The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-09
n FATE RILl-
sr,sa aSa,e 0bJer,iSns %ptscoverrd by o
AlRheni.

r. rus Ertfoa ~ THB srS Sir 10
the ,eaioua friends NJ the railroad rate hill
would cordially odcf a few brief rfopo-
sltlnna
The bin ~ 4 whole Il unconstitutional The Con
eress has M powef under the Constitution ~ NJ
prices Of commodities, products of latot The
Congress canno, delegate " another body authority
" dictate and enforce q specific rate Of interest
uron the invested capital Of Stockholders In q rail
foad NJ any other corporation, In conflict with the
statutory laws Of 4 state. The congress cannot
deprive 4 railroad or any other legitimate corpora
ton ot lts rights and pnvilefeN, conferred upOn II
by 9 state and enjoyed under en- unforfeiied char.
YER.
The bill Il IN character revolutionary II In.
trnses the inherent right Of the individual citizen
TO conduct or control his legitimate business OF put
o price upon his wares because his capital and his
interests are merged IN and operated through the
medium OF a corporation. II Ia the herald of stump.
tuary laws.
The bill is the gravcst and the boidest assun p.
ton Of Federal authority. paving the rapid route
10 absolute Capitalization. u practically oblit-
crates state lines except as the boundaries Of
national districts. and II eneroaches upon and con
nlcts With the nights OF q state TO control and 10
regulate is internal Affairs.
The bill is IN restraint of trade. Under lis re-
strictions and by operation Of the vast powers con-
feued upon the Interstate m Commission
disputes between railroads and the commission.
CONFUSION ONtT QutS1OuN Gnu COMPUTATIONS u
mileage. classification. local conditions, car supply
and demand. rates between market and shipping
points will bring inevitable confusion and ruinous
delays.
The bill prohibits free transportation TO ofncials
and employees on their own lines OF railway in the
necessary continuous travel over tracks beyond
the lines of the State or Territory in which such
of1cial or employee may happen to reside. The
violation of this mandate Is imprisonment or nne:
It's observance the gripping, II not the paralysis.
OF the railroad service, and disaster to shippers
and communities.
The bill Imposes impossible functions upon
seven individuals, They are required to accom-
pllsh what the clamorous public declares Is not
accomplished by an army OF veteran trafnc man.
ayers whose railroad experience and whose knoWl-
edge of local conditions extend from sea to sea
and from the Lakes W the Gulf of Mexico and be-
You'd. In this the proposed law will prove the
bts nofr OF the shippers throughout the entire
country.
The bill changes the railroads from independent
industrial and commercial factors into mechanical
agents OF the Federal Government. 1t practically
removes from the States the right to control. re-
strain, regulate. or foster any railroad within their
State limits respectively. and places the railroads
outside OF State Jurisdiction and dn erect) abSo-
lutely under Federal control and direction.
Had the bill been confined to Just and
proper supervision over the railroads or
common carriers IL would doubtless have
been warmly and sincerely supported by the
railroads and by every honest citizen In the
country. Rebates and discrimination could
have been abolished, and by removing and
preventing these evils the shippers and the
railroads would alike have been benefited
and protected. The existing laws are ade-
Quate as to any other contentious arising be-
tween these two associates and factors.
As to the prolonged discussion over the
question OF court Jurisdiction, the subject Is
a mere sophlsm. an empty unreality. Any
railroad company or agent may at any time
Fhe H sSs 70 tnterst o9nsi gnm@sre az a C rate ORDERED ssinn
The sole remedy then Is in a Federal court,
either on complaint Of the shipper or Of
the commission itself. Neither Individual
citizen nor corporation can he deprived by
any State or national legislation from seeking
redress for a grievance or prevention or pun
lshment or damages for a wrong against his
person or property. ANGLo-SAXoN
WASHINGTON, June 8.