The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1905-11-03
A SQUARE DEAL
President Stickney of the C. q. W. Ry. Addresses
the Roosevelt Club at st. Paul on the
Railroad Rate Question.

I to be unlawful for any person or corpora.
or receive any rebate, concession or dis
elimination in respect to the transporta-
| ton of any property in interstate or for
eisn commerce whereby such property
shall by any device be transported at
less rate than that named in the tariff
! published by the carrier, must be en-
! have not the honor or pleasure of a
| personal acquaintance with Mr.. Roose-
veit. but it is well known that he has
never been man of affairs. and that his
| tastes have led him tosstudy history and
| litera ture, rather than practical econom-
les. and, besides, it goes without saying
the vast economic affairs of the world
But although he may be inexperienced In
| trade. he seems to possess, in an unusual
! degree. the great fundamental principle.
which makes trade successful in the long
run, the principle of the square deal.
| -: can imagine that at the time he wrote
the rebate system. but had absorbed from
| reading. and from contact with the peO-
pie. !. pretty clear idea Of the vicious.
ea deal ed h to ths
of his message which I have quoted.
| can imagine. further, that after he
| had written it his innate honesty OF pur-
pose told him it was not a fair deal to
| let the railways make their own rates
and compel the people to pay them. right
or wrong. Hence. he added the follow
ing:
While I am of the opinion that at
| present it vii be undesirable, If 1t were
not Impractical BILE finally to clothe the
commission with general authority. to fix
| railroad rates, do not believe that, as
fair security to shippers, the commission
should be vested with the power, where
| after fun hearing found to be unreasona-
bic, to decide subject to judicial review.
what shall be a reasonable rate to- take
its place; the ruling of the commission to
! take effect Immediately, and to obtain
| unless and until it is reversed by the
| court of review.
| steamship companies engaged in in.
| terState commerce and protected in our
coastwise trade should be held to strict
observance of the interstate commerce
! act"
Offers Arbitration.
! If this recommendation of the presi-
dent. in connection with the present pro-
visions of the law, be analysed, it
That the railway companies may make
the rates, but whenever Il controversy
shall arise as to their reasona bleness and
for arbitration to a disinterested.. perma-
nent arbitration commission appointed by
| law. subject to judicial review.
The president therefore offers the prin-
ciple of arbitration and the principle of
arbitration is square deal. If the de-
tails are worked out ON intelligent lines
| it would result in as nearly practical
| Justice is possible in human affairs.
In working out the details of such a
scheme. the language of the law, which
says: "All rates shall be reasonable and
| just and that every unjust and unreal
sonable rae is prohibited and declared to
be unlawful" should be construed to
mean just what is says.
! The language is now construed to mean
that if any rate is found to be too high
to be reasonable and just. it must be re-
duced by the law. But if, on the other
hand. one railway company, by reason of
corrupt favoritsm toward a particular
industry. or to accomplish the purpose OF
.f,,1 Is AAvvot6
night tariff or otherwise. makes a rate
too low to be reasonable and just to the
railway companies, which rate all other
companies, from the nature of the BUSH
| ness. are compelled to accept, such rate
| cannot be increased by law.
| Such an unnatural construction of the
plain language of the statute is not a
square deal The law. to be just, should
! people As Mr.. Roosevelt often says:
~ as much a square deal for the rich
man for the poor man, but no more.
Let each stand on his, merits. receiving
what is due 10 him. and be judged by his
! deserts. 10 more he is not entitled, and
| less he shall not have
/ If. therefore, the law is to be amended
on the basis OF a square deal, the arbi-
| trltiOn commission must be given au-
| thoritY to decide as to the reaSonableneSs
OF rates between the railways and the
railway, as we'll as between the railways
and the people: must have authority to
| raise rates which are unreasonably low
| as we'll as to lower rates that are too
high. In no other way can symmetrical
| and just rates be obtained which shall
| give to every locality and every industry
| its dues. 81,
/ prevented. many of the worst cases Of
| such discrimination are produced by ono
| railway making rates in the manner
which has been stated. for no other pur-
| pose than to give an advantage by dis
| elimination, which rates, in the nature
! of the business, all other companies are
compelled to adopt This practice must
| be stopped the whole scheme of the
law to prevent discri minations will fail.
Judge and ExecuttOneF.
Experience has proven that no commits
bitrators while at the same time it is en-
bar Bar. Hence. # the Recommendation Of
! commission. which should be appointed
for the purpose of arbitrating disputes
! in respect to rates. should not be charged
provisions of the law, or of their own
| decisions.
The men appointed members of the
capacity and of the strictest integrity.
! appointed for these merits and not for
the purpose Of regarding political serv-
sioner should be made of as much dig
nifty and their tenure Of Office be as Sc
! cure as justices of the supreme court
| of the United States.
| office should not be subordinate to or
! subject to dictation of any other branch
of the government, and they should hold
| their Offices during life and good behavior.
| removable from office only by impeach-
| ment and conviction.
| My own judgment is that, for reasons
: stated at considerable length in an adj
dress at meeting of the Washington
| Economic society last February, it would
| be wiser to clothe a legislative COMMITTEES
with general authority to make tho
| schedule rates. but the recommendation
of the president with a properly. consti-
/ tuted arbitration commission, would work
| out, in the course of years, practically
the same results. and perhaps a gradual
working out of the problem would be
| wiser.
Mr. Chairman, never before has the
! American people had a Roosevelt for a
president. Never before has a president.
| in season and out of season. in Official
documents and from the stump. so cour-
ageously stood for the square deal Ex-
! actly as much a square deal for the rich
man as for the ,p9or man, but no more.
| For these qualities the American people
honor and love Theodore Roosevelt
Would that he. or such as he. could bs
president ALWAYS.
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