New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1905-12-09
est railroad man and the honest ship
per alike would be benefited. Ending

the subject, the President says:
All private.car lines. Industrial roads,
refrigerator charges. and the like should
be expressly put under the supervision
| Of the Interstate Commerce commission or
| some similar body SO far as rates. and
| agreements practically affecting rates, are
concerned. The priyate-car owners and
| the owners of industrial railroads are
entitled to fair and reasonable compen-
| sation on their investment, but neither
| private cars nor industrial railroads nor
| spur tracks should be utilized as devices
/ for securing preferential rates. "A rebate
IN icing charges, or in mileage. or IN rs a
| charges is just pernicious as rebate
| in any other way. No lower rate should
| apply on goods imported than actually
| obtains to domestic goods from the
American seaboard to destination except
| in cases where water competition is the
controlling influence. There should be
publicity of the accounts of common car
| riers; common carrier engaged In
| interstate business should keep any books
| or memoranda other than those reported
pursuant to law or regulation, ana these
books memoranda should be open TO
the inspection of the government. Only
| in this way can violations or evasions OF
| the law be surely detected. system OF
! examination of railroad accounts should
| be provided similar to that now conducted
| into the national banks by the bank
examiners; a few first-cass railroad ac-
| countants. If they had proper direction
| and proper authority to inspect books
and papers, could accomplish much in
|
| 1t would not be necessary for them to
examine into the accounts Of any railroad
unless for good reasons they were direct
ed to do so by the Interstate Commerce
| commission. 1t is greatly TO be desired
| that some way might be found by which
an agreement as to transportation with
| in a state intended to operate a fraud
upon the federal interstate commerce
| laws could be brought under the juris-
diction of the federal authorities. At
present it occurs that large shipments
al n ter ia a a NJ
cessions on purely state business, which
of course amounts to an evasion of the
law The commission should have power
TO enforce fair treatment by the great
trunk lines OF lateral and branch lines.
l urge upon the Congress the need for
expeditions action by the Interstate Com
merce commission in all these matters
whether In regulating rates for transpor-
tation or for storing or for handling
property or Sommoditiss in transit The
present commerce act shows that its
efficiency has been to a great degree
destroyed by the weapon of delay. almost
the most formidable weapon in the hands
OF those whose purpose 1t Is to violate
the law.
The question of transportation lies at
the root Of all Industrial success, and the
revolution In transportation which has
taken place during the last half century
has been the most important factor IN the
growth of the new industrial conditions.
Most emphatically we do not wish to see
the man of great talents refused the re-
ward for his talents. Still less do we wish
to see him penalized: but we do desire to
so handled that the strong man shall be
given no advantage over the weak man.
We wish to insure as fair treatment for
the small town as for the big city. for the
small shipper as for the big shipper. In
the old days the highway Of commerce,
whether by water or by road on land.
and the traffic along ii was free. At
present the railway is this highway. and
we must do our best to see that 1t In kept
open to all on equal terms. Unlike the
old highway 1t is a very difficult and
better that 1 should be managed by
inent. But il. can only. be so managed on
condition that justice is done the public
1t is because In my Judgment. public
Of railroads is hghy
entail far-reaching disaster. that wish
to see such supervision and regulation
OF on, them IN the ,, interest o. the public as as
for public ownership. The opponents Of
government regulation dwell upon the
difficulties to be encountered and the
intricate and involved nature of the prob
lem. Their contention IL true. It Is
complicated and delicate problem, and all
kinds Of difficulties are sure to arise In
while no plan will bring all the benefits
hoped for by its more OPTIMISTIC adher-
ents; Moreover. under any healthy plan.
rapidly. Finally. we must clearly under
stand that the public servants who are
to. do this peculiarly responsible and
highest type both as regards integrity and
efficiency. They must be well paid. for
otherwise able men can not In the long
a lofty .probity which will revolt as quick
~ at the thought Of wandering to any
gust OF popular prejudice against rich
sn 81 g reh
men. But while fully admit the diff
culties IN the way. I DO not for moment
n Stopping in ne eur eort to secure wss
and just system They should have no
other effect than TO spun us on to the
S Of the ers the
which we like to think OF as typically
American. and which will in the end
achieve good results in this as in other
one and underlies the. task Of dealing
with. the whole industrial problem. But
the fact that 1t is great problem does
attempt to solve 1t. At present We face
such utter lack of supervision. such
freedom from the restraints OF law. that
forced into doing what they deplored
because otherwise they were left at the
mercy Of INSCRIPTIONS competitors. To
as they best could under the conditions
accofnplishes little. What we need to do
In to develop an orderly system: and
such a system can only come through
the gradually increased exercise OF the
right OF efficient government control.
The necessity for safety appliances
on railroads, recommended in the
Presidents message to the last Con-
gress, is emphasized, together with
the necessity for law regulating the
hours of labor of railroad men.
On the labor question. the mes
sage says:
There has been demand for depriving
courts OF the power to issue injunctions
in labor disputes. Such special limitation
OF the equity powers of our courts would
pc bav. Il t,us mat 9bs
does not justify denial of the power
any more than an improper exercise of
he g JUSTLY sf the s dena ey a sf
TO strike. The remedy Is to regulate the
procedure by requiring the judge to give
due notice to the adverse parties before
parte II the adverse party does not APP
pear at the time and place ordered.
What is due notice must depend upon the
facts OF the case. II should not be used
as a pretext to permit violation Of law.
or the teopardizing OF life or property.
or course. this would not authorize the
ton In any case in which it IS not already
authorized by existing law.
! renew the recommendation / made in
my last annual message for an investiga
ton by the Department OF Commerce and
Labor OF general labor conditions. especial
attention to be paid to the conditions of
child labor and child labor legislation In
the several states. Such an investigation
SHOULD take into account the various prob
lens with which the question Of child
labor IL connected. i e true that these
problems can be actually met in most
cases only by the states themselves. but
II would be well for the nation to endeav-
Information as to the conditions Of the
labor OF children in the different states,
so a. to spur up those that are behind
form legislation OF { high character
among the several states. In such :