The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-12-08
ATTORNEY GENERAL FILES AN
NUAL REPORT PROPOSING A
REMEDY FOR RELATING.
His Recommendation Are Virtually
Along the Same Lines as Those
Expressed BY Roosevelt.

| WASHINGTON, Dec. S-Attorney
General Moody's annual report to con-
gress deals fully and clearly with the
railroad question and suggests reme-
dies along lines that President Roose-
welt favors.
| Mr.. Moody would add Imprisonment
as an alternative punishment for vio-
lation of the Elkins law, which now
only imposes fines. The great difficult
ty before the attorney generals de-
partment now lies in finding evidence.
Ordinarily this can be obtained only
through the confession of one or the
other of the guilty parties. "Of1cials
of railroads have in general terms as
sured me of their willingness to aid
the department in every way in en-
forcing the provisions of the law
against rebates Determinations and
departures from published rates." says
the attorney general with a touch of
sarcasm, "but have declined to render
the only assistance that would be of
the slightest value. namely, the fur
nishing of evidence proving the Of
Tense"
The department is willing to ac-
violation of the law in efforts to pun
ish the other party, and offers freedom
from prosecution as an inducement for
such evidence, but, the report says, Of
tenders shrink from betraying their
confederates.
Rate Remedy Suggested.
Mr.. Moody sets forth mis- rate RENE
dy for present conditions in the follow
ing:
eff the power, upon complaint, to fix
a future maximum rate and put it into
effect within reasonable time, sub
ject to appeal to the courts, should be
given to some administrative body
created by congress, weapon against
discriminatory practices, much more
potent than any now available, would
ment. Upon proof that lower rate
had been given to some preferred snip
per, the body clothed with the power
to fix a future maximum rate might
we'll determine that the rate which the
railroad could afford to give to the
preferred shipper it could afford to
s,, 10
Such a finding, it could be predicted
| with certainty, the courts upon appeal
would not reverse, for no better evil
dence of the legality and justice of the
rate thus fixed could be found than In
the action of the carrier itself. 1t
would be difficult for the carrier to
maintain that a rate actually charged
by it was confscatory or unjust"
Bankruptcy Laws.
A brief but interesting part of the
attorney generals report relates to the
operation of the bankruptcy law, as
follows:
1.-The present bankruptcy law has
now been in operation for seven years,
and while the earlier reports of it's
practical operation show that from
IS, 900 to $1,000 voluntary cases were
filed annually for several years after
| it's enactment, the last few years show
a gradual decrease in the number of
petitions During the past year 1882
petitions were filed, which is about the
same as were filed in the year preced-
ing. The number of involuntary petit
lions has gradually Increased as the
legal profession becomes familiar with
it's provisions and advantages. OF this
class Of cases 1904 proceedings were
instituted during the past year The
law seems to be meeting with general
approval on the part of the commercial
| interests Of the country"