The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-10
PRESIDENT ON RGTE,MAKTNG.
INTERSTATE BOARD SHOULD FIX
RAILROAD TARIFFS, HE SAYS.

such Power should Ne Given 10 the Com
mission and Its Schedule should 90
Into Eject Practically at Once-Fed'
erRl and Not State Supervision
Denver. Col, May 9.--President Roose-
welt discussed railroad rate legislation
at a dinner given 10 him by the Denver
Chamber Of Commerce last night. The
President replied 10 the toast, The Nation. .
The policy Of this country, he said, should
he 10 give, not 10 the State but to the ma
tlonal Government an increased power OF
supervising and regulating corporation
He advocated extending the power OF the
Interstate Commerce Commission and CIV
ing Il particularly the power TO fI railroad
rates and enforce them at once. In part
he said:
L want 10 say a word as 10 a Govern
mental policy In which feel that this whole
country ought 70 take a great interest and
which Is itself but part Of general policy
into which think our Government must go.
speak Of the policy OF extending the power
Of the Interstate Commerce Commission
and Of giving them particularly the power
To fix rates, and 10 have the rates that they
h1 20 into effect practically at once, As 1
say, that represents IN my mind part OF
what should be the general policy OF this
country, the policy Of giving not TO the
state but 10 the national Government an
increased supervisory and regulatory power
over corporations
we see railways grow up, each OF which
Ia controlled by single corporation or
individual, sometimes several OF them being
controlled in combination by corporations
or by a few individuals. When such Is the
case in my judgment II is absolutely neces-
sarv that the nation--for the state cannot
possibly do it-should assume a super
visory and regulatory function over the
great corporations which practically con-
troll the highways Of commerce.
When you give nation that power;
remember that harm and not good viii
come from the giving II unless you give II
with the firm determination not only 10
get Justice for yourselves but 20 DO justice
10 others: that you will he as jealous to give
justice TO the railroads as to exact justice
IRON them.
but harm will come from any scheme 20
exercise such supervision as that ad-
vooate over corporations, and especially
over the common carriers, until we have IL
clearly fixed in our minds that the scheme
Ia 20 be one OF substantial justice alike 10
the common carrier and 20 the public.
Il wish TO urge with all the earnestness l
those interested in the great railway cor
porations, the absolute need Of acquiescence
In the enactment OF such a law. As has
been well set forth by the Attorney General,
Mr.. Moody, IN his recent mastery argument
presented TO the committee al the senate
which Is investigating the matter, the leRls-
latlre has the right, and. as | believe, the
duty, OF comforting those powers upon some
executive body. II cannot confer them
upon any oourt, nor can II take axe away the
ministered In a way that amounts to con-
hsoation Of property.
sOf course Il would be possible 10 come
much short Of such coniscahon and yet
do great damage, perhaps irTeparable
damage, TO the great corporations engaged
IN interstate commerce. We must remember
always that most Of the men who are re-
aponAible for the management OF these great
corporations and who have probted there
by have made their fortunes not as Incl
dental 10 damaging but TO benehting the
community as whole. We must be care
full that nothing is done that would leopard
their industries, as that would there
fore work harm OF the most far reaching
kind, not only TO all, from the humblest to
the highest, engaged In these industries,
but TO the business community as whole.
We must be careful to see that the law is
administered with sanity and conserva-
tism.
Il cannot attempt 10 speak In detail OF
al that should be put into the law, as l
hope It will be enacted at the next session
Of the national Congress. Not only should
this power OF rates 60 in, but In my belief
We should ut the same time deal with the
private car, which, as regards certain
Industries, offers an even greater menace
than is offered by the present system OF
fixing rates. do not think that the law
win have TO deal with many subjects, but
I do feel that with those have mentioned
and with perhaps one or two others, It
should deal e1eotively.'