The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1905-12-08

criy radical OF hasty action. The nrst
thing to do II 20 lea with the great
corporations engaged IN the business
OF Interstate transportation. As aid
In my messaso OF December 4 last. the
immediate and most pressing need. %
Tar as legislation In concerned. IL the
enactment into law OF some scheme to
secure TO the agents OF the govern.
mcnt such supervision and regulation
OF the rates charged by the railroads
Of the country engaged In Interstate
trafnc as shall summariiy and cmcc.
lively prevent the imposition Of unjust
or unreasonable rates. II must include
putting a complete stop to rebates In
every shape n form. rhis power TO
regulate rates. like all similar powers
over the business world. should be ex-
erciscd with moderation. caution and
self.restraint. but IL should exist. so
that u can be effectively exercised
when the need arises.
The nrst consideration TO be kept
In mind Ia that the power should be
Affirmative srs should be given 20
some administrative body created by
tho congress. II given to the present
Interstate m commission or to
a rcorganixcd Interstate
commission, such commission should
be made unequiyocaiiy administrative.
I do not believe In the government in
tcrfcring with private business mors
than II necessary. ] do not believe In
the government undertaking any work
which can with propri~sy be ieft IN
private hands. hut neither do ! be-
iicvc In the government ninching from
overseeing any work when II becomes
evident that abuses nre sure TO nh.
tain therein unless there IL govern
mental supervision u is not M Prov
incc to Indicate the exact terms Of the
law which o be enacted but ]
call the attention OF the congress to
certain existing conditions with which
II II desirable to deal In my Judg-
ment the most important provision
which such law should contain u that
comforting upon some competent ad-
minlstrative body the power 70 decide.
upon the cas-" being brought before u.
whether q given rate prescribed by q
railroad IL reasonable and Just ana
" IL u found 10 he unreasonable. and
unjust. then. after full Investigation
Of the complaint. to prescribe tho limit
of rate beyond which II shall not he
lawful To ro-the maximum reason
able rate. ~ II IL commonly called
this decision to 20 N eject within \
reasonable time and to obtain from
thence onward. subject to review by
the courts II sometimes happens Mt
rrcr"rt not that n rate II too hish
but that n favored shipper IL given too
low n rate. In such case tho commits
sion would hnv. the right TO nx this
already established minimum rat. Ne
tho maximum. and ~ would need only
one or two such decisions by the com.
mission TO cure railroad companies II
th" practice 81 giving Improper mint.
muGa rates call your attention 10
he fact that my proposal IL not 10
give tho commission power 20 Initiate
or originate rates generally. hut TO
regulate a rate already fixed or origi-
mated by the roads. upon complaint |
and after Investigation. A heavy |
penalty should BIO .Nacted from n |
corporation which fails to respect m
order ~ the commission. rsgard this
power to establish u maximum rate
~ being essential to any scheme ~
regulation Th. nrst necessity " 70
secure "; and unless ~ II granted IN
The commission there IL little use In
touching IN. subject at all
Rebates Really Blaskmaii.
Illegal transactions often occur un.
der IN" forms Of law. u has often &c.
cured that q shipper has been Told
by q tranir ohcer 60 buy n large
quantity pf some commodity and then
after u has been bought nm open re-
duetion u made. In the rate to taxi
effect Immediately. the arrangement
resulting ~ tho PROFIT OF he n ship.
per and tho one railroad and to tho
damage Of nil their competitors. for
10 must not he forgotten that the big
shippers are at least as much to
blame" ns N railroad IN the matter
Of rebates. The law should make II
clear ~ that nobody can fail to UNDER
stand that any kin ~ commission
paid on freight shipments. whether In
this form or In the form % fictitious
damages, or ~ n concession. n free
pass, reduced passenger rate, or nay.
ment ~ brokerage, IL Illegal. II II
worth while considering whether II
would not he wise to confer on the
government the right Of civil action
against the beneficiary ~ n rebai" for /
at least twice the value Of the rebate,
this would help stop what 4. realty
blackmnil Elevator allowances ~houli
he stopped, for they have now grown
to such an extent that they are de-
morllixing and ARE used ns rebates.
The hest possible regulation Of rates
would Of course, he that regulation
secured by an honest agreement
carry out IN. law Such n general
agreement would. for instance. at once
put q stop to The efforts q; any one
big shipper or hlg railroad to dis
eliminate Rgalnrt or hecur. ndNan-
tagcs over some rival. and such agree
mcnt would make the railroads them
foives agents for enforcing h law
The power vested In tho government
to put a stop 10 agreements to the
detrimont 81 the public should, In my
Judgment. be accompanied by power tn
permit. under sp.clhed conditions and
careful supervision, agreements clear
ly In tho interest OF the public. Hut.
In my Judgment. the necessity for
giving this further power IL by no
means ms great hs the necessity foe
giving the commission or ndmlniHtra-
tive body the other powers ! have
enumerated above; and u may wsil
Ice lnadvlSahle to attempt TO vest this
particular power In the commission or
other administrative body until II al
ready possesses and In exercising what
I regard as by far the most important
of all the powers I rscommend-as In
deed the vitality important power
that to NJ u given maximum rate,
which rate. after the lapse OF n reason
able time. goes Into full eject. subject
TO review by the courts.
All private car lines, Industrial roads.
refrigerator charges. and the like should
be expressly Pot under the supervision
OF the Interstate commerce commission
or some similar body so far rs rates and
agreements practically affecting rates are
.apsarpeI The Iriyate car pMrert and