-
ccip.s and expenditures OF the railroad. -
that any violation or evasion OF the Law
may he detected. This II not 4 revolution,
AIRY proposal on my part. Tor | only wish
the same power given m reference TO rail,
roads that - nOw exercised as 4 matter oi
course BY the national bank examiners n
regards national banks.
81 object IN giving these adGltiGna