Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-12-07

trafUc as snail ana eHec-
lively prevent the imposition of unjust
or unreasonable rates. 1t must include
putting a complete stop to rebates in
every shape and form. This power to
regulate rates. like all similar powers
over the business world. should be ex-
ercised with moderation. caution and
self-restraint: but it should exist, so
that II can be effectively exercised
when the need arises.
The first consideration to be kept
in mind is that the power should be
affirmative ~~4 should be given to
some administrative body created by
the congress. II given to the present
interstate commission or to
a reorganized interstate commerce
commission, such commission should
be made une%quivocally administrative.
l do not believe in the government IN
terfering with private business more
h is necessary. l do not believe IN
the government undertaking any work
which can with propriety be ieIt IN
private hands. But neither do l be-
lieve in the government finching from
overseeing any work when 1t becomes
evident that abuses are sure TO op-
tain therein unless there is govern
mental supervision. 1t is not my prov
ince to indicate the exact terms OF the
llW Which sIlpuid pS
call the attention of the congress to
certain existing conditions with which
it is desirable to deal. In my judy
ment the most important provision
which such law should contain is that
comforting upon some competent ad-
ministrative body the power to decide,
upon the case being brought before 1t,
whether a given rate prescribed by a
railroad is reasonable and Just, n
if it is found to be unreasonable n
unjust, then. after full investigation
of the complaint, to prescribe the limit
of rate beyond which it shall not be
lawful to go-the maximum reason
able rate, as it is commonly called
his decision to go into effect WITHIN a
reasonable time and to obtain from
thence onward. subject to review by
the courts. 1t sometimes happens at
present, not that a rate is too hlgn
but that a favored shipper is given TOO
low a rate. In sue case the commas
sion would have the right to fix TINS
already established minimum rate as
the maximum; and it would need only
one or two such decisions by the com
mission to cure railroad companies or
the practice of giving improper mini
mum rates. l call your attention to
the fact that my proposal is not to
give the commission power to initiate
or originate rates generally, but to
regulate a rate already fixed or orlgl-
mated by the roads, upon complaint
and after investigation. A heavy
penalty should be eXacted from any
corporation which fails to respect an
order of the commission. | regard this
power to establish a maximum rate,
as being essential to any scheme OF
real reform in the matter of railway
NJ a--t -nnascifT Ic RI
secure it: and unless it is granted to
the commission there is little use IN
touching the subject at all.
Rebates Really Blackmail.
Illegal transactions often occur I'M
der the forms of law. 1t has often &C.
Cured that a shipper has been told
by a traffic officer to buy a large
quantity of some commodity n then
after it has been bought an open re-
duction is made in the rate to take
effect Immediately, the arrangement
resulting to the profit of the one ship
per and the one railroad and to the
damage of all their competitors; for
it must not be forgotten that the big
shippers are at least as much to
blame as any railroad in the matter
| of rebates. The law should make 1t
clear so that nobody car fail to under
stand tina any kind of commission
paid on freight shipments, whether in
this form or in the form of fictitious
damages. or of a concession, a free
pass. reduced passenger rate, or pay
ment of brokerage, is Illegal. 1t is
worth while considering whether II
would not be wise to confer on the
government the right of civil action
against the beneficiary of a rebate for
II 1za,t tr,,;aa thn Iyn1I1n of the rebate.
this would help stop what is really
blackmail. Elevator allowances should
be stopped. for they have now grown
to such an extent hat they are de-
moralizing and are used as rebates.
The best possible regulation of rates
would. of course, be that regulation
secured by an honest agreement
among the railroads themselves to
carry out the law. Such a general
agreement would. for instance, at once
put a stop to the efforts of any one
big shipper or big railroad to dis
eliminate against or secure adVan-
tages over some rival; and such agree
ment would make the railroads them
selves agents for enforcing the law
The power vested in the government
to put a stop to agreements to the
detriment of the public should. in my
judgement, be accompanied by power tc
hermit. under specified conditions ant
careful supervision, agreements clear
" in the interest of the pubic. But
in my Judgment. the necessity fol
giving this further power is by ne
means as great as the necessity fol
giving the commission or admlnlstra'
tive body the other powers l haV'
enumerate1 above; n 1T may wei
he inadyisable to attempt to vest thi:
- -.r-op ~, tho commission NJ
other administrative body until it al
ready possesses and is exercising wha
T regard as by far the most importan
of ali the powers 7 recommends in
deed the vitality important power
that to fix a given maximum rate
which rate, after the lapse OF a reason
HE time. goes into full effect. subjec
to review by the courts.
All private car lines, industrial roads
refrigerator charges, and the IKE shoul
he expressly put under the supervise
of the interstate commerce commlsslo
mr. some similar body so far as rates an
oereements practically affecting rates ar
concerned. The private car owners an
the owners of industrial railroads are en-
titled to a fair and reasonable compensa
tion IN their investment, but neither pr
vate cars nor industrial railroads nor spu
tracks should be utilized as devices TO
securing preferential rates. A rebate /
icing charges, or in mileage, or in a div
sion of the rate for refrigerating charge
is lust as pernicious as a rebate in an
other way. No lower rate should sppl
on goods imported thai actually obtain
on domestic goods from the America
seaboard to destination except in case
There water competition is the control
!, ing influence. There should be publicit
of the accounts of common carriers; n
common carrier engaged in interstat
| business should keep any books or men
J oranda other than those reported pu
suant to law or regulation, and the.
books or memoranda should be open
the inspection of the government. Onl
I in this way can violations or evasions
: the law be surely detected. A system
examination of railroad accounts shouI
: be provided similar to that now conducte
into the national banks by the BAR e.
t aminers; a few first-class railroad a
5 countants, IL they had proper directic
: and proper authority to inspect books ar
1 .arar, Gould ncooDnnlieh much in mr.