The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-11-04

NO Fnnn srnDCm 1nDma.
There is great deal Of Interest being
manifested throughout the country in
regard to the proposed revision Of the
Interstate commerce law. Recently q
convention was held Ia Chicago, pur-
porting to be for fres and open dis
chssion Of the matter. and resolutions
adopted to be submitted to Congress.
setting out the rentiment Of CONNER
cial organisations throughout the
United States. looking to the granting
Of greater power to the Interstate Com
merce Commission. That convention
was called by Mr.. =. r. Bacon of In
dianapolis. who has for some time past
been extremely interested In q move
ment to grant the Commission greater
power.
Elsewhere in this issue appears
report Of delegation which was APP
pointed by the President Of the Com
merciaI and Industrial Association OF
Montgomery for the purpose OF attend
ing this Convention. They report they
were not permitted to take seats ON the
floor Of the convention to which they
had been invited. We think the policy
which was pursued by Mr.. Bacon and
his associates at steinway Hall, on the
2eth and 27th of october will greatly
retard the success which they expected
would result from the Convention. In
the literature which was scattered
broadcast throughout the land. Mr.. Ba-
con claimed to represent the vast ma
jority of commercial, trade and pro-
ducing organizations, but subsequent
developments show that his claims were
not substantiated. Those favoring
comforting upon the Commission the
right to prescribe rates Of transporta-
tion for the railways resorted to
strange methods to prevent, as they
claimed. packing the convention"
There was nothing representative about
the Steinway Hall meeting Its MEM
bers were evidently afraid of discus
SION. It proved to be meeting rather
of ratification of Mr.. Bacon's policy.
than one Of open and free discussion
of the momentous question. They re-
duced eligibility to one formula: Sign
a certain pledge endorsing our views.
or you can't get in"
Mr.. Bacon's followers laid great
stress upon endorsing President Roose-
velt's railroad rate regulation policy.
and In their literature they make use
of a number Of quotations from his
message to Congress. They seem to
overlook the fact that the President
also said:
The act freferring to the act to
regulate commerce) should be amended.
The railway Is a public servant. i,s
rates should be just s and open 70 all
should see to it that. within Its juris-
diction, this Is so, and should provide
a speedy and effective remedy TO that
end. Nothing could be more fooiisn
which would unnecessarily interfere
with the development and operation or
these commercial agencies.
The resolution adopted by the Free
speech" faction, who were debarred
from Mr.. Bacon's pink tea party" is
in itself, the expression of the senti-
ment of the business organizations in
every state in the Union.
To empower the Interstate Commerce
Commission with the making of rates
borders very closely on Government
ownership. and we firmly believe that
such policy would be disastrous.
Aside from the evils of secret re-
bates and personal discrimination. for
the Cure of which tho law, IL not now
adequate, should be amended until 1t
is, complaints against existing condi-
lions may be roughly classified under
the following three heads: First, as
to the railroad rate charged for a given
service. by and of itself; secondly. that
the relative adjustment of freight rates
is negotiable either as between differ
emit classes of commodities. or different
competing localities; and, thirdly. that
rights concerning the conditions Of
transportation are denied.
The interests of both shipper and
transportation line Is indissolubly link
ed together. and a policy which would
throttle trade or industry will undoubt-
eddy react upon the volume of traffio
and the resultant development of the
territory served. Railroad rates are
made upon the basis OF what the par
ticular commodity will stand. keeping
in mind all the while that no exorbi-
tant charges should be made for fear
of throttling industry.
With the proper enforcement of the
law as now prescribed or properly
amended. the question will adjust itself.
and to this end we hope the next Con-
gress will direct it's efforts.
NO DIPLOMACY NEEDED.