The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-02-02
PRESIDENT ON REBATES
Advocates Government Control of
Interstate Railroads.
MUST BE REAL AND EFFECTIVE

Mr. Roosevelt In Speech In PhiadeI'
phia Demands That Little Shipper
Shall Be On Equal Footing With
Big One.
Philadelphia. Jan 81. - President
Roosevelt was the guest OF honor and
principal speaker at the 42d anniyer-
Iary banquet Of the Union League.
The banquet room was a marvel OF
the decorators art. The national col
ors predominated in the floral and
electrical effects aud the tables were
designated by letters in red. white and
blue forming the name Roosevelt
President Roosevelt occupied seat
in the centre OF the guests table. with
President T.. r. Stotesbury. OF the In
ion League. on his right. and United
States Senator PenrOse on his left
Seated at the same table were former
Postmaster General Charles Emory
Smith. Congressman Bingham. Sur
geOn General Rixey. Major General
Frederick d. Grant. Lieutenant Gen
eral s g. VI. Young. Governor Lea,
of Delaware. Governor Stokes Of New
Jersey and Mayor Weaver OF this city.
When President Roosevelt arose to
make his address he was greeted with
long continued applause lie said in
part:
This club was founded 10 uphold the
hands OF Abraham Lincoln when bee stood
az the great leader in the struggi- for
union and liberty The principles which
Lincoln applied To- Oh" solution of the
problems of his day are those which We
must apply n We expect successfully 10
solve the different problems of our own
day problems which are so largely in-
dusfriIl. Unquestionnbly the great de-
Nciopmcui OF ludustriallsm means that
thore must be an increase In the super
vision exercised by the government over
business enterprises This supervision
should NOT take the form OF violent aud
ii-adYi-cd Interference. and assuredly
Their" is danger lest it take such form II
the business leaders of the business COM
munity oonfine themselves TO trying TO
thwart the effort az regulation instead Of
guiding IL Alright.
Neither This people nor any other free
people will permanently tolerate the use
OF the vast power conferred by vast
wealth and especially by wealth IN its
corporate form. without lodging some
where iu the government the stil higher
power Of seeing that this power. IN addl-
ton to being used in the interest ~ the
individual or individuals possessing #. IS
also used for and not against the inter-
r-fs Of me people as a whole. our pecu-
Lr form of government. government in
which the nation is supreme throughout
the union Boo certain respects. while each
of nearly half a hundred states H. SUI
prrmc iu it's part OF the union In certain
other respects. renders the task OF deal
ing with these conditions especially diff
cult. 30 finally satisfactory result can
Doe expected from merely state action.
The action must come through the fed
rral government The business Of the
country is now carried on in way OF
w'ich the founders of our constitution
90 I'd Dos mo- possibility have had any idea.
great business concerns are enssg-
ec . interstate commerce and 10 WAS be-
yond question the Intention OF the :ound-
er- of our government that Interstate
cnmmrrce Zoo all It's branches and aspects
should Doe under national and not state
control II the courts decide that this in
tention was not carried out and made ef-
fectiNe in the constitution as IL now
stands then in the end the constitution.
II not construed differently will have To
De- amended 80 that the original undoubt-
ed intention may be made effective. But
a constitutional amendment il only to be
used as last resort. II every effort Of
legislation and administration shall have
been proved Inadequate.
The railroad which was utterly I'M
known when our government WAS formed
and when the great principles of our
Jurisprudence were laid down. has now
become almost everywhere the most i'm
portrait and only form OF highway FOR |
commerce. The man who controls it, |
use cannot be- permitted 10 control IL I'm |
his own interest alone. IL Is not only |
Just but ID Is ia the interest of the public !
that this man should receive ample pay |
meut for the business capacity winch en- |
ablcs him 20 benefit himself while brne- |
lifting the public: but In return he must |
himself recognize his duty 10 the public. |
lie will not and cannot do this II our |
laws are so defective that i'm the sharp |
competition Of the business world the |
man is put at "a a 3aivan-
tagc by his less scrupulOus fellows. 1t is |
IN the interest of the conscientious and |
should be- such governmental supervision
Of the railway traffic OF the country rs
to require from his less scrupulous CONF
petitors and from INSCRIPTIONS big Ship
pers AS we'll that heed TO the public well |
fare which he himself would willingly |
give and which Is OF vital consequence |
to the small shipper. Every important |
railroad Is engaged In interstate COM
merce. Therefore. this control over the
must come through ne ma
tional government
The control must be exercised by some
governmental tribunal. and 1t must he
real and effective.
The details must rest with the law
makers Of the two houses OF congress:
hut about the principle there can be no
doubt. Hasty or vindictive action would
merely work damage: but In temperate.
resolute fashion. there must be lodged in
some tribunal the power over rates ana
especially over rebates whether secured
by means Of private cars. OF private
tracks. in the form Of damages on COM
missions. or in any other manner
which will protect alike the railroad and
the shipper and put the big shipper and
the little shipper on an equal footing.
In some such body as the interstate
commerce commission there must be
lodged i'm effective shape the power 20 see
that every shipper who uses the rail-
roads and every man who owns or man.
ages a railroad shall on the one hand be
given justice and on the other hand be
required TO do justice. Justice-so Tar as
il IL humanity possible to give and 20 get
JUSTICES the foundation OF our govern .
ment. We are not trying to strike down
the rich man. on the contrary. We will !
NOT tolerate any attack uDOn his rights. !
We are not trying 20 give an improper
advantage to the poor man because he
Is poor, to the man of small means be-
cause he has not larger means; but we
IRE striving to see that the man of small
nnnns has exacilN as good chance so |