The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-05

for good reasons they were directed to
do SO by the interstate commerce COM
mission. 1t is greatly to be desired
that some way might be found by which
an agreement as to transportation with
in a state intended to operate as fraud
upon the federal Interstate commerce.
laws could be brought under the juris-
diction Of the federal authorities. At
present it occurs that large shipments
of interstate traffic are controlled by
concessions on purely state business,
which of course amounts to an evasion
of the law. The commission should
have power to enforce fair treatment by |
the great trunk lines Of lateral and
branch lines. sa.@3
Expeditions Action Needed.
I urge upon the congress the need OF |
providing for expeditions action by the |
interstate commerce commission In all
these matters, whether in regulating
rates for transportation or for. storing
Or for handling property or eommod aaaes
litigated under the present commerce
act shows that it's efficacy has been to
great degree destroyed by the weapon
of delay, almost the most form1dable
weapon in the hands of those whose
purpose it is toviolate the law.
Let me most earnestly say that these
recommendations are not made IN any
spirit Of hostility to the railroads. On
ethical grounds, on grounds Of right,
such hostility would be intolerable; and
on grounds of mere national self-interest
we must remember that such hostility
would tell against the welfare not
merely of some few rich men, but OF
a multitude Of small investors, multi
tude Of railway employees, .Wage,Work-
ers; and most severely against: the IN
| l. y1EhnI a.
lieve that on the whole our railroads
have done we'll and not ill; but the
railroad men who wish to do we'll should nc
not be exposed to- competition with
those who have no such DESIRE, and
the only way to secure this END IS TO
give to some government, tribunal the
power to see that justice is done by the
Unwilling exactly as it is gs soe a goT
eminent body is given increased power
4 the effect will be to furnish authori.
tHtive answer on behalf Of the railroad
/ whenever irrational clamor against it is
: raised. or whenever charges made
against it are disproved. ask this 3
legislation not only in the interest OF
the public but in the interest OF the
s6inner f alke. for It is they who are
}, chiefly ieoparded by the practices OF
their dishonest competitors. This legls-
, Iat;on should be enacted in a spirit as
remote as possible from hysteria- and
rancor. If we Of the American body
, polite are true to the traditions we
> have inherited we shall always scorn
anv effort to make us hate, any man
l should scorn any effort to make us look
: down upon or treat .contemptuouslyy any
7 man because he is poor; We judge, !: a
4 man by his conduct-that is, BY his
\ character-and not by his wealth OF
n intellect. If he makes his fortune hon
t estly, there is no just, cause o.
i quarrel with him. Indeed, we aa az
i miration for the successful business
/ man who behaves decently,, whether NJ
e has made his success by building
+ or or managing a railroad OF by ship
9 ri ping Goods over that railroad
The big railroad men and +, bis ,,
shippers are simply Americans OF the
ordinary type who have devei ie, G,os -
d business qualities: They. are neither e. bet
c ter nor worse than their fellow citizens z'
e If smaller means. They are, merely
n more able in certain lines and therefore
e, cxncsed to certain peculiarly strong
r temptations These temptations nay
e not sprung newly into being; the .ex
d certiCna'ly successful among mankln'
J: nave alWaySfbetll eApoooc w oioni, -" ~
e they have grown an'azingly ID power a
% a result Of. the cAtraord binary develop
# ment of lntlustlialisln along. new ines
lr and un.ler these row conditions, Whlcl
d tn, lawmakers Of cid could not forese
N and therefore could not provide against
nj t!,ey have become so serious and menac
II ing as to demand entirely new, remedies
Re of railroad man AMI the best type. 0
r. shipper no less than Of the public tina
10 there should be governmental super
IF vision and regulation Of these grea
If business cperatlcns. for the same req
lie son that it is in the interest of the col
at porat!on which wishes tc treat Its en-
" ployees Alright that there should: be a
re effective system Of factory laws to pre-
~ vent the abuse of women and children
as All such legislation frees the corpora
ton that wishes to do well from be
es ing driven into doing i'll, in order. t
IN. compete with it's rival, which prefer
~ to do i'll. We desire to set up a mora
ut standard. There can be no delusio
1T more fatal to the nation than the az
op fusion that the standard of profits, o
or business prosperity, is sufficient IN yud&
or ing any business or political question
I'd from rate legislation to municipal Coy
IL ernment. Business success, whether fC
10 II individual or for. the nation. is
v good thing only so far as it is accon
to panic. by and develops a" nigh .sCant
in aarti of conduct-honor,- integrity, civj
er courage. The kind of business pro
MS perity that blunts the standard
It's honor, that puts an inordinate value g
ic. mere. wealth that makes a man rutl
or less AM. conscienceless in trade ar
no weak and ccwardly in citizenship, is NJ
" good thing at all, but very ba
We thing for the nation. This governme1
sr- stands for manhood first and for bus
ID ness only as an adjunct of manhood.
l 10, ...- Root Of Industrial Success.
os- The question of transportation lies
as the. root Of all industrial success, ar
he the revolution in transportation while
he has taken place during the last half &c
a tury has been the most important ia
ter tor in the growth Of the new industri
,es / conc itions. Most emphaticaHy we
by not wish to see the man of great talen
. refused the reward for his talents. st
liess do we wish to see him penallze
but we 40 deolre to see the system
dis, railroad transportation so handled tn
i'd the strong nan shall be given no a
ION vantage over the weak man. We WI
on to insure as fair treatment for the smf
nd town as for the big city; for the SIN;
es, shipper as for the big shipper. In t
ers old days the highway Of commer'
Ids whether by water or by a road on lar
bic was open to all; it belonged to the pu
,ut lie and the traffic along it was free.
all present the railway is this highway. a
red we must do our best to see that It