New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-20

their 49, az americans, both because they did
- uuty IN war and because thew did their
Uuty in peace. Now il tha vo,,oE 80, 80 49,
Suns, VIII not only prove that thew nossase tba
i rtIIe power OF fealty TO an ideal but viii also
snow the efficiency in the rsni-s - ;t ~
Ebo-aS ne tier fathers. the Confederate veterans
the ir .@t Sney possessed in the ranks of war
a ILiuuSrlaI future Of this great and tv1,caIIv
iefIcdh commonwealth is assured
hAlLhoAD REGULATION NEEDED.
, ne extraordinary development Of industrial
70 s+ .is the last half century has been due
To- ~ - causes, but above all to the revou-
rn11nia+i ~ METHODS OF transportation and com
tiIulIcatlon-that is, to steam and to electricity
- 49, ne Ia4soad and the telegraph
NheIl TINS government was founded cou7-
1910 was carried on by essentially the same
ne iuIIlents that had been in use not only
/ among civilized but among barbarian nations
ever since history dawned0tbat is nv whaafad
Eehlcies drawn by animals. by pack trains and
| by sailing ships and rowboaIs on lsnI ri.
meant that commerce went in slow cunb rous
ana expensive fashion over highways open to
al. normally these highways could not com
80 20 WIN water transportation if such was
ieaslple between the connecting points
- Al ~ TINS has been changed by the development
OF the railroads. Save on the ocean or on IA les
80. a. &c as 10 De practically inland seas.
port by water has wholly lost its old position of
$50 tto1IoItLy over transport by land. while in
9tS1S1 VI the OLD highways Open TO every one
on the same terms but of a very limited useful
ness we nave new highways-raiIroads-w
are owned by private corporations and which
are practically Of unlimited instead of limited
usefulness The old laws and old customs which
We're adequate and proper 10 meet the old CON
CItIoLS need radical readjustment in order to
meet these new conditions. The cardinal feat
ures IN these changed conditions are first the
- lIt the new, highway, the railway, is, from
the commercial standpoint of infinitely greater
Importance in our industrial life than was the
oId highway, the wagon road; and, second that
81 ~ highway, the railway, is in the hands
OF private owners. whereas the old highway the
wagon road. was in the hands Of the State. The
mana cement of the new highway, the railroad
or rather Of the intricate web OF railroad lines
Whlcn cover the country is a task infinitely
more difficult more delicate and more important
al or
keeping IN order the old highway, so that there
is properly no analogy whateve- beryVeer +ha
Two cases. do not believe in government own
eFshlp OF anything which can with propriety be
lert II private hands. and in particular I should
most strenuously object to government owner
ship of railroads. But believe with equal firm
ness that IL Is out Of the question for the GOV
eminent not TO exercise &, supervisory and regu-
LAtory rlSht oyer the railroads: for it is vital
10 the weNbeing of the public that thew should
De managed in spirit OF fairness and justice
OWA1u an the puoIlo- Actual experience has
SHOWN that 1t is not possible leave the rail-
roads uncontrolled Such q system, or. rather
SucH & lack or system. is fertile in abuses Of
every kind. and puts a premium upon unscrupu-
louS and ruthless cunning in railroad manage
ment; for there are some big shippers and
some railroad managers who are always willing
TO take unfair advantage of their weaker COM
petitors and thew thereby force other bir shin
peTs and big railroad men who would like TO Go
decently into similar acts Of wrong and in
Justice. under penalty Of being left behind in
the race for success. Government supervision
IS needed quite as much in the interest Of the
big shipper and OF the railroad man who wants
u
per and the consumer.
TO SECURE FAIR TREATMENT FOR ALL.
Experience has shown that the present laws
are defective and need amendment. The effort
10 prohibit all restraint of conpeJitorl whether
reasonable or unreasonable, IS unwise What we
need is TO have some administrative body with
ample power to forbid combination that is hurt
full to the public and to prevent favoritisU to
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 the railroads
and all shippers have a right 10 use them We
must not leave the enforcement of such & law
merely to the Department Of Justice; II Is out
Of the question for the law department OF the
government TO do what should be purely admin
istrative work The Department OF Justice is
to stand behind and cooperate with the admin
istraItve body but the administrative body itself
must be given the power to do the work and
then held TO a strict accountability for the exer-
else Of that power. The delays of the law are
proverbiaI. and what we need in this matter
is reasonable Quickness Of action.
The abuses Of which we have a genuine right
TO complain take many shapes. Rebates are
not now often given openly But they can be
given just effectively in covert FORM and
private cars. terminal tracks and the like must
be brought under the control Of the commission
or administrative body which is 10 exercise su-
perv1sion by the government But IN my judg-
I7snt the most important thing to do IS to give
10 this administrative body power to make its
findings effective. and this can be done only by
giving IL power when complaint is made Of a
given rate being unjust or unreasonable II II
finds the complaint proper then itself to TX a
maximum rate which it regards as just and
reasonable this rate TO go into effect practically
at once-that is within reasonable time-and
to stay in effect, unless reversed by the courts.
earnestly hope that we shall g law giving
this power passed by Congress. Moreover, I
hope that by law power viii be conferred upon
representatives OF Lhe government capable OF
performing the duty Of public accountants care
fully TO examine into the books OF railroads
when so ordered by the Interstate Commerce
Commission which should itself have power to
Drasoribe 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. l wish the com
mission 70 have power as a ulatter or right, not
as A matter Of favor. 90 make q fuH ana eX-
haustive investigation OF the receipts and eX-
pendtures of the railroad, so that any violation
or evasion of the law may be detected. This is
not a revolutionary proposal on my part, for 1
only wish the same powec given IN reference
n railroads that is now exercised as matter OF
course bv the national bank examiners as re-
ga r1s national banks, Ny object in giving these
additional powers 70 the administrative DoQy
representing the governrneut--th9 Interstate
Cyor7or7arce Commission or whatever # may be
IS primarily TO secure a real and not shan
control Of the government representatives, Inc
A-aericaT Deor1e abho- q sham. and with this
adherence cordially sympatliZe Nothing Is
7I7ra Injurious from every standpoint than q law
which is merely sound and fury, merely pre-
renee and not capable Of working out teIglD Die
results 7 hope TO see all the power that tnlnk
II ought TO have granted TO the government b1C
7 would far rather see only some OF i BIs1IICee
b,,+ really granted than a pretence or
granting all, in shape that really amounts
TO nothing. 49, = $1,000
that If this power is granted It Is 10 De exer-
cised with wisdom and caution ana beiL-Ie-
straInt The Interstate Commerce CoIl5lllssioIeT
or other government official VINO Ialed 10 pro
tect 6 railroad that was IN the right asalhsL
any clarnor. matter how violent, on Ile part
~ +he public. would be guilty OF as gross a
o-,oy ss ~ he corrlptIv rendered an improper
service 10 the railroad at the expense OF the I
public. When I say square otal 800 -