The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1905-12-05
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE:


has been delivered to congress. Open |
ing with q plea for The cooperation OF I
ali classo II continuing the country
prosperity ANA ia correcting existing |
evils, for a square deal" for every
body, the message fist takes M tue
question OF corporations and railroad
rate legislation. The president says:
Corporations.
anu In 10 sense hostile to corpora
tIons This is an age of combination.
and any effort to prevent all cofabina-
tion will be not only useless, but in HE
END vicious. because Of the contempt
for Lave which the failure to enforce
law inevitably produces. The corpora
ton has come to stay, just as the
trades union has come to stay Each
can do anu has done great good Each
should be favored so long as II does
good, But each should be sharply
checked whore it acts against law and
Justice
Experience has shown conclusiveIy
that 1t is useless to try to get any ade-
quate regulation and supervision Of
these great corporations by state ac-
ton. Such regulation and supervision
can only be effectively exercised by
sovereign whose Jurisdiction is coeE-
tensive with the field work of the cor
porations that is, by the national gov
ernment believe that this regulation
and supervision can be obtained by the
enactment Of law by the congress. Ii
this proves impossible. it will certainly
be necessary ultimately to confer in
fullest form such power upon the ma
tional government by affirmative ac-
ment Of the constitution.
The laws of the congress and of the
several states hitherto, as passed upon
by the courts, have resulted more often
in showing that the states have no
power I'm the matter than that the ma
tional government has power; SO that
there at present exists a very unfortu-
nate condition of things, under viii n
these great corporations doing an in
terstate business occupy the position Of
subjects without sovereign, neither
any state government nor the national
government having effective control
over them Our steady aim should he
by legislation. cautiously and carefully
undertaken. but resOlutely persevcrei
in. to assert the sovereignty of the m.
tional government by affirmative ac
ton
This is only in form an innovation
Ia substance it is merely a restoration
for from the earliest time such regula
ton of industrial activities has been
recognized in the action Of the law
making bodies. and all that | propose
10 to meet the changed conditions ia
such manner as will prevent the com
nonweaith abdicating the power it has
always possessed, not only in this coun.
try. but also in England before and
since this country became a separate
nation.
Railroad Rate Legislation.
AS / said III my message Of Dec. &
last. the immediate and most press u
need so far as legislation is concerncj
is the enactment into law of some
scheme TO secure to the agents of tia
government such supervision and regd
lati0n of the rates charged by the rail-
roads of the country engaged in inter
state traffic as shall Summarily and eff
fectively prevent the imposition of uu
just or unreasonable rates. 1t mus
include putting Il complete stop to re
bates in every shape aud form. TIL
power TO regulate rates, like all similar
powers over the business world. SHOULD
he exercised with moderation. caution
and self restraint. but il should exist
80 that it can be effectively exercise
when the need arises
In my judgment. the most importau
provision which such law should con
tain is that comforting upon some coM
petent administrative body the powv.
to decide upon the ease being brough
before il whether a given rate pre-
scribed by railroad g., reasonable au,
just. and If IL is found To be- unrr1 son
able and unjust then, after fun iavc-.
CATION of the complaint, Go pre~cr.ut
the limit of rate beyond which e. sh.l
not be lawful to go the maximU.
reasonable rate. as il is commonly cuil
ed-this decision 10 10 into effect w.ll
In reasonable time and 10 Obtain
from thence onward. subject % review
by the courts
1t sometimes happens at present. un
that a rate s too high bat that "a la
vored shipper h. given ton tow rate
Ia such ease the commission waui
have the rsas to uE this already estab
iished mIuluum rate a@ the mHximy4
aud "a wouid He.vi DulY oue or two -uc'
decisions la th" commission 90 euu
railroad campautr~ ~ the praggier u
giving improper minimum rates. vli
yuuF utteuttu f1 fEa fact that my pro-
pusai is uat tB eltn thn camm tss.as
power % tuitate ar originate RATES nFn
crafty. hut tn regulate rate already
ux0d ur originated ty she rnads uEal
complaint ard after Investigation
heavT penalty shauiI he eEacftd from
any corporation whicu FALLS Go rs~Nwr'
an order 90 tEe commission. 8 reeHu
thls power ta establish maximum
rate sc belus essential 60 ANS seherls
~ real refaFm ln the matfEr ~ railway
regulation
Il is worth while eonsldsFiag Khettet