Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-12-07


refrigerator charges, and the like should
pe 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 private-car owners and
the owners OF Industrial railroads are
entitled TO fair and reasonable compen-
satton 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 a
division OF the rate for refrigerating
charges Is Just as pernicious as a rebate
apply on goods imported than actually
obtains 10 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
rlers; no common carrier engaged In
or memoranda other than those reported
pursuant to law or regulation. and tn. Sc
DOCKS or memoranda should be open TO
The inspection OF the government Only
IN this way can violations or evasions o.!
the law be surely detected. A system OF
examination Of railroad accounts should
be provided similar to that now conducted
into the national banks by the hank
examiners; few frst-class railroad ac-
countants. II they had proper direction
and proper authority to inspect books
and papers, could accomplish much In
preventing wlllful violations OF the law.
1t would not be necessary for them to
tNdHliDe INTO tue accounts OF any tHllfOHC
unless for good reasons they Were direct
ed to do so by the Interstate Commerce
commission. 1t IS greatly to he desired
that some way might be found by which
an agreement az 10 transportation with
in a state intended to operate as a fraud
upon the federal interstate commerce
diction OF the federal authorities. At
present 1t occurs that large shipments
OF Interstate traffic are controlled by con-
cessions on purely state business, which
n n ~ fla
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
mercc commission In all these matters,
whether in regulating rates for trapspor-
tatton or FOR storing or for handling
property or commodities In transit The
history of the cases ltigated under the
present commerce act shows that its
efficiency has Leen to great degree
destroyed by the weapon of delay, almost
the most formidable weapon In the hands
OF those whose purpose il Is TO violate
the law.
The question OF transportation lies at
the root Of al 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 emphaticany 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
see the system OF railroad transportation
so handled that the strong man shall be
We wish 10 insure as fair treatment for
the small town as for the big city, for tie
small shipper as for the big shipper. In
the old days the highway OF commerce.
whether by water or by road on land,
was open to all; 1t belonged to the public
and the traffic along i was free. At
we must do our best to see that IT is kept
open. 20 all on equal terms. Unlike the
cd highway 1t Is very difficult and
complex thing to manage, and it is far
better that 1t should be managed by
private individuals than by the govern
ment. But It can only be 80 managed on
condition that justice is done the public.
ownership of railroads IS highly undesir-
able and would probably IN this country
entail far-reaching disaster, that l wish
to see such supervision and regulation
of them In the interest OF the public as
will make it evident that there is no need
for public ownership. The opponents OF
government regulation dwell upon the
difficulties to he encountered and the
intricate and involved nature of the prob
lem. Their contention is true. 1t is a
complicated and delicate problem, and all
kinds Of difficulties are cure to arise In
connection with any plan OF solution,
while no plan will bring all the benefits
hoped for by its more optimistic adher :
ents. Moreover, under any healthy plan,
the benefits Will develop gradually and not
rapidly. Finally we must clearly under
StdNu tnaI the PUBIC servants VINO are
to, do this peculiarly responsible and
delicate work must themselves be OF the
highest type both as regards integrity and
efficiency. They must be well paid, for
otherwise able men can not in the long
run be secured; and they must possess
a lofty probity which win revolt as quick
" at the thought of laundering to any
gust OF popular prejudice against rich
men as the thought Of anything even
remotely resembling subserviency to rich
men. But while | fully admit the diff
In he " Il IN No fnr a mn sat
admit that these difficulties warrant us
in stopping In our effort to secure a wise
and just system. They should have nc
other effect than to spur US on to the
exercise OF the resolution. the overland
ed justice. and the fertility of resource
which we like to think Of as typicaly
American, and which will In the end
achieve good results in this as in other
! fields OF activity The task is a great
one and underlies the task of dealing
with. the whole industrial problem. But
| the fact that 1t is great problem does
not warrant us in shrinking from the
attempt to solve it. At present we facs
| freedom from the restraints of law, that
! excellent men have often been literally
| forced into doing what they deplored
because otherwise they were left at the
| mercy of INSCRIPTIONS competitors Tt
! rail at and assail the men who have done
as they best could under the conditions
| is to develop an orderly system; and
| such q system can only come through
| the gradually increased exercise OF tbs
| 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 fol-. deprivini
| in labor disputes: Such special Limitation
/ of the equity powers OF our courts wou!t
be most unwise. II is true that SOM
| judges have misused this power; but thi
! any more than an improper exercise o
the power to call a strike by labo
to strike. The remedy Is to regulate tn
procedure by requiring the judge 10 Civ
| due notice to the adverse parties befor
| granting the writ, the hearing TO be e,
| parte IL the adverse party does not ap
| pear at the time and pace ordered
! What is due notice must depend upon tn
| facts Of the case; IL should not be use'
as a pretext 10 permit violation of law
! or the jeopardiZing Of life or property
| OF course, this would not az ihorize tn
issuing of restraining order or injunc
! ton in any case in which il is not alread.
authorized BY existing law.
! l renew the recommendation made u
my last annual message for an inVeS tlga
! ton by the Department OF Commerce AM
| Labor OF general labor conditions, especia
attention to be paid TO the conditions Q
| child labor and child labor legislation II
| the several states. Such an investigation
| should take into account the various prob
lens with which the question. OF chill
labor Is connected 1t Is true that thes
1 problems can be actually met in mos
cases only by the states themselves, blu
II would be well for the nation to endeav
or to secure and publish comprehensiv
information as to the conditions OF IN
labor OF children in the different states
so as TO spur up those that are behind
hand, and to secure approximately uni
form legislation OF high characte
among the several states. In such
Republic as ours the one thing that "