Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-12-06

fsr - isGislation ID conceraeA, l. tie
enactment into law OF acme acheme to
secure to the agents az the govern
ment such supervision and regulation
OF the rates charged by the railroads
Of the country engaged In 1nterstate
trafic as shall snmmarily and enec-
lively prevent the imposition OF unjust:
OF 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
ever the business world, should be ex>
ercised with moderation. caution and
self-restraint: but Il should exist. 10
that 1t can be, effectively exercised
when the need arises. .>S sss@. s5 So i
The first consideration to be kept
In mind is that the power should be
Affirmative MD should be given to
some administrative body created by
the congress. II given to the present
interstate commerce commission or to
a reorganixed interstate commerce
such commission should
be made uneQuivocally administrative.
do not believe in the government in
terferinE with private business more
than is necessary. I do not believe in
which can with pr0priety be left In
private hands But neither do I be-
lieve i'll the government fltnchinE from
overseeing any work when 1t becomes
evident that abuses are sure to: OBJ
tain therein unless there is govern
mental supervision 1t Is not my prov
ince to indicate the exact terms OF the
law which should be enacted: but I
call the attention OF the congress to
certain existing conditions with which
1t Is desirable to deal. In my 5udg-
ment the most important provision
which such law should contain is that
upon some competent ad-
body the power to decide,
upon the case being brought before 1t,
whether given rate prescribed by
railroad Is reasonable Ass4 just. and
unjust. then after full Investigation
of the complaint. to prescribe the limit
of rate beyond which it shall not be
lawful to go-the maximum reason
able rate. as it is commonly called
this decision to go into effect within
time and to obtain from
thence onward. subject to review by
the courts. 1t sometimes happens at
present, not that a rate is too high
but that favored shipper Is given too
low a rate. In such case the commits
sion would have the right to fix this
already established minimum rate as
the maximum; and it would need only
one or two such decisions by the COM
mission to cure railroad companies Of
the practice Of giving improper mini
mum rates I call your attention to
the fact that my proposal is not to
give the commission power to initiate
or originate rates generally. but to
regulate 4 rate already fixed or origi-
mated by the roads. upon complaint
and after investigation. A heavy
penalty should be exacted from any
corporation which fails to respect an
order of the commission 1 regard this
power to establish a maximum rate
as being essential to, any scheme Of
regulation. The first necessity Is to
secure it: aud unless it is granted to
the commission there is little use In
touching the subject at all.
Rebates Really Rlackmail. ~
Illegal transactions often occur un-
der the forms Of law. 1t has often oc-
CURED that shipper has been told
by traffic on1cer to buy q large
after it has been bought an open re-
duction is made in the rate to take
effect Immediately. the arrangement
resulting to the profit of the .one ship
per and the one railroad Ind to the
damage Of all their competitors: for
it must not be forgotten that the big
shippers are at least as much Ito
blame as any railroad in the matter
OF rebates The law should make 1t
clear so that nobody can fail to under
stand that any kind OF commission
paid on freight shipments. whether in
this form or in; the form of fictitious
damages. or OF a concession, free
pass. reduced passenger rate. or pay
nent of brokerage is illegal It Is
worth while considering whether 1t
would not be wise to confer on the
government the right of civil action
against the beneficiary of . rebate for
at least twice the value Of the rebate;
this would help stop what is really
blackmail. Elevator allowances should
be stopped. for they have now grown
to such an extent that they are de-
moralizing and are used as rebates.
The best possible regulation of rates
would. of course. be that regulation
secured by r. an, honest agreement
among the railroads themselves .to
carry out the law. Such a general
agreement would. for instance. at once
put a stop to the efforts Of any one
big shipper or big railroad to dis
criminate against or " secure advan-
taEes over some rival; and such agree
ment would make the railroads them
selves agents for enforcing the law,
The power vested in the government
to put stop to agreements to the
'detriment of the public should, in my
judgment, be accompanied by power to
permit. under specified conditions and
careful supervision. agreements clear
" in the interest Of the public But
in my judgment. the necessity fo1
giving this further power is by nc
means as great as the necessity for
giving the commission or administra-
tive body the other powers have
enumerated above: and 1t may well
be inadvisable to attempt to vest thil
particular power in the commission OF
other administrative body until it al
ready possesses and is exercising what
I regard as by far the most important
Of all the powers recommends In
deed the vitality important power
that to fix given maximum rate
which rate after the lapse of a reason
able time. goes into full eject. subject
to review by the courts.
All private car lines, industrial roads
refr1serator charges, and the like should
be expressly put under the supervision
Of the interstate commerce commission
or some similar body SO far rs rates and
agreements practically Affecting rates arr
concerned. The private car owners and
the owners of Industrial railroads are en-.
titled to a fair and reasonable compensa.
ton on their investment, but neither pri.
,yate cars nor industrial railroads nor spu,
tracks should be utilised az devices TO,
securing preferential rates. A rebate in
icing charges, OF in mileage, or in divi-
sion of the rate for refriEerating charges
is Just as pernicious as rebate in any
other way. No lower rate should apply
on goods imported than actually obtainl
on domestic goods from the American
seaboard to destination except In case.
where water competition IL the CONTROL.
Ing influence. There should be publicity
of the accounts of common carriers: nc
common carrier engaged In interstate
business should keep any books or mem
oranda other than those reported pur-
suant to Law or regulation, and these
books or. memoranda should be open ia