Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1905-10-18
IS LIKE LYNCH LAW
President Spencer Speaks on Railway
Fate Legislation
TAKES A FIRM STAND AGAINST 1T.
Declares Government Regulation is
Unfair, Unjust, and Opposed to the
Fundamental Principles Of Anglo
Saxon Jurisprudence.

Newark, N. j., Special.-That gov
ernment control Of railroad properties
as proposed in the Esch-Townsend
bill, which was considered at the last
session of congress, is unfair, unjust
to the railroads, opposed to the fun
darnental principles Of Anglo-Saxon
Jurisprudence, and is equivalent to
providing by statute for the enforce
ment of commercial lynch law, is in
substance the replay Of the railroads
to che agitation for railroad rate leg
islation, as outlined by President Sam
uel Spencer, Of the Southern railway,
in an address before the Newark
board Of trade. MIR. Spencer said in
part:
cup to the present time shipper
and carrier have been free to work to-
gether, without political interference
to facilitate the establishment of new
industries; ; to reach out for new mar
kets for our farmers and manufac-
turers; to create t1ew communities and
to maintain the prosperity Of those
already established, and to cooperate
to tbs fullest possible extent to ELL
large the volume Of both our domestic
and foreign trade.
Propose to Change System.
"It is now proposed to change this
system and substitute for it one in
which artificial bureacratic methods
will take the place Of the natural laws
of trade and commence, which have
been the controlling force and eyolu-
ton of the present system.
"And it must be borne in mind that
it is proposed to give those enormous
powers TO body on whom no 1espon-
sibilities rest or can rest, for the pre-
servatioi Of maintenance Of the rail
road property, OF for the discharge Of
financial obligations, or the fulfllment
of its duties to the public as an ctfi-
cient common carrier.
"The president, in his last annual
message, laid special emphasis upon
the necessity for doing away with re-
>bates and for the keeping Of the high
ways of transportation open to all
up51= strtsf tel Tiers is 10 issue
or controversy before the people or
congress as to whether or not rebates
or secret determinations should be
stopped. No one desires more than
the railway managers themselves that
there should be an end to all such
practices.
No Rational Suggestions.
"No rational suggestions have been
made, however, as to how the grant
ing of rate making power to the IN
terstate commerce commission sould
be effective to this end. A rebate OF
any secret discrimination device can,
Of course, be applied to a government
rate as we'll as to one made by the
carrier.
"One of the most serious objections
to the legislation proposed is that, un-
der it a rate once fixed by the COM
mission would continue in force indie
fnitely, unless changed by the com.
mission or by the court. The carrier
would, therefore, have no power to
make either reductions or increases
to meet new conditions.
"To place in the hands Of one trl-
bunal which is or may. be prosecutor:
jury and judge and at the same time
exeeutioner is equivalent to being one
statute for the enforcement OF COM
mercial lynch law"