The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-10-15

ture of Is cents? 1t may be readily
admitted that some Of the present
rates need revision. that some sclled-
ules are perhaps too high and the re-
publican party stand pledged to a
revision.
1t is as certain as anything can be
that any neglect or injustice result
ing from improper schedules will be
looked into and revision and alter
alton recommended by President
Roosevelt at the next congress. In
his letter to Congressman Watson Of
Aug. Is. 1906. he says:
But whenever given rate or
schedule becomes evidently disad-
vantageous to the nation. because of
the changes which so on from year
to year in our conditions. and where
1t is feasible to change this rate or
schedule without too much dislocat II
of the system. it will be done: while
general revision of the rates and
schedules will be undertaken when
ever it shall appear to the sober bust
ness sense of our people that. on the
whole. the benefits to be derived from
making such changes will outweigh
the disadvantages: that. is. when the
revision will do more good than HARM
Let ME add one word Of caution. how
ever. The question of revising the
tariff stands wholly apart from the
question Of dealing with the so-called
'trusts-that is. with the control Of
monopolies and with the supervision
of great wealth in business. especially
i'll corporate FORM"
Trusts.
4 great deal has been said about
trusts and monopolies but the trust
question can hardly be said to be an
issue for both parties declare against
the trusts. Therefore. it must be that
the only difference between the parties
lies in the remedy proposed for this
acknowledged evil The democratic
party. however, insists most strenu-
ously that the way to remedy the
trust evil is by the enactment of their
favorite free trade or revenue tariff
law. They say that we must abolish
the protective tariff in order to be
relieved from trusts and mouopolies.
We see that the same result that fol-
lowed the democratic tariff Of 1898
would follow now that our prosperity
would be destroyed and that the rem
edy would be worse than the disease.
1t would be like cutting off a mans
head to cure the tooth ache. The
latest remedy proposed by the demo-
cratic statesmen is the government
ownership of railroads This at least
is advocated by the peerless leader"
Mr.. Bryan. The republican party con-
tends that the trust question is
separate and distinct from the tariff
question; that some of the worst
trusts exist in non-protected articles.
Thissis the position of President
Roosevelt as already shown by his
letter to MIR. Watson. The republican
party contends that the way to deal
with these monopolies is, LIST, to eff
fectually regulate railroads and of the
whole transportation system of the
United States so that not only shall
rates be reasonable but shall be equal
and just to all giving to every one a
fair field in competition for the bust.
ness of the people.
End. Stringent laws against mono
poIistic violations with severe penal
ties for all violators. We should fix
the administration of these laws End
prosecution in the courts. Pursuan
to this policy the republican party
enacted the first antitrust law ever
passed-the Sherman law-and it has
been frequently strengthened and
amended. Then we establ'ched the
department of commerce and labor
with the bureau OF corporations to
inquire into the corporate affairs and
secure information and publicity. We
have also passed laws expediting pro-
secution of violators of antitrust
laws, and it was under this expedit-
ing law that the great merger case
was prosecuted to successful con-
clusion.
But the most important law affect
| ing the trust question is undoubtedly
the railroad rate bill which was
passed at the last session of congress.
voted for this bill, but it is also true
that it was republican measure and
would have passed without the support
of the democrats. This bill is undoubt-
eddy one of the most important that
has ever been passed en- the subject of
interstate commerce. 1t gives the
commission rate making powers so
that they have authority to fix a
maximum reasonable rate. 1t in
cludes the control of express COM
panies and of sleeping car companies
1t abolishes discrimination by means
of private car lines, refrigerator cars
and private switches. through which
the trusts have to large extent been
built up. The democrats seek to take
away the credit for this reform meas
ure from the republican party by say
Ing that they were the first to advocate
1t. But there is little or no founda-
ton for this claim and when Mr..
Bryan says that President Roosevelt
in advocating the rate bill and forcing
1t through congress, "stole his clothes
while he was in swimming" we reply
that they were not his clothes, that
he did not own them" 1t is true that
the national democratic platform for
1904 contained a plank to the effect
that the interstate commerce commits
sion should be given rate making pow
ers. but that was by no means an
original idea Of the democratic part,
The history of the legislation on this
subject of interstate commerce be-
gins with the enactment of the inter
state commerce law of 1887 Up to
that time congress had passed no Law
on the subject, although the consti.
tuition said that congress should have
power to regulate interstate and for.
eign commerce. The railroad ques.
ton originated with the building Of
the first railroad and the evil and in.
justice Of railroad management ant
extortion caused many of the western
states as long ago as 1871 to pass laws
creating railroad commissions giving
them the power to fix rates and pre-
vent determinations. and from charg