The Cairo bulletin., 1905-01-13
FEDERAL CONTROL
IS NECESSARY
Secretary of Navy Morton Writes
on Rebate Question
FEDERAL REGULATION
HOWEVER, MUST BE AccoMPAN
led BY P2OTEcTioK-WouLD
PUNISH RAILROADS CIV
ING REBATES.
by the Associated Press.

liy the Associated Press
Washington, Jan. Secretary Of
he Navy Me'tcn, formerly yice-pre;i.
dent Of tho A.chison. Topeka and
Santa &c railroad company. is the au
thor Of an arlic G on the railway re.
bate question which will tie publish.
cd in the Outlook tomorrow. lie in
the outse. expressly digcaims writ.
ing as the representative Of President
Roosevelt's administration, and says
ne speaks merely as one with some
what extensive experience pertinent
o an important subject. The secrc.
tary, in the article, says there are
very few comp ANTS against railroad
rates per Sc in the United States, the
chlef trouble being with ",he rela
ion Of rates as between markets.
Too High ard Too Low
He says there are as many rates
cha, are tgo low as there are rates
which a court would decide TOO high
ana that either class may be equally
disastrous to communities. Hla ex.
pressed the opinion that federal sup.
ervision of railroads Is necessary but
adds that regulation and protection
should go together.
He says that enc OF Tie three
thinga following is sure to take place
IN the conduct Of our railways:
Legalizaiion Of pools; uniaeation
Of own rship, thereby delivering in
time the entire railway ownership Of
,he country in,o tho han5s Of few
individuals or one syndicate; or
government ownership.
Latter Would Bring Chaos.
In MI. MoFton'g otdHion government
ownership would be the beginning Of
.nduc;rial and political chaos He
favcrs continuance of the interstate
commerce commits Ion in substanti.
ally It's present form. Let II order
uch rates as Il deems reasonable,
aid Morton, ana if the railroads do
no. make hon effectIvJ In thirty
.iays, then the entire matter will be
referred to the central court Of trans
portaiion which shall nave tho pow.
sr 70 adjudica'e all such cases ex.
cep: where constitutional questions
are involved, and the findings of this
court in interstate matters to be
final
Would Provide Punishment.
He would urge severe punishment
Tor transportation lin,l engaged In in
tcrs.ate commerce which by any de
vice paid rebates, commissions. or
IN any way afforded preferential rates
ana punishment Ch0uld be just as
severe TO shippers or commission
agents seeking or receiving them. He
would permit railroads 10 divide their
earnings or tonnage among them
selves and would take thece contracts
selves and would make these con.
tracts enforceable as between rail
roads. He would - this as an insu.
rance to email Shippers securing the
lowest rate and as protection t.
transportation against tao vast ton
mage and con. equent temptation Of
farcj by big shippers which ho says
so frequently have been used to So.
cure inside rates.
Subject % Federal Court.
he would have all tran por alton
by rail considered Interstate com
merce and subject only to federal
courts.
u would favor Re says. "the agi
;ation and shaping of public opinion
that would not tolerate ruoh a thing
as a preferential rate and would make
it equally disagreeab.e TO grant or re
ceiye il. The president message on
this subiec: meets he views Of all
good citizens. whether engaged In
railroading or shipping