The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1905-12-08

Washington, Dec. 5.-President
Roosevelt, in his annual message, sent
to congress today, comes out squarely
for commission with power to es-
tablish maximum railway rates.
This is the most important point in
the message. Second only to it is a
recommendation for federal control of
life Insurance
The president leads up to these two
points by a general discussion Of cor
poratfons and corporate rights, in
which he recommends federal control
If necessary, by constitutional amend
ment.
The message says:
The fortunes amassed through cor
pOrate organization are now so large,
and vest such power in those that
WELD them, as to make it a matter of
necessitytO give to the sOvereign-that
is, to the government, which repre-
sents the people as a Wholesome eff
fective power Of supervision over their
corporate use
Experience has shown cOnclusively
that it is useless to try to get any ade-
quate regulation and supervision of
these great corporations by state &C
ton. I believe that this regulation
and a supervision can be obtained by
the enactment OF law by the congress.
If this proves impossible, it will GER
tainly be necessary ultimately to con-
fer in fullest form such power upon
the national government by a proper
amendment Of the constitution.
Practical Problem.
The department Of justice has fOI
the last four years devoted more at
tentiOn TO the enforcement Of the anti
trust legislation than to anything else
Much has been accomplished; paTti-
cularly marked has been the moral
effect Of4he prosecutions; but it is in
creasingIy evident that there will be a
very insufficient beneficial result in the
way Of economic change.
Until the national government OBJ
tains in some manner which the wis
dom Of the congress may suggest
proper control over the big corpora
tiOns engaged in interstate commerce
that is over the great majority OF the
big cOrpOratiOns-it viii be impossible
to deal adequately with these evils"
Rates and Rebates
Coming directly to the question OF
railway rates and rebates, the messag
says:
The most pressing need, so far az
legislation is concerned, is the enact
ment into law Of some scheme to Sc
cure to the agents Of the government
such supervision and regulation Of the
rates charged by the railroads of the
country engaged in interstate traffic
as shall summarily and effectively
prevent the imposition Of unjust OF
unreasonable rates. 1t must include
putting a complete stop to rebates in
every shape and form
Maximum Rates.
The first consideration to be kept
in mind is that the power should be
affirmative and should b given tC
some administrative body created by
the congress. II given to the present
interstate commerce commission or tC
a reOrganized interstate commerce
commission, such commission should
be made uneQuivOcally administrative
1t IS not my province to indicate the
exact terms of the law which should bt
enacted, but in my judgment the mos
important provision which such Law
should contain is that comforting some
competent administrative body the
power to decide, upon the case being
brought before it, whether a giveT
rate prescribed by a railroad Is re1'
sOnable and just, and if it is found Il
be unreasonable and unjust, then aft.
er full investigation Of the complaint
to prescribe the limit Of rate beyond
which it shall not be lawful to go
the maximum reasonable rate, as 4
is commonly caled-this decision Il
go into effect within a reasonable
time and to obtain from thence on.
ward, subject to review by the courts
1T sometimes happens at present
not that a rate is too high, but that {
favored shipper is given too low 6
rate In such case the commission
would have the right to fix this al
ready established minimum rate a.
the maximum, and il would need ONLY
one or two such decisions by the com
mission to cure railroad companies o.
the practice Of giving improper mini
mum rates
''AH private car lines, industria
roads, refrigerator charges and tn,
like, should be expressly put undel
the supervision Of the interstate com
merce commission or some similar
body so far as rates, and agreement
practically affecting rates, are con
cerned.''
Insurance Regulation
The question Of the regulation O
Insurance companies is handled by tn,
president in his usual bare-fist fash
ion He says:
1T has been clearly shown tina
certain OF the men at the head OF tn,
large corporations take but small not
Of the ethical distinction between hon
esty and dishonesty; they draw tn
line only this side Of what may b,
called Iaw-hOnesty, the kind Of hon
esIy necessary in order to avoid fail
ing into the clutches OF the law.
AS q remedy for conflicting, inef
fective and yet burdensOme state re
gulatiOns there has been for man.
years a widespread demand for fed
sraI supervision AS the INSURANCE
business has Outgrown in magnftud
the possibility OF adequate state super
vision. the congress should carefull
consider whether further Legislation
can be had
Toll and TOIlers-
One OF the largest sections OF IN
presidents message Is devoted 70 IA
Dor. As TO the power o. Injunction
the message says
There has been dsmsnd for dsp7iv