The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-12-13

subject to review by the courts.
Prohibit Too Low Rates.
1t sometimes happens at present, not that
a rate Is too high but that a favored ship
per Is given too low q rate. In such case
the commission would rave the right to
fix this already established minimum rate
as the maximum; and 1t would need only
one or two such decisions by the commits
sion to cure railroad companies OF the
practice OF giving improper minimum
rates.
proposal is not to give the commission
power In Initiate or originate rates gem
orally. but TO regulate a rate already hxed
or originated by the roads. upon COM
plant and after investigation. A heavy
penalty should be exacted from any cor
poration which fails TO respect an order
OF the commission. / regard this power
to establish a maximum rate as being es-
sential to any scheme Of real reform in
the matter Of railway regulation. The
first necessity is TO secure II; and unless II
Is granted to the commission there Is IT
tie use Of touching the subject at all.
To Punish All Subterfuges.
Illegal transactions often occur under
the forms OF aw. 1t has often occurred
that q shipper has been told by a traffic
officer to buy q large quantity OF some
bought an open reduction is made in the
rate to take effect Immediately, the ar
rangement resulting TO the profit of the
one shipper and the one railroad and to
NlAC iA VI alI NltNlI WI . ~
II must not be forgotten that the big ship
pers are at least as niue. to blame as any
railroad In the matter OF rebates. The
law should make 1t clear so that nobody
can fail to understand that any kind Of
commission paid on freight shipments,
whether In this form or In the form or
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 gov.
nme the right of civil action against
the beneficiary OF a rebate for at least
twice the value of the rebate; this would
help stop what is really blaclSmail. Ele-
vator allowances should be stopped, for
they have now grown to such an extent
that they are demoralixing and are used
as rebates.
Control Over Private Car Lines.
All prtvate-car lines. Industrial roads, re-
frigerator charges, and the like should be
expressly put under the supervision of
some similar body 50 far as rates, and
agreements practically affecting rates, and
concerned. The private-car owners and
the owners Of industrial railroads are en-
titled to a fair and reasonable compensa-
ton on their investment, but neither pri-
vate 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 In
MY oNitSb ANo Sl ldlNo SllOulu
apply on goods imported than actually OBJ
ta,ns on domestic goods from the Ameri-
can seaboard TO destination except in
cases where water competition is the con-
trolling influence.
Publicity Is Much Needed.
There should be publicity of the ac-
counts of common carriers; no common
carrier ngaged In interstate business
should keep any books of memoranda 9TH
er than those reported pursuant to law or
raDlla finn and fhn0n hy.nlyo n-
should be open to the inspection of the
government. Only in this way can viola
tons or evasions OF the law be surely de-
tected. A system of examination of rail-
road account should be provided similar
TO hat now conducted into the national
banks by the bank examiners; a few first
class railroad accountants, IL they had
proper direction and proper authority to
inspect books and papers, could accom-
plish much In preventing willful viola
lions OF the law.
Courts to Act Rapidly.
! urge upon the congress the need Of pro-
yiding for expeditions action by the In
terstate Commerce commission in all these
matters. whether In regulating rates for
transportation or for storing or for handl-
ing property or commodities in transit.
Inc history or the cases litigated under
the present commerce act shows that it's
efficacy has been to q great degree de-
stroyed by the weapon of delay, almost
the most formidable Weapon in the hands
or those whose purpose Ii Is to violate the
law.
The Labor Question.
The question of securing a healthy. self
respecting and mutually sympathetic at
titude as between employer and employee,
capitalist and wage worker. Is a difficult
one. All phases of the labor problem
prove difficult when approached. But the
underlying principles. the root principles.
In accordance with which the problem
must be solved. are entirely simple. We
can get justice and right dealing only
II we put as OF paramount Importance
the principle OF treating a man on his
worth as a man rather than with refer
ence to his social position, his occupa-
ton. or the class to which he belongs.
There are selfish and brutal men in all
ranks of life.
This government is not and never shall
be government by a plutocracy. This
government by a mob. 1t shall continue
TO be In the future what 1t has been in
the past. a government based on the
to be treated simply and solely on his
worth as a man. that all his personal and
property rights are to be s~afeguarded.
and that he is neither to wrong others
nor to suffer wrong from others.
To Regulate Life Insurance.
The great insurance companies afford
striking examples of corporations whose
business has extended so far beyond the
jurisdiction OF the states which treated
them as to preclude stricr enforcement of
supervision and regulation by the parent
states. In my last annual message / recon-
mended that congress carefully consider
whether the power OF the bureau of COR
porations can not constitutionally be ex-
tended to cover interstate transactions In
Insurance."
Recent events have emphasized the i'm
p%ortance OF an early and exhaustive con-
sideration of this question. to see whether
II Is not possible to furnish better safe
guards than the several states have been
able to furnish against corruption of the
faRrlnt cir which has been EXPOSED.
1t has been only too clearly shown that
certain of the men at the head of these
large corporations take but small note of
the ethical distinction between honesty
and dishonesty; they draw the line only
this side of what may be called law
honesty, the kline OF honesty necessary In
order to avoid falling into the clutches OF
the law.
State Supervision inadequate.
] repeat my previous Recommendation