Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-12-06

Curpnrnti"n>.
AIN in uc sense hostile to corpora.
lions This Is an age ri combination.
snd any effort /" prevent all combina-
Lon VIII ~ I,ut only useless but in tie
cud vicious. hccii,i~" ~ tie conte.np;
iov lIly Which ;he failure to enforce
law incviiabiy produces. The corpora
;lJn has ""jGc - STAY. just as the
trades union has come ~ stay. Each
can do ami Aas dose great good. Each
should lc iavorej 81 long as II does
good. DIt eGcs. should be SHARPLY
checked where i, acts against law ana
justice
EzGerrrce has sEowu conclusiYciy
tnat it * useless TO try Ia got any ade.
Uuntc regulation aud supervision Of
ibcsc great corporations by state &C.
ton. SuclI regulation ard supervision
can only De effectively exercised by
sovereign whose jurisdiction is cock.
t.nSivc with lii" field vor!; 90 ulc cor.
pora;ions-that is. by the national gov
eminent. | hClicrr that this regulation
ard supervision can he obtained by the
CnHctIUvrt &C law ny The congress. u
ihls proves Impossible, II will certainly
~ necessary ultimately 10 confer In
fullest form such power upon the ma
ti"nal government by Affirmative ac.
mcnt OF tho constitution
The laws o. Tho congress and NJ tie
several states hitherto. nG passed upon
by the courts. have resulted more often
in showing that the states have 10
lo"cr IN the matter than that the ma
;ional government has power: so that
there at present exists u very rnfortu-
nate Cor.dition OF things. under which
these great corporations doing IN in
tcrStat.: business occupy the position OF
subjects without sovereign. neither
amy state government nor tha national
government having effective control
over them. Our steady aim should he
10y legislation. cautiously ana carefully
undertaken, but rosclu,"ly pcrscvcred
in, to assert thc sovereignty 81 the ma
tional government by affirmative nc
torl.
1liIs Is onl; IN form an innovation.
In Substance Ii Is merely restoration
Tor from The earliest time such rcgula-
tion OF Industrial activities has been
recognized IN ~" action of the law
making bodies. AMI al that propose
IS Ia meet The changed conditions in
such manner rs will prevent the con-
nlonWcalth dbdicating The power 1t has
always possessed. not only In this coun-
try, but also In England before and
since this country became q separate
nation.
R5iiroRl Rate Legislation.
IS sad Ia my MESSAGE Of Dec. q
last. tho immediate and most pressing
need 80 iar rs Legislation is concerned
IS the enactment into law OF some
schenic To secure 10 thu AGENTS OF Tic
government suc! super: lsion ana rcglI.
hiion OF thc rates charged by the rail
reads OF the country engaged i'll inter
state traffic as stall summary ana eli
fcctjveiy prc"cHt the imposition of I'M
jus, or unreasonable rates. Ii mus,
include putting It complete stop 10 re.
bales in every shape and form This
power 90 regulate rates. like all similar
powers over the business world. should
be exercised with moderation. caution
aud self restraint, bat !; should exist
SO that IL can bc effectively exercised
when Tie need arises.
IL my Judgment, il.c most important
provision which such law should con
tain is that comforting upon some co1a.
pcteut administrative body the power
70 decide upon ihc case being brought
before il whether a given rate pre-.
scribed by II railroad is reasonable and
Just. and II :; Is found t. be- tnrcaeoi,-
ao!c and unjust then, after fui. iuvcrti.
CATION Of the complaint. T. prescribe
the limit Of rate ucrOud which ,e shal,
not $50 lawful To- go-ihc imuxmum
reasonable rate. as it is comrlorly call
cti-th,s decision 10 10 into effect with
In reasonable time ana 10 obtain
from thence onward. subject 10 review
by the courts.
IL sometimes happens NJ present, uot
That rate is 100 li;;,, but thu; Il ia
NOrcd ahippcc * given too Iaw a cate
IN sueh case The commission would
have the right - liz his airc,tdY cstub-
IShcd tui!tluum rate :.a III. l,.a:.llnu.u.
and it would need only or. or ivo such
decisions by the commission 80 cure
railroad companies OF III" practice or
giving improper minimum rates. call
your attention ~ tie iIct that my pro
poaai il lot 10 give tie commits sion
power 10 initiate or originate rates gcn
orally, bur to regulate Il rate already
Axed or originated by the roads upon
complaint and after investigation. y
heavy penalty should be eXacted from
any corporation which fails 10 respect
an order OF the commission. regard
this power 10 establish 4 maximum
rate as being essential 80 any scheme
OF real reform in the matter OF railway
regulation,