The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1905-12-16

s1u2n' heaNy penalty should DC ex-
acted from any corporation which fails
TO respect an order OF the commission. l
regard this power 10 establish a maximum
rate as being essential 10 any scheme OF
regulation. The first necessity Is TO Sc
cure u; and unless Il Is granted TO the
commission there Is little use In touch
ing the subject at all
Continuing, the President earnestly
disclaims any spirit OF hostility to
the railroads. pointing out the bene-
fits to be derived by the fair-deallng
roads in the even-handed administra-
tion OF justice. In this both the hon
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 tho like should
30 expressly put under the supervision
OF the Interstate Commerce commission or
some similar body 80 far as rates. and
agreements practically affecting rates. are
concerned. The private-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. rebate
~ Icing charges. or In mileage. or IN
division OF the rate for refrigerating
charges - Just as pernieious as a rebate
In any other way. No lower rate should
apply on goods imported than actually
obtains 70 domestic goods from the
In cases whore water competition Is the
controlling influence There should be
publicity OF the accounts OF common car
riers. no common carrier engaged In
Interstate business should keep any books
or memoranda other than those reported
pursuant TO law or regulation, and these
the inspection OF tho government. Only
In this way can violations or ovasions OF
the law be surely detected. a system OF
examination OF railroad accounts should
be provided similar 10 that now conducted
Into the national banks by the bank
examiners. a few first-class railroad ao-
cOuntants. II they had proper direction
and proper authority TO inspect books
and papers. could accomplish much I'm
preventing willful violations OF the law.
IL would not he necessary for them TO
examine into the accounts OF any railroad
unless for good reasons they were direct
ed TO do 80 by the Interstate Commerce
commission. II II greatly Go be desired
that some way might be found by which
an agreement as 10 transportation with
IN state intended 70 operate as fraud
upon the federal interstate commerce
laws could be brought under the iuris-
diction OF tho federal authorities. At
present II occurs that large shipments
OF interstate tTafiic are controlled by con-
SESSIONS on purely state business. which
OF course amounts 10 an evasion OF the
law. The commission should have power
TO enforce fair treatment by the great
trunk lines OF lateral and branch lines.
| urge upon the Congress the need for
expeditions action by the Interstate Com
whether in regulating rates for transpor
tation or FOR storing or for handling
property or commodities In transit The
history OF the cases litigated under the
present commerce act shows that It's
efficiency has been TO great degree
DESTROYED by tho weapon OF delay almost
the most formidable weapon IN the hands
Of those whose purpose II Is To violate
the law.
The question az transportation lies MT
the root 81 all Industrial success, and the
taken place during the last hair century
has been the most important factor IN the
growth OF the new Industrial conditions
Most emphaticaily we do not wish TO see
ward for his talents. SIN less do we wish
10 see him penalized. but we do desire 90
see The system OF railroad transportation
so handled that the strong man shah be
given no advantage over the weak man
We wish 10 insure as fair treatment for
the small town as for the big city. for the
the old days the highway OF commerce.
whether by water o. by road on land,
was open 20 all. u belonged TO the public
and the traffic along u was free. ~
present the railway II this highway. and
we must do our best 10 see that II Is kept
open 10 all on equal terms Unlike the
complex thing TO manage. and II n far
better that u should be managed by
private individuals than by tho govern
ment Rut II can only be so managed on
condition that justice IL done the public.
II Is because. IN my Judgment public
ownership OF railroads Is highly undesir.
entail far-reaching disaster that wish
to see such supervision and regulation
will make II evident that there Is no need
for public ownership. The opponents OF
government regulation dwell upon the
Intricate and involved nature of the prob.
lem Their contention vs. truo. II II q
complicated and delicate problem. and all
kinds 81 difficulties are sure TO arise IN
while no plan Will bring all the benefits
hoped for by ~ more optimistic adher-
enis Moreover under any healthy plan
the benefits Will develop gradually and not
rapidly. Finally, We must clearly under
stand that the public servants who nre
delicate work must themselves be ~ ths
highest type both aH regards integrity and
efficiency They must be well paid. for
Otherwise able men can not In the Ions
4 lofty probty which Will revolt MS quick.
" at the thought 81 pandering 10 any
men as he thought Of anything even
remotely resembling .subseryiency 10 rich
men hut while I fully admit the aim.
oIss Il the ,N ~S NO ~. Tor usrTnn o.
in stopping IN our effort to secure n Wise
and Just system. They should have ne
other effect than 20 spur us on 10 the
exercise OF the resolution the even hand.
ad Justice. and the fertility OF resource
which We like 10 think of as typicsily
American, and which VIII In the end
achieve good results In this as IN other
fields OF activity The task " great
one and undetiies the task of dealinr
with the whole Industrial problem But
tho fact that n IL a great problem does
not warrant US In shrinking from the
attempt 90 solve H. AZ present we face
such utter lack OF supervision, such
Freedom from tho restraints OF law. that
excellent men have often been literally
forced into doing what they deplored
because otherwise they were left al the
mercy % inscriptions competitors To
as they best could under the conditions
accompllshes little What we need TO dc
IL TO develop an orderly system. and
such 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 deprivinr