The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1905-12-07
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
A Strong Presentation of the Leading
Questions Demanding Legislation

enforce law inevitably nroduces. We
should, moreover, recognize in cordial
and ample fashion the immense good
erected by corporate agencies in
country such as ours, and the wealth
OF intellect, energy, and fidelity devot-
ed to their service, and therefore nor
mally to the service ef The public, by
their officers and directors. The cor
poratpn has come to stay, Just as the
trade union has come to stay. Each
can do and has done great good, Each
should be favored so long az it does
good. But each should be sharply
checked where it acts against law and
Justice, So long an the finances of the
Nation are kept upon an honest basis
no other question Of internal economy
with which the Congress has the pow
er to deal begins to approach in i'm
pOrtance the matter of endeavOring
to secure proper industrial conditions
under which the individuals-ande es=
peclally the great corporations -tloing
an interstate business are TO act. The
makers of cur National Constitution
provided especially that the regulation
of interstate commerce should come
within the sphere of the General Gov
ernment. The arguments in favor of
their taking this stand were even
then overwhelming. But they are far
stronger to-day. in view of the enor-
nous development of great business
agencies, usually corporate in form.
Experience has shown conclusively
that 1T is useless to try to get any
adequate regulation and supervision
OF these great corporations by State
action. Such regulation and supervis-
ion can only be effectively exercised
by sovereign whose jurisdiction is
coeXtensive with the field of work of
the corporations-that is, by the Nat
lonal Government.
| am we'll aware Of the difficulties
Of the legislation that | am suggest
ing, and of the need of temperate and
cautious action in securing it. I should
emphatically protest against improp-
erly radical or hasty action. The first
thing to do is to deal with the great
corporations engaged in the business
OF interstate transportation. AS |
said in my Message of December
last, the immediate and most pressing
! need, SO far as legislation is concern
ed, IS the enactment into law of some
scheme to secure to the agents of the
Government such supervision and reg
ulation Of the rates charged by the
railroads OF the country engaged in
fnr cto+o -, Il, l.
and effectively prevent the imposition
OF unjust or unreasonable rates. 1t
must include putting a complete 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 modi-
/ fication, caution and self-restraint; :;
but it should exist, so that it can be
effectively execised when the need
trises.
The first consideration to be kept in
mind is that the power should be affir-
NATIVE and should be given to some
: administrative body created by the
Congress
Illegal transactions often occur un-
der tho forms Of law It has often oc-
! cured that a shipper has been told
by traffic officer to buy large
quantity Of some commodity and then
after il hes been bought an opsn re-
duction is made In rate take effect
| Immediately, the arrangement resuIt.
Ing 10 the damage Of all their com,
petitora; for 1t must not be forgotten
that the big shippers are at least as
much to blame as any railroad in the
matter of rebates. The law should
make it clear SO that nobody can fail
to understand that any kind of COM
mission paid on freight shipments.
whether In this form or in the form of
fictitious damages, or of concession
a fress pass, reduced passenger rate,
or payment of brokerage, is illegal
All private-car lines, industrial
roads, refrigerator charges, and the
like should be expressly put under
the supervision Of the Interstate Ceaar
merce Commission or some similar
body so far as rates, aud agreements
practically affecting rates, are con-
cerned. The private-car owners and
the owners of industrial railroads are
entitled to fair and reasonable COM
pensation on their investment, but
neither private cars nor industrial
railroads nor spur tracks should be
utilized as devices for securing prefer
entail rates. a rebate in icing charges,
OF LII mileage, or in a division Of the
rate for refrigerating charges is just
as perniclous as rebate III any other
way. No lower rate should apply on
goods imported than actually obtains
on domestic goods from the Ameri-
can seaboard to destination except in
cities where water competition is the
controlling influence. There should
be publicity of the accounts of COM
mon carriers; no common scarrier en-
4 gagged in interstate business should
keep any books or memoranda other
than those reported pursuant to law
or regulation, and these books OIL
memoranda should be open to the IN
spection of the Government. Only
in this way can violations. or evasions
OF the law be surely detected. A sys-
tenn of examination of railroad ac-
counts should be provided similar to
! that now conducted into the national