The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-04-06

charges for travel and carrying on a
public turnpike or ferriage across the
bridge, the monopoly would not be
more complete and the opportunities
for extortion and discriminating not
greater than would be possessed by
any railroad in the country whose
charges are unrelegated and unre-
strained by law. Of all the powers
possessed by the Government the pow
er of taxation is the power that needs
to be most vigilantly guarded, and is
the one most often prostituted to pur-
poses of injustice.
| But no Government ever welded
so great a power of taxation as that
which goes with the fixing of freight
charges by the great carriers of the
country. There is hardly a commodi-
ty in the country that does not reach
the consumer burdened with the cost
of railway transportation, whether &C
tually transported or not.
I'VE may admit, as l do admit, that
the old days when the railroad COM
panies were conducted with cynical
contempt for the rights of the public
and the short-sighted disregard for
their own best interests have passed,
and that there is among the railroad
managers of today genuine effort
and desire to promote better feeling
between the railroads and the people.
But there has been no radical change
in human nature. 1t has been said
that the greatest of al devils is OPP
portunity and human nature, individ
ually or incorporated, can never be
trusted to forego opportunity to jrofit
by injustice. Can we afford to leave
the great carriers of this country to
exercise without efficient restraint the
power to tax every commodity and
every product of human labor. The
question, it seems to me, must be an
swered with an emphatic negative.
Favors Commission.
WIN we come to the question of |
means and instrumentalities through |
which this restraint is to be imposed
| know of no better way than through |
a commission, especially chosen for
that purpose and for that alone. chos-
en- by the Chief Executive of the Ma
ton under the full sense of RESPONSE
bility which rests upon him to select
men fitted by character, intelligence
and experience for the duties imposed
upon them by law.
mo human instrumentality can be
perfect, there will always be lapses
from absolute rectitude where human
nature must be relied upon; for per-
lection is not to be found in man,
whether clothed in ermine or in home
spun. | believe the very fact so often
insisted upon that the duties to be
performed under this bill are of the
most delicate and important charac-
.er is an inyincibe argument for con
iding them to a body of men espec-
ally chosen for this purpose alone
will add that in my opinion the ex-
)erience we have had with the pres
ent Commission amply justifies this
iiew. The liberal and intelligent
spirit with which they have admins
cred an admittedly imperfect law and
he benefcent result of their admins
ration have settled that question so
ar as my own views are concerned.
The argument offered by the Sena-
or from Ohio that the power to make
ates does not go with the power to
egulate interstate commerce. while
presented with great force and ingen-
lity. does not appeal to me- The fix
ng OF charges in every business af- >
ected by public interest was an old
principle and practiced under the
British Government and is power
which belongs inherently to every
'tste in the Union. That power goes
With the power to regulate interstate
ommerce which was delegated to
he Federal Government The Sena.
Or from Ohio. | believe, is the first d
lwyer Of eminence who has ever
AIKEN this view
AS To Legislative Power.
Nor do I bel he l. right in con-
ending that comforting nEcn the Com
llsslon q Tower to tx lIm rate
a delegation of legislative power.