New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-07

nation must co." and that 1.-The highways of
commerce must be kept open to all equal
terms" When the ERins law directed at just
these evils, was passed, not a single carrier in
the country raised the slightest objection, and
not one objects to any provision of law
which will aid in accomplishing this declared
purpose of the President.
It is not reasonable regulation TO which the
carriers object; 1t is to unwise and unfair regu-
lation, so called which nfcts unjustifable in
1uries upon those who are not offenders, inter-
feres with the beneficial freedom of commercial
action and enterprise and thus diminishes the
future usefulness Of the carriers and impedes
the material development Of the resources of
the country
The Presidents specific recommendation that
the Interstate Commerce Commission be vested
with power, where given rate has been chal-
Ienged and found to be unreasonable, to decide,
subject to judicial review what rate shall take
its place, and to put that rate into effect, was
most wisely qualified by the statement that lat
present 1t would be undesirable, If It were not
impracticable, to finally clothe the commission
with general authority to fix railroad rates"
And yet substantially every bill which has been
presented in Congress, looking to granting in
creased powers to the commission has been so
drawn that the ultimate and necessary effect of
its provisions if enacted into law would be to
finally cothe the commission with that general
authority" which the President, in his conserva-
tisn pronounces undesirable, if it were not i'm
practicable"
Such enactments would not be regulation"
They would mean incipient, if not final, control
Of the sources of revenue Of all the carriers and
that, it is safe to say, the President never in
tended. They might easily mean the taking of
property the diminutiOn of its value without
due process of law, or without compensation TO
the owners.
The effect of such regulation undoubtedly
would be the curtailnent of future railway con-
struction and improvements. and not only by
reason of the impairment of railway credit, but
also from unwillngness of investors to own or
TO enlarge properties the revenues of which
would be practically under government or polit-
zeal control and the expenses still be subject to
the uncertainties of industrial conditions.
Aside from the question of rebates and other
unjust determinations between individuals.
which can be reached adequately without con-
ferring the power to fix railway rates upon a
governmental commission, what are the grounds
upon which the comforting Of this power is ad-
yocated?
1t is charged that rates are extortionate and
must be lowered, and yet the rates in this coun-
try are only from one-half TO one-third of those
in countries with which the producers of the
United States must compete in the markets Of
the world; wages of railway employees are 90
per cent higher than the highest elsewhere. and
in eighteen years the Interstate Commerce Com
mission has not succeeded in establishing In the
courts a single case of rates unreasonable in
themselves
The fact that the average rate per ton mile
for the entire tonnage of the United States rose
less than four-tenths OF mill from 1899 TO
1903 is paraded as evidence OF extortion. but
the fact that The average rate for all tonnage