The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1905-12-09

| thing to do " to deal with the grea,
corporations engaged In the business
OF interstate transportation. AZ I sait
| In my message OF December last. the
immediate and most pressing need. &c
| far as legislation 10 concerned. 10 the
enactment Into law OF some scheme "a
secure to the agents OF the govern
mcnt such supervision and regulation
OF the rates charged by the railroads
OF the country engaged In Interstate
lively prevent the imposition OF unjust
or 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
over the business world. should be ex-
erciscd with moderation. caution and
self-rcstraint; but II should exist. SO
when the need arises.
The first consideration to be kept
In mind Is that the power should be
affirmative r~d should be given to
some administrative body created by
tho congress. II given to the present
interstate commerce commission or to
reorganized Interstate commerce
be made unequivOcally administrative.
I do not believe in the government In
terfcring with private business more
than Is necessary. I do not believe In
the government undertaking any work
which can with propriety be left In
private hands. But neither do be-
licvc In the government hluching from
overseeing any work when Il 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 or the
law which should be enacted; but l
call the attention OF the congress to
xuI ri
II is desirable to deal In my .judg-
mcnt the most important provision
which such law should ooatain Is that
comforting upon some competent adj
ministrative body the power to decide.
upon the case being brought before IL,
whether a given rate prescribed by
railroad is reasonable and Just. and
unjust, then. after full investigation
of the complaint. to prescribe the limit
of rate beyond which II shall not be
lawful TO go-the maximum reason
able rate, as II Is commonly called
this decision to go into effect within a.
reasonable time and to obtain from
thence onward. subject to review by
the courts. II sometimes happens at
present. not that o 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 IL would need only
one or two such decisions by the COM
mission to cure railroad companies Of
tho 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 a rate already fixed or origi-
mated by the roads upon complaint
and after investigation. heavy
penalty should be exactcd from any
corporation which fails to respect an
order OF the commission. I 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
secure e.: and unless II Is granted to
the commission there Is little use In
touching the subject at all.
Rebates Really Blacknail.
Illegal transactions often occur un-
der the forms of law. II has often oc-
CURED that a shipper has been told
by traf,;c officer 10 buy large
quantity Of some commodity and then
after IL has been bought an open re-
duction is made in the rate to take
eject gr1rnedisteiy. the arrangement
resulting ~ the proAt Of the one ship
per and tie one railroad and 10 the
ds ma -e ~ all their competitors: for
u must not be forgotten that the big
shippers a-e 81 least as much to
hlaue As aur railroad IN the matter
% r. bates Thc law should make IL
clear 80 zhAt rpbodr ca fail to under
sisrG thHt s~E kind az commission
rs "a IN freight shipments whether in
this fo-Iz ~ an The form Of fictitious
dH rslaEEs ~ OF D cor cesslpn- free
PASS -tdgeed passenger rate. or pay
rne-t ~ brokerage. "a Illegal IL Is
worth while considering whether il
would rot be wise 20 confer on the |
TIE right of civil action |
aEsirs; TIE beneficiary % rebate for |
~ least tw!c. the value OF the rebate: |
THIS would help stop what is really |
bizckmsii Elevator allowances should |
be stopped for they have now grown |
10 such an extent that they are de-
noraiizing and arc used as rebates.
The best possible regulation Of rates |
would. OF course. be that regulation |
secured By an honest agreement |
among the railroads themselves to |
carry out the law. Such general |
agreement would. for instance. at once |
put stop to the efforts Of any one |
big shipper or big railroad to dis
,riminate against or secure advan-
lagos over some rival and such agree
nent would make the railroads them |
The power vested in tho government |
10 put stop to agreements to the |
Ietrimcnt OF the public should. In my |
Judgment be accompanied by power to |
permit. under specified conditions and !
careful supervision. agreements clear
Iy 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 for |
giving the commission or administra-
1.-Two body the other powers have
above: and II may well
be inadvisabie to attempt to vest this
power in tho commission or
other administrative body until IL al
ready possesses and Is exercising what
regard as by far the most important
M all the powers recommend-as in
deed the vitality important power
that to Nx a given maximum rate.
which rate. after the lapse OF 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
Tho private car owners and
the owners OF Industrial railroads are en-
titled to a fair and reasonable compensa-
tlon on their Investment, but neither pri-
yate cars nor Industrial railroads nor spur
tracks should be utilized as devices for
securing preferential rates. A rebate In
icing charges. or IN mileage. or In q divi-
sion OF the rate for rcfrigerating charges
Is lust as pernicious ~ rebate In any