The Washington times., 1905-10-22

tenn Of railways, privately owned ana
maintained, government railways, and
IN every way to Introduce a system OF
paternaltsu leaning toward socialism,
which in the end would certainly para
1yze the industrial and social progress
OF this country.
Not a Chimera.
This movement in favor of Govern
ment ownership of public utilities, to
include the commercial railroads. is not
a mere chtmera; II finds its beginning In
the proposition for municipal ownership
OF street railways. by Mayor Dunno. of
Chicago; by Mayor Mcclellan. of New
York. and even still more in the attitude
of Mr. Hearst in running against Mr..
Mcclellan.
It Is the purpose OF President Roose-
welt to meet these dangerous attacks
upon present conditions by remsdy1a1
actual evils, and thus intrenching our
selves against the assaults of social.
is,n- the suppression of indiv1dualism,
and tho instigatton Of class hatred
He has, therefore. been most active in
the promotion Of prosecutions under
the antitrust Law, and IN securing
Legislation to aid fts enforcement. ne
believes that perhaps the MOST ssxious
abuse OF the last two decades has been
unjust discrimination in railway rztes
az between individual shippers and an
between different Localities, and ind.ed
In some instances by rates In excess OF
that which would be reasonable for the
service itself. The railroads have be-
come an arterial network in the life OF
this country, upon the proper and just
operation OF which depends the bust
Of fHo A<x
riculture and manufactures. Partially
and discrimination IL as serious an IN
fury as II something OF value were
taken Men have been ruined, men
have been made rich. settlements have
been destroyed, settlements have been
enlarged to prosperous towns, through
the unjust favor OF railroads.
Takes Up Purposes.
The Secretary reviewed the passage
and original purposes OF the interstats
commerce law and proceeded:
For long time 1t was supposed the
commission It had power not only to
prohibit q particular rate as unreason-
able. but to require reduction TO that
point which it regarded as reasonable.
This. the Supreme Court found, was
not within the power OF the commits
sion. 1t resulted. therefore, that a
carrier. when a rate was found unrea-
sonable, might reduce its rate only a
small amount. This was obviously un-
satisfactory.
Freedom for Carrier.
A second difficulty was that the Or
der of the commission had no binding
| effect. The carrier was at liberty to
ignore Il without penalty II thus be-
| came the habit OF many carriers be-
fore the commission not to Introduce
| evidence, or at most only slight evi-
dence. and after an order had been
made In court to produce a mass OF tes-
timony tending 10 show the injustice
of the order This led to frequent re-
versals OF the commission, simply be-
cause the whole case had not been pre-
sented to It In other words. the harm
lessness OF the orders OF the commits
sion enabled the companies TO hold them
up to ridicule.
/ These results convinced those familiar
with the law that the two changes nee
essary were first, authorizing the COM
mission In declaring a rate to be unrea-
sonable TO declare what was a maxi
mum reasonable rate, and to ma
order requiring the company TO
its rate TO that maximum; and.
that the law should require ODE 5--s
and reservins q resort to the &C cg-s.
Changes Necessary.
The two short amendments ds lsss1
are all the President has reeomI
| A considerable study or the lay
\ fed me years ago that these e-r
were necessary.
II would be difficult to inclu
speech all the objections made tot
! amendments. but L propose TO e,
| a few. II Is said that the fixi
rate is a most delicate operai
pending upon so many consit
| that IL would be impossible fo'
mission correctly TO fix the ra
| argument proves too much Ev
railroad or not. admits that II
been many discriminating rates
/ TO allow those evils on the pret
| there Is no one who can tell
ought 10 be remedied2 Under
eni law the commission and
| have 10 determine whether
| reasonable or unreasonable
! It takes exactly the sam
process to determine whether
reasonable or unreasonable
/ to dstermine what : maxinu
! able rate is, because until l.
Beautiful Presents Free