Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-12-05
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ready possesses and Ia exercising
what ! regard as by far the most i'm.
portant OF all powers ! recommend
as indeed the vitality important power
that TO fix a given maximum rate,
which rate, after the lapse OF a reason.
able time. goes into full effect, sub
ject to review by the courts.
All private car lines, industrial
roads. refrigerator charges, and the
like should be expressly put under
the supervision Of the Interstate com.
merce commission or some similar
body SO far as rates. and agreements
practically affecting rates. are con.
cerned. The private car owners and
the owners Of Industrial railroads are
entitled to a fair and reasonable COM
pensatiOn on their investment, but
neither private cars nor Industrial
railroads moi spur tracks should be
utilized a. devices for securing pre-
ferential rates. A. rebate In icing
charges, or In mileage, or In a divi-
sion Of the rate Tor refrigerating
charges Is just as petnicious as q re-
bate In any other way No lower rate
should apply on goods imported than
actually obtains ON domestic goods
from the American seaboard to des.
tination except In cases where water
competition Is the controlling in.
f1uence. There should be publicity OF
the accounts Of common carriers: no
common carrier engaged in interstate
business should keep any books or
memoranda other than those reported
pursuant to law or regulation, and
these books or memoranda should be
open to the inspection OF the rover
ment. Only In this way can violations
or %avasions Of the law be surely de-
tected. A system Of examination Of
railroad accounts should be provided
similar to that now conducted into
the national banks by the bank exam.
iners; a few first.class railroad &C.
countants, II they had proper direc.
ton and proper authority to inspect
books and papers. could accomplish
much In preventing willful violations
OF the law. II would not be necessary
for them to examine into the accounts
Of any railroad unless for good reas
Ons they were directed to do so by the
Interstate commerce commission. II
10 greatly to be desired that some
way might be found by which an
agreement as to transportation with.
In q state intended to operate "A a
fraud upon the federal interstate cam.
merce laws could be brought under
the Jurisdiction Of the federal auth.
critics. AT present ii occurs that
large shipments Of Interstate traffic
controlled by concessions on pure.
~ state h~iisiness, 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.
! urge upon the congress the need
Of providing for expeditions action BY
the Interstate commerce commission
all these matters, whether In reg.
rates for transportation or for
transportation or for storing or for
handling property or commodities In
The history OF the cases IL.
under the present commerce
shows that Its efficacy has been
q great degree destroyed by the
OF delay, almost the most for
nidable weapon In the hands OF those
purpose II II to violate the law.
Let me most earnestly say that
hese recommendation are not made
n any spirit Of hostility to the rail.
Dads. On ethical grounds. ON grounds
u right, such hostility would be in.
olerable; and on grounds Of mere
lational sd. interest we must re-
member that such hostility would tell
the welfare not merely of
Iome few rich men. but OF a multitude
i small investors. a multitude OF rail.