Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-12-06

Gin OF nasty action. Inc nrSt
thing to do is to deal with the great
corporations engaged in the business
of interstate transportation. AS 1 said
in my message of December last the
immediate and most pressing need, so
far as legislation is concerned, is the
enactment into law of some scheme to
secure to the agents of the govern
ment such supervision and regulation
of the rates charged by the railroads
Of the country engaged in interstate
traffic as shall summarily and edec-
lively prevent the imposition of unjust
or unreasonable rates 1t must include
putting complete stop to rebates in
every shape and form. This power to
regulate rates. like all similar powers
over the business world, should be eX-
ercised with moderation. caution and
self-restraint; but it should exist. so
that 1t can be effectively exercised
when the need arises.
The first consideration to be kept
in mind is that the power should be
affirma tive ~~d should be given to
some administrative body created by
the congress. If given to the present
interstate commerce commission or to
reorganiZed interstate commerce
commission, such commission should
be made unequivocally administrative.
1 do not believe in the government in
terfering with private business more
than is necessary. l do not believe in
the government any WOTk
which can with propriety be left in
private hands. But neither do I be-
lieve in the government f1inching from
overseeing any work when it becomes
evident that abuses are sure to OBJ
tain therein unless there is govern
mental supervision. 1t is not my prov
ince to indicate the exact terms of the
law which should be enacted; but
call the attention of the congress to
certain existing conditions with which
it is desirable to deal In my judg-
ment the most important provision
which such law should contain is that
comforting upon some competent adj
ministrative body the power to decide.
upon the ease being brought before it.
whether given rate prescribed by
railroad is reasonable and just, and
if it is found to be unreasonable and
unjust, then, after full inveStiga ton
of the complaint, to prescribe the limit
of rate beyond which it shall not be
lawful to go-the maximum reason
able rate, as it is commonly called
this decision to go into effect within a
reasonable time and to obtain from
thence onward. subject to review by
the courts. 1t sometimes happens at
present. not that rate is too high
but that a favored shipper is given too
low a rate. In such case the commits
sion would have the right to fix this
already established minimum rate as
the maximum; and it would need only
one or two such decisions by the COM
mission to cure railroad companies of
the practice of giving improper mini
mum rates. call your attention to
the fact that my proposal is not to
give the commission power to initiate
or originate rates generally. but to
regulate a rate already fixed or origi-
mated by the roads. uDon complaint
and after investigation. A heavy
| penalty should be exacted from any
| TT. e.. -
order of the commission. I regard this
| power to establish a maximum rate
| as being essential to any scheme of
real reform in the matter of railway
regulation. The first necessity is to
secure it: and unless it is granted to
| the commission there is little use in
touching the subject at ALL
Rebates Really Blackmail.
Illegal transactions often occur I'M
der the forms of law. 1t has often oc-
CURED that a shipper has been told
| by a traffic officer to buy large
| quantity of some commodity and then
| after 1T has been bought open re-
duction is made in the rate to take
| effect Immediately. the arrangement
resulting to the profit of the one ship
per and the one railroad and to the
! damage of all their competitors; for
it must not be forgotten that the big
shippers are at least as much to
|
| of rebates. The law should make it
clear so that nobody can fail to under
stand that any kind of commission
paid on freight shipments, whether in
this form in the form of fictitious
damages or of a concession, free
| pass. reduced passenger rate. or pay
ment of brokerage is Illegal. 1t is
| worth while considering whether it
would not be wise to confer on the
government the right of civil action
| against the beneficiary of a rebate for
at least twice the value of the rebate;
| this would help stop what is really
! blackmail. Elevator allo wances should
be stopped. for they have now grown
| to such an extent that they are de-
moralzing and are used as rebates.
The best possible regula alton of rates
would. of course. be that regulation
among the railroads themselves to
carry out the law. Such a general
agreement would. for instance. at once
put stop to the efforts of any one
big shipper or big railroad to dis
criminate against or secure advan-
tages over some rival; and such agree
ment would make the railroads them
selves agents for enforcing the law.
The power vested in the government
to put a stop to agreements to the
detriment of the public should. in my
judgment, be accompanied by power to
permit. under specified conditions and
careful supervision. agreements clear
| ly in the interest of the public. But,
in my judgment the necessity for
! giving this further power is by no
means as great as the necessity for
giving the commission or administra-
| tive body the other powers I have
! enumerated above; and 1T may we'll
be inadvsable to attempt to vest this
| particular power in the commission or
other administrative body until it al
| Ix iS w a
1 regard as by far the most important
of all the powers I recommend-as in
deed the vitality important power
that to fix given maximum rate,
which rate. after the lapse of reason
able time. goes into full effect subject
| 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 commerce commission
| or some similar body far as rates and
| agreements practically affecting rates are
The Driyate car owners and