The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1905-12-07

cation. A heavy penalty should be ex
acted from any corporation which falls
to respect an order Of the commission !
regard this power to establish maximum
rate as being essential to any scheme of
real reform in the matter. Of railway
regulation. The first necessity Is to Sc
cure It; and unless IL is granted to the
commission there is little use in touch
ing the subject at all.
Continuing, the President earnestly
disclaims any spirit of hostility to
the railroads. pointing out the bene
fits to be derived by the fair-dealing
roads in the even-handed administra
ton OF Justice. In this both the hon
est railroad man and the honest ship
per alike would be benefited. Ending
the subject the President says:
All private car lines, Industrial roads,
refrigerator charges, and the like should
be expressly put under the supervision
OF the Interstate Commerce commission or
some similar BODY so far as rates, and
agreements practically affecting rates, are
concerned. The private owners and
the owners OF Industrial railroads are
entitled to "A fair and reasonable compen
sation on their Investment, but neither
private cars nor industrial railroads nor
spur tracks should be utilized as devices
for securing preferential rates. rebate
In icing charges, or in mileage. or in a
division OF the rate for refrigerating
charges IS just as pernicious as rebate
in any other way. No lower rate should
apply on goods imported than actually
obtains to domestic goods from the
American seaboard to destination except
IN cases where water competition Is the
controlling influence. There should be
publicity of the accounts OF common car
rlers; 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 inspection of the government. Only
IN this way can violations or evasions of
the law be surely detected. A system OF
examination OF railroad accounts should
be provided similar to that now conducted
into the national banks by the bank
examiners; a few first class railroad ac-
countants, II they had proper direction
and papers. could accomplish much in
preventing willful violations OF the law.
1t would not be necessary for them to
examine into the accounts of any railroad
unless for good reasons they were direct
ed to do so by the Interstate Commerce
commission. 1t is greatly to be desired
that some way might be found by which
an agreement as to transportation with
in a state intended to operate as a fraud
upon the federal interstate commerce
laws could be brought under the juris-
diction Of the federal authorities. At
present II occurs that large shipments
OF Interstate traffic are controlled by con-
cessions on purely state business. which
OF course amounts to an evasion of the
law. The commission should have power
to enforce fair treatment by the. great
OF n ame nesS Tor
expeditions action by the Interstate Com
whether in regulating rates Tor transpor-
tation or for storing or for handling
property or commodities In transit. The
history of the cases litigated under the
efficiency has been to a great degree
destroyed by the weapon OF delay, almost
the most formidable weapon In the hands
OF those whose purpose it is to violate
the law.
The question OF transportation lies at
the root of all industrial success. and the
revolution In transportation which has
has been the most important factor in the
growth OF the new industrial conditions.
Most emphatically we do not wish to see
ward for his talents, Still less do we wish
to see him penalized; but we do desire to
so handled that the strong man shall be
given no advantage over the weak man.
We wish to insure as fair treatment for
the small town as for the big city. for the
small shipper as for the big shipper In
the old days the highway of commerce,
whether by water or by road on land.
was open to all; It belonged to the public
and the traffic along II, was free. At
present the railway is this highway. and
we must do our best TO see that 1t is kept
open, to all on equal terms. Unlike the
complex thing to manage, and Ii Is far
better that It should be managed by
private individuals than by the govern
ment. But 1t can only be so managed on
condition that justice Is done the public.
1t Is because, in my judgment, public
ownership OF railroads is highly undesir-
able and would probably in this country
entail far-reaching disaster that / wish
to see such supervision and regulation
OF then. in the interest of the public as
viii make 1t evident that there is no need
for public ownership. The opponents of
government regulation dwell upon the
difficulties TO be encountered and the
intricate and involved nature OF the prob
lem. Their contention is true. 1t is a
complicated and delicate problem, and all
Kinds Of difficulties are sure to arise In
connection with any plan OF solution,
while no plan Will bring all the benefits
hoped for by its more optimistic adher-
ents; Moreover, under any healthy plan,
the benefits Will develop gradually and not
rapidly. Finally, we must clearly under
stand that the public servants who are
to do this peculiarly responsible and
delicate work must themselves be OF the
highest type both as regards integrity and
efficiency They must be well paid, for
otherwise able men can not in the Ions
run be secured; and they must possess
a lofty probity which will revolt as quick
ly at the thought OF wandering to any
gust OF popular prejudice against rich
remotely resembling subserviency TO rich
men, But while | fully admit the aim.
eulties IN the way do not for moment
in stopping in our effort to secure a wise
and Just system. They should have ne
other effect than to spur us on TO the
exercise Of the resolution, the even hand
ed justice, and the fertility of resource
which we like to think of as typicaly
American and which will i'm the end
achieve good results in this as In other
fields OF activity. The task is great
one and underlies the task Of dealing
with the whole Industrial problem. But
the fact that 1t is a great problem does
not warrant us in shrinking from th'
attempt to solve il. At present We face
such utter lack OF supervision, suct
freedom from the restraints OF law, tina
excellent men have often been literally
forced into doing what they dcploreC
because otherwise they were left at IN,
mercy Of INSCRIPTIONS competitors. IL
rail at and assall the men who have don'
NJ they best could under the conditions
accomplishes little. what we need to Do
| is to dey elop an orderly system; an,
| such "A system can only come through
! the gradually increased exercise Of tn
| tight OF efficient government control
The necessity for safety appliances
on railroads, recommended in the
Presidents message to the last Con
gress, is emphasized, together witt
the necessity for a law regulating the