The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-12-05
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
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I'LL tt6Stb6tNt ~ tubSSttOG p
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pensation on their investment, but
neither private cars nor Industrial
railroads nor spur tracks should be
utilized as devices for securing pref,
erential rates. A rebate in icing
charges, or in mileage, or in divi.
sion Of the rate for refFigeradng
charges is just as pernicIous as a re,
bate IN any other way. No lover rate
should apply on goods imported than
actually obtains on domestic goods
from the American seaboard to desti.
nation except in cases where water
competition is the controlling influ.
ence. There should be publicity of
the accounts Of common carriers; no
common carrier engaged in inter,
state business should keep any books
or memoranda other than those re.
ported pursuant to law or regulation,
and these books or memoranda should
be open to the inspection of the gov
eminent. Only in this way can vio'
lations or evasions of the law be sure.
| ly detected. A system Of examination
Of railroad accounts should be pro-
yided like that now conducted into the
national banks by the bank examin.
ers; a few frst-class railroad ac'
countants, II they had proper direc'
ton and proper authority to inspect
books and papers, could accomplish
much in preventing willful violations
Of the law. It would not be necessary
for them to examine into the accounts
Of any railroad unless for good rea,
sons they were directed to do so by
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
1t is greatly to. be desired that some
way might be found by which an
agreement as to transportation within
State intended to operate as fraud
upon the Federal interstate commerce
laws could be brought under the jur-
isdIction Of the Federal authorities.
At present it occurs that large ship
ments of interstate traffic are con-
trolled by concessions on purely State
business, which Of course amounts to
an evasion Of the law. The Commits,
sion should have power to enforce
fair treatment by the great trunk
lines OF lateral and branch lines.
urge upon the Congress the need
If providing for expeditions action by
the Interstate Commerce Commission
in all these matters, whether in regu-
latlng rates for transportation or for
storing OF for handling property or
commodities in transit. The history
of the cases Irrigated under the present
commerce act shows that It's efficacy
has been to a great degree destroyed
by the weapon Of delay, almost the
most formidable weapon in the hands
of those whose purpose it is to violate
the law.
let me most earnestly say that
these recommendation are not made
in any spirit of hostility to the rail-
roads. On ethical grounds, on grounds
of mere national self.interest we must
remember that such hostility would
tell against the welfare not merely of
some few rich men, but of multitude
Of small investors, a multitude OF rail-
way employees, wage-workers; ard
mos. severely against the interest Of
the public as a whole. believe that
on the whole our railroads have done
we'll and not i'll; but the railroad men
who wish to do we'll should not be eX.
posed to competition with those who
have no such desire, and the only way
to secure this end Is to give to some
government tribunal the power to see
that Justice is done by the unwilling
exactly as 1t is gladly done by the
willing. Moreover, II some govern.
ment body is given increased power
the effect will be to furnish authorita'
tive answer on behalf of the railroad
whenever irrational clamor against It
is raised, or whenever charges made
against it are disproved. ask this
Legislation not only in the interest Of
the public but in the interest Of the
honest railroad man and the honest
shipper alike, for it is they who are
chiefly jeoparded by the practices of
their dishonest competitors. This
Legislation should be enacted III spirit
as remote as possible from hyster.a
and rancor. II we of the American
body polite are true to the traditions
VIC have inherited we shall always
scorn any effort to make us hate any
man because he is rich, just as much
oo NC obouId ccOrn any effort to make