The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1905-12-21

uepeHy NV - 20
eseaes - to Aoenes - IL eovoea.
oent such supesvieiso ana elgulation
o 10 rates cAaFgeA BY IL e01lroaAs
81 the co0ntey ongngeds u eateeatate
aolc - shalt ons1naFtly a01 ae8ec.
paveay prevent the Imposition oe unjust
or unreasonable rates. u must include
puttang complete stop 70 rebates In
every shape and form. This power to
regulate rates, like All similar powers
over the buctaess world, should bo ex-
erctsed with moderation. caution and
fself-restraint; but It should exist 20
that 1t cam DO effectively , exercised
when the need arises.
The first consideration to be kent
in mind IL that the power should be
Affirmative .-a should be given to
some administrative body created by
the congress II given to the present
interstate commerce commission or to.
q reorganixed interstate commerce
commission, such commission should
be made unequivocally administrative.
do not believe in the government i'm
terfering with private business more
than ts necessary. I do not believe in
the government undertaking any work
which can with propriety be left in
private hands. But neither do be-
lieve In the government fiinching from
overseeing any work when it 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 judg-
ment the most important provision
which such law should contain is that
comforting upon some competent adj
ministrative body the power to decide.
upon the case being brought before it.
whether given rate prescribed by
railroad is reasonable and just. and
II 1T is found to be unreasonable and
unjust. then. after full investigation
of the complaint. to prescribe the limit
OF rate beyond which it shall not be
lawful to Eo-the maximum reason
able rate. as it is commonly called
this decision to go into effect within q
reasonable 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 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. call your attention to
the fact that my proposal is not to
give Hhe commission power to initiate
or originate rates generally, but to
regulate a rate already fixed or origi-
mated by tho roads. upon complaint
and after investigation. A heavy
penalty should be exacted from any
corporation which fails to respect an
order Of the commission. regard this
power to establish a maximum rate.
as being essential to any, scheme of
real reform in the matter of railway
regulation. The first necessity is to
GeAas re- = Il S~l1 Sc tod tn
the commission there is little use in
touching the subject at all.
Rebates Really Blackmail.
Illegal transactions often occur un-
der the forms of law. 1t has often oc-
by traffic officer to buy a large
quantity of some commodity and then
after 1t 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 and to tho
damage of all their competitors; for
it 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 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 concession. a free
pass. reduced passenger rate. or pay
ment of brokerage. is Illegal. 1t is
worth while considering whether 1t
would not he wise to confer on the
government the right Of civil action
against the beneficiary OF n rebate for
ut least twice the value OF the rebate:
this would help stop what Is really
| blarkmail. Elevator allowances should
he stopped. for they have now grown
tn such an extent that they are de-
| moralizing and are used as rebates.
The best possible regulation OF rates
would. of course. he that regulation
secured by an honest agreement
among the railroads themselves to
carry out the law. Such q general
agreement would. for instance. ut once
put a stop to the efforts of any one
big shipper or big railroad to dis
criminate against or secure advan-
tages 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 n stop to agreements to the
detriment of the public should. in my
Judgment he 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 for
giving this further power is by no
means as great as the necessity Tor
giving the commission or administra-
tive body the other powers I have
enumerated above: and it may we'll
be inadvisable to attempt to vest this
particular power in the commission or
other administrative body until 1t al
ready possesses and is exercising what
I regard as by far the most important
OF all the powers I recommend--as In
deed the vitality important power
that to fix a given maximum rate
which rate. after the lapse Of a reason
able time. goes into full effect. subject
to review by the courts.
All private car lines. industrial roads.
refrigerator charges. and the like should
he 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 car owners and
the owners of industrial railroads are en-
titled to a fair and reasonable compensa-
ton on their investment, but neither pri-
vatc 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 divi-
sion of the rate for refrigerating charges
is just as perncious as a rebate in any
other way No lower rate should apply
on goods imported than actually obtains
ON domestic goods from the American
seaboard to destination except in cases
where water competition is the controll-
ing influence. There should be publicity
of the accounts of common carriers: no
common carrier engaged in interstate
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