The Forrest City times., 1905-12-08


 | empk@ticaily protest gaiuSt improp- | oriy rsGicat or nasty action. The first | thing Co do IS to deal with the great | corporations engaged fin the buSino ss l of interstate transportation. As 1 sa i'd | in u1y mtsSa ge of December ( last. the l immediate and most pressing need. so l far legislation is concerned. is the ! enactment into law Of some scheme to i secure to the agents of the govern 1 ment such supervision and regulation 1 of the rates charged by the railroa as | of he country engaged in interstate traffic as shall summarily and cflec- l lively prevent the imposition ef unjust 1 or uurea Sona bie rates. T. must include I puttinG a complete stop to rebates n | every shape and form. This power 10 ] reszslate rates. like all similar powers over the business world. should be ex- ercised with moderation. caution and seIf-reetraint: but u should exist. so lthHt !t can be effectively exercised when the need arises.
 The first consideration to bc kept in mind Is that the power should he affs FH3a tive e-a should he given to some administrative body created hy the congress. r given n the present interstate commerce commission or to a reorGan5zed interstate commerce commission. such commission Snould be made uaequivoCally administrative. do not believe in the government i1- te@saf3HS W4iU DTlN8Ie bUStHf@S GHp4E than is necessary. 1 do not believe Tn the government undertaking any work which can with p=opEiety be left n private hands. But neither do l be- lieVe n the government fiueHlnE from overseeing aaS work when = becomes evident that abuses are sure to ob- tain therein unless there Is govern mental supervision. IL is not ny prov inee to indicate the exact terms oc the law which should be enacted; bat call the attention Of the congress to certain existing conditions with which t IS desirable 10 deal. h m judg- ment the most important provision which such law should contain .s that CcufcFrinE upon some competent ad- minisfrative body the power ta decide. upon the case being brought before i.. whether . given rate prescribed Dy railroad IS reasonable and inst, and f it is found to be unreasonable and unjust. then. after fnIl inkHs'iGa ton of tie complaint. to pres ~ihe tae limit of rate beyond which it shall not be lawfal tp go--the maximum reasoa- able rate. aa t is commonly called this decision to go into effect within reasonable time and to obtain from thence onward. subject to review by the courts. It sometimes happens at present, not that a rate is too high but that q favored shipper is gwen too 
 sion would have the right 10 fX this already established minimum rate IS the maximum; and it would need only one ar two such decisions by the com mission to cure railroad companies ot the practice of giving improper mini mum rates. call your attention 10 the fact that my proposal Is not to give the commission power to initiate or originate rates generally, but to regulate q rate already fixed CT origt- hated bH the roads upon complaint and after investigation. A heavy penalty shaald be eXactcd from any carparation which fails to respect an order of the commission. I regard this power to establish T maximum rate as being essential ta any scheme of red reform in the matter of railway es4}atior. The first necessity is to secure it, aaa unless | is granted 70 the commission there is little use n toaeHing tEe subject at all.
 Relates Really Blackmail.
 Iatsal transactions often occur un- l dor the forms Of law. Ii has often oc- l cured usat shipper has been told | hE t t"a fife officer to buy 2 large ! quantifE of some commodity and then | after tt has been bought an epea re- i duction s made in the rate to take 1 feet immediately the arrangement 1 resulting To the profit Of tine one ship 1 per and the one railroad and to the damage of aH their competitors: for it must not be forgotten that the biz l shippers are at least aS much 10 blame as any railroad in the matter | of rebates. The law should make lt l clear so that nobody can fail t6 under stand that any kind of commission 1 paid on freight shipments. whether in 1 this form or in the form Of fictitious 1 dame gcS. or of q concession. a free 1 pass. reduced passenger rate. or pay i mont Of brokerage, is illegal It IS worth while considering whether 1t l would not be wise to confer on the l Government the right Of civil action l against the beneficiary of a rebate for l at least twice the value of the rebate; 1 this would. help stop what IS really blackmail Elevator allowances should | he stopped. for they have now STOW T 1 to such an extent that they 1sre de maralizing and arc used aa res4tcs The bt st possible regulation of ratee would of course. be that regulation secured bY an honest asreemele Fl among the railroads thcmseI1cs to carry ont the law. such general agreement would. Tor instance. at once 1 put ? stop to the efforts of any oue 1 big sa.ppcr Or bug railroad to ai.- ! cr. mtnste ass..thSt CIT ~eettre GstV1r- 1 taasas oyer 48Hae IiE8l: and sHeh aGret=- | meat would make the= railroads the a- 1 selves agents for snfereiuG the law ] Taa power vested in ttc gHEerums a' ! tod =H.t a z.sR - agHee mrutz to u de5ffmeot 9f the public should in uz
 jud&ta -r he aeepmpar,ed hV power Y
 ,,#,sl4it -l5ltlaf= specified conditions a06
 e3l .s,9er rsfsiou. agreements clear
 '. n tAe interest ef tae pubie. B4t
 in my IdGmeut. il. necessity .9.
 yixiru t.5s further power is by ns
 means as creat as the necessity tos ! giving the comm ssion or admtnjstr5-
 tive hodv the other powers haTt
 enumerated above; and il may M
 hc Intdvisstble to attempt to vest tals
 particular power ia the commise .nn o'
 other administrative body untl 1t all
 ready possesses and is exercising wlla'
 ! regard ,s bv far tho most important
 of au th, powers ] recummend- in-
 dc,d the v.tally important power
 that to f.& 2 given maximum rate which rate. after the lapse oi 4 reason "hie t#ur. goes into full ,Geet. subject
 to review by the courts.
 M fr.rase ear lines, industrial roads
 re TIE, yatar charges. and the l3l# shoult
 be expressly pat under the -upsfvis.or
 es the Interstate commerce commission
 a~ some s.Inlar b0dy .a far as f4tes &sl
 ,.-s rr as. rtea 4sl t #ft- Na.ffs- r=s .s rf