Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1905-12-15

COullIS. ellSdSSu III interstate lEuiuC 40
shall summarily and effectively prevent
the imposition of unjust or unreasonable
rates. 1t must include putting a com
plete stop TO rebates in every shape and
form. This power to regulate rates, like
all similar powers over the business
world, should be exercised with modera-
ton. caution and self-restraint but it
should exist. so that it can be effectively
exercised when the need arises. The
first consideration to be kept in mine is
that the power should be affirmative and
should be given to some administrative
body created by the Congress. If given
to the present interstate commerce COM
mission or to Il reorganized interstate
commerce commission, such commission
should be made unequivocal!y admins
~trative. | do not believe i'll the govern
mcut interfering with private business
more than is necessary. | do not believe
in the government undertaking any work
which can with proprlety be lett Ill prl-
vate hands. But neither do l believe in
the government tiinclling from overseeing
any work when it becomes evident that
abuses are sure to obtain therein unless
there is governmental supervision. 1t
is not my province to indicate the exact
terms of the law which should be en-
acted; but | call the attention of the
Congress- to certain existing conditions
with which it is desirable to deal. In
l. IlNiSllltIl luS III t'Ht t''
vision Which such law should contain is
that comforting upon some competent adj
ministrative body the power to decide,
upon the case being brought before 1t,
whether n given rate prescribed by a
railroad is reasonable and just, and ii
it is found to be unreasonable and UNI
Just, then. after full investigation of
the complaint. to prescribe the limit of
rate beyond which it shall not be lawful
to go-the maximum reasonable rate, as
it is commonly calied-this decision to go
into effect within a reasonable time ana
to obtain from thence onward, subject
to review by the courts. A heavy pen
atty should be eXacted from any corpora
ton which fails to respect an order OF
the commission.
Illegal transactions often occur under
the forms of law. 1t has often occurred
that Il shipper has been told by Il traflc
officer to buy a large quantity OF some
commodity and then after it has been
bought an open reduction is made III the
rate to take effect Immediately. the ar
rangement. resulting to the profit of the
one shipper and the one railroad and to
the damage Of all their competitors; for
it must not be forgotten that the big
shippers are at least as much to blame
as any railroad i'll the matter OF rebates.
The law should make it clear so that no.
body can fail to understand that any
LII VI p"tA VA
ments, whether in this form or III the
form of fictitious damages, or of a con-
ceSSion, Il free pass, reduced passenger
rate, or payment of brokerage. is illegal
1t is worth while considering whether
it would not be wise to confer on the
government the right of civil acton
against the beneficiary of a rebate for
at least twice the value of the rebate;
this would help stop what is really black
mail. Elevator allowances should be
stopped, for they have now grown TO
such an extent that they are demoraliz-
ing and are used as rebates.
The best possible regulation of rates
would, of course, be that regulation Sc
cured by an honest agreement among
the railroads themselves to carry out the
law. Such a general agreement would,
for instance, at once put a stop to the
efforts Of any one big shipper or big rail-
road to discriminate against or secure
advantages over some rival; and such
agreement would make the railroads
themselves agents for enforcing the law.
The power vested in the government to
put a stop to agreements to the detrl-
nent of the public should, in my judg-
ment, be accompanied by power to per-
nit, under specified conditions and care
full supervision, agreements clearly in the
lines, industrial roads, refrigerator
charges, and the like should be expressly
put under the supervision of the inter-
state commission or some SIM
liar body so far as rates, and agreements
practically affecting rates, are concerned.
The private-car owners and the owners
Of industrial railroads are entitled TO a
fair and reasonable compensation on
their investment, but neither private 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 I rebate IN any
other way.
There should be publicity Of the ac-
counts of common carriers; no common
carrier engaged in interstate business
should keep any books or memoranda
other than those reported pursuant to
law or regulation, and these books or
memoranda should be open to the lnspec-
ton of the government. Only in this
way can violations or evasions of the
law be surely. detected. 4 system of ex-
animation of railroad accounts should
be provided similar to that now conduct
ed into the national bands by the bank
examiners; a few first-class railroad ac-
countants, if they had proper direction
and proper authority to inspect books
and papers, could accomplish much IN
preventing willful violations of the law.
[ urge upon the Congress the need of
providing for expeditions action by the
Interstate commission in all
these matters.
The question of transportation lies at
the root of all industrial success, and the
revolution in transportation which has
taken place during the last half century
has been the most important factor in
the growth of the new industrial condi-
lions. Most emphatically we do not
wish to see the man of great talents
refused the reward for his talents. Still
less do we wish to see him penalized;
but we do. desire to see the system of
railroad transportation so handled that
the strong man shall be given no advan-
ia pe over the weak man. We wish to
insure as fair treatment for the small
town as for the big city; for the small
simmer as for the big shipper. What
we need to do is to develop IN orderly
system; and such n system can only
come through the gradually increased ex-
ercise of the right of efficient govern
ment control.
The Congress should provide, by APP
nronriate legislation, for the introduction
of block signals upon all railroads en-
gagged in interstate commerce at the
earliest practicable date, as a measure of
Increased safety to the travelling public.
The excessive hours of labor to which
railroad employees in train service are
in many cases subjected is also a matter
which may well engage the serious at
tention of the Congress.
Labor and Capital.
The national government has as a rule
hut little occasion to deal with the formld.
able group of problems connected more or