Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-10-19
,st of the small shipper and the con-

sumer
Experience has shown that the
present laws are defective and need
amendment. The effort to prohibit all
restraint of competition, whether rea-
sonable or unreasonable. is unwise.
What we need is to have some admin-
istrative body with ample power to
forbid combination that is hurtful to
the public, and to prevent favoritism
to one individual at the expense Of an
other. In other words, we want an
administrative body with the power to
secure fair and just treatment as
among all shippers who use the rail-
roads-and all shippers have a right
to use them. The delays of the law
this matter Is reasonable quickness OF
action.
Must be Effective.
"The abuses Of which we lave a
genuine right to complain take many
shapes. Rebates are not now often
given openly. But they can be given
just as effectively in covert form; ana
private cars, terminal tracks and the
like must be brought under the contrsl
of the commission or administrative
body. which is to exercise supervis-
ion by the government. But in my
judgment the most important thing to
do is to give to this administrative
body power to make it's findings effec-
tive, and this can be done only by Civ
ing it power, when complaint is made
Of a given rate as being unjust or un-
reasonable, If it finds the complaint
proper, then itself to fix a maximum
rate which 1t regards as just and reas-
onable this rate to go into effect praG-
tically at once, that is within a reas-
enable time, and to stay in effect, un-
less reversed by the courts. earnest
ly hope that we shall see a law giving
this power passed by congress. More
over, hope that by law power will be
conferred upon representatives of the
government capable Of performing the
duty of public accountants carefully to
examine into the books of railroads,
when so ordered by the Interstate
Commerce Commission, which should
itself have power to prescribe what
books, and what books only, should be
kept by railroads. II there is in the
minds of the commission any suspicion
that a certain railroad is in any shape
or way giving rebates or behaving im-
properly, wish the commission to have
power as matter OF right. not as a
matter Of favor, to make full and
exhaustive investigation of the re-
sceipts and expenditures Of the. rail-
road, so that any violation or evasion
OF the law may be detected. This ts
not a revolutionary proposal on my
part, for / only wish the same power
given In reference to railroads
that Is now exercised as matter Of
course by the national bank examiners
as regards national banks. My object in
giving these additional powers to the
administrative body representing the
governnent-the interstate commerce
commission, or whatever ,it may be
is primarily to secure a real aird not !,
sham control to the government repre-
a sham, and with this ahhorrence
cordially sympathize. Nothing is more
Injurious from every standpoint than a
law which is merely sound and fury,
merely pretense, and not capable OF
working out tangible results. hope to
see all the power that think 1t ought to
have granted to the government; but !
would far rather see only some of 1t
granted, but really granted, than see a
pretense of granting all, in some shape
that really amounts to nothing.
Square Deal.
at must he understood, as matter Of
course, that IL tl,is power is granted it
is to be exercised with wisdom and
caution and self-restraint. The inter-
state commerce commissioner or other
government official who failed to pro-
tect railroad that was in the right
against any clamor, no matter how
violent, on the part OF the public.
would he guilty Of as gross a wrong
as If he corruptdy rendered an Inn
proper service to the railroad at the
expense of the public. When say
q square deal mean square deal:
exactly as much square deal for the
rich man as for the poor man; but no
more. Let each stand on his merits.
receive what Is due him. and be
Judged according to his deserts. To
more he is not entitled, and less he
shall not have"
At the conclusion Of his speech.
which was enthusiastically applauded,
the president took luncheon In a special
banquet hall on the fair grounds. He
was afterwards escorted to the depot by
a military and civil parade, and left at
1: 80 on his way south.
President Makes Brief Talk.
Durham, N. c., Oct. 19.-President
Roosevelt arrived here at 1855 this
afternoon. Although the train remain-
ed but five minutes, there was large
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