The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1905-12-08

| " is generally useless to try to nrohjbi
1ast ,eSrlaiht on competition, whether this
ana where it is not useless it is
generally hurtful Events have shown
Inat Is not possible adequately tc
secure the enforcement of any law of this
I'm, Inc Depart ut of Justice has for the
last four, years devoted more attention
i TO me enforcement of the anti trust legis
h ias.oh tnan to ANYTHING else. Much has
has be are9 th particularly marked
ions IONS put 1t is increasingly evident that
Inere VIII be very insufficient beneficial
T Tha I'm, IN the way of economic change.
70 ne suGcesS1ul prosecution Of one device
10 evade the law Immediately develops
another device to accomplish the same
purpose; What Is needed is not sweeping
r. r. a4Si'ipiLion OF every arrangement, good or
t pau Mn Nm may tend to restrict competi-
Ton slon, put such adequate supervision and
aessulatlon as will prevent any restriction
vi competition from being to the detri-
ment or the .public-as we'll as such
SUPERVISION Sepf otho and regulation as will pre-
with restriction of competition. OF these
abuses, perhaps the chief, although by
~ means the only one, is overcapitalza-
hhi nnoss itself the result of dis
honest nIoi1e promotion--.because of the myriad
eVlls It brings in its train; for such over
tapitanZatlon often means an initiation
onat invites business panic; it always con-
teals the true relation of the profit earned
to the actual capital invested, and it
creates burden of interest payments
winch is fertile cause of improper re-
auction or in limitation of wages; it
damages the small investor. discourages
thrift and encourages gambling and spec
ulat1on; while perhaps worst Of all is the
thickness and dishonesty which it implies
Tor narm to morals and worse than any
posSlDle harm to material interests, and
the debauchery of politics and business
by great dishonest corporations is far
do the public. Until the national govern ,.
!nent obtains, In some manner which the
proper control over the big corporations
engaged in interstate commerce-that is,
over ., the great majority of the big cor
poratlons-it will be impossible to deal
adequately with these evils.
am well aware of the difficulties of
the legislation that l am suggesting, and
OF the need of temperate and cautious
action a In securing it. 1 should emphatic
ally protest against improper radical or
hasty action. The first thing to do is
to deal with the great corporations en-
gagged IN the business of interstate trans
Portatlon; AS | said in my message of |
Dec 6 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 government such supervision and |
regulation of the rates charged by the |
"a lroads Of the country engaged in inter-
state traffic as shall summarilv and |
prevent the imposition of un-
Just or unreasonable rates. 1t must in.
,lude putting complete stop to rebates
IN every shape and form. This power to
regulate rates, like all similar powers
oyer the business world, should be exer-
Used with moderation. caution, and self
'estraint; but it should exist, so that it
'an be. effectively exercised when the
need arises.
The first consideration to be kept in
nind is that the power should be affirm
'tive and should be given to some adj
body created by the Congress.
I given to the present Interstate Com
nerce commission or to a reorganized
interstate Commerce commission, such
commission should be made unequivocalIy
l do not believe in the
government interfering with private BUSH
leSs more than is necessary. I do not
'eiieve IN the government undertaking
ny work, which can with propriety be
eft in private hands. But neither do 1
elieve in the government f1inchng from
any work when it becomes
k Eldent that abuses are sure to obtain
supervision. 1t is not my province to
ndiHate the exact terms of the law which
hould be enacted; but I call the attention
I the Congress to certain existing con-
itions with which it is desirable to deal.
\ my Judgment the most important pro-
ision which such law should contain
, mat comforting upon some competent |
body the power to decide,
pom, the case being brought before it,
neither given rate prescribed by a rail-
BAD Is reasonable and just, and if it Is
'und to be unreasonable and unjust,
l zen. after full Investigation Of the com .
eyond which it shall not be lawful to 20 /
the maximum reasonable rate, as it is {
,mmonly called-this decision to go into i
fect within a reasonable time. and to t
view by the courts. 1t sometimes hap b
ms at present, not that a rate is too il
gh, but that a favored shipper is given e
O. o low rate In such case the commits c
ready established minimum rate as a
g maximum and it would need D
ly, one or two such decisions L
the commission to cure railroad COM e
mics of the practice of giving improper u
rates. I call your attention to e,
Q fact that my proposal is not to give c,
e commission power to initiate or II
lglnate rates generally, but to regulate al
aas aready 1ed or originated by the
ton. A heavy penalty should be ex- la
ted from any corporation which fails al
respect an order of the commission. l NJ
gard this power to establish maximum Of
al reform in the matter. of railway of
sulaton. The first necessity is to Sc Ia
re it; and unless it is granted to the to
ms there Is little use in touch tr
Illegal transactions often occur under ex
2 forms of law. 1t has often occurred m
at shipper has been told by traffic wi
icer to buy a large quantity Of some ia
and then after it has been mr.
ught an open reduction is made in the hi
-e to take effect Immediately, the ar mr.
1gement resulting to the profit Of the Of,
e shipper and the one railroad and to de-
> damage of all their competitors; for III
must not be forgotten that the big ship ~
rs are at least as much to blame as n
Y railroad In the matter Of rebates. 40.
e law should make it clear so that ra,
body can fail to understand that any sn
I'd Of commission paid on freight ship 81,
nts, whether in this form or in the hb o
m Of fictitious damages, or of a con- or,
;sion, a free pass, reduced passenger mi %,
e, or payment of brokerage, is Illegal FOL
is worth while considering whether it CO.. GO,
uld not be wise to confer on the en-
the right of civil action an e,
,inst the beneficiary of a rebate for at We,
st twice the value Of the rebate; this a s
uld help stop what is really blackmail o,,
vator allowances should be stopped, ~
they have now grown to such an Oh,
ent that they are demoralizing and are W,
d as rebates ~ ~
he best possible regulation Of rates civ civ
uld, of course be that regulation So,
railroads themselves to carry out the the
: Such a general agreement would, r me
instance at once put stop to the az
,rts of any one big shipper or big e,
road to discriminate against or secure H ;rr
'antages over some rival; and such VIII
cement would make the railroads dc AZ,