The Washington herald., 1907-08-20
Members Of the BHekeye RefHBlieaa GLIB

luxury. Throughout this country the /
demand for labor has increased wages to |
a higher point that ever known before. /
The compensation of skilled labor now
frequently exceeds that Of certain pro-
fessions, like teaching and the ministry.
Wealth has accumulated enormously in !
the hands of individuals, and never be- |
fore have rich men given so freely of
their fortunes 10 educational and chari- !
table objects Such conditions are apt to |
dim and dull the eye and the ear Of the
people TO abuses and dishonesty in the /
body polite and social Ii was such
periods in the history of ancient repub- |
lies when their foundations were sapped |
and their fall ultimately brought about |
Prophets of evil have foretold the same /
fate for this republic. They have been
refuted
In spite Of the general comfort, there
have been made manifest hy signs not to
be misunderstood. a quickening of the
public conscience and a demand for the
remedy OF abuses, the outgrowth of this
prosperity. and for a higher standard of
business integrity Every lover Of his
country should have q feeling Of pride and
ciety is still sound at the core
Abuses in Railway Discrimination.
have been invited by your body to
discuss the national issues. Some OF these
involve the abuses over which the public
conscience has been aroused, and the
proper remedies for their removal The |
first. and possibly the greatest, abuse has
been In the management Of the aTterial !
system OF the country which the inter-
state railroads form. ANY unjust dis
elimination in the terms upon which
transportation Of freight or passengers is !
afforded an individual Of a locality !
paralyzes and withers the business Of the /
individual OF the locality exactly as the
binding Of the arteries and veins leading
20 a member Of the human body destroys /
its life
The result of twenty years operation /
under the interstate commerce act of /
1881 passed to restrain abuses OF un- /
just discrimination and unreasOnableness /
Of rates. was that the railroads came to /
regard the action Of the commission Il /
created as OF no Importance. The delays. /
due TO the necessity Of resorting 20 the 1
courts 10 try out the merits Of every or |
effective. made the remedy Of the com /
planning shipper or locality so slow and /
burdensome that in contested cases it /
was no remedy at oil.
The commission was not. under the old 4
act. authorized 10 nix reasonable rates 1
It could only say that a particular rate /
was unreasonable and order a railroad /
10 change its rate and make it reason /
able. The railroad might fix a new rate /
at anything less than the rate declared 1
to be unreasonable, and If the reduction /
made was not sufficient, a new action /
had TO be brought 20 decide that the new /
rate was also unreasonable.
President Urges New Rate Bill.
Made aware Of the moribund condition /
of railway regulation under the old law /
and OF the widespread abuses which pre-
vailed IN railway management. President /
Roosevelt, in his message of 1904, recon-
mended that the powers of the commits /
sion be largely increased, first. by en- /
abling the commission TO fix rates, and /
second, by making its order effective /
against the carriers without resort to |
courts to compel performance. He asked |
that it be made an administrative trl- ]
bunal with real power. This was done |
by the passage OF the rate bill, in June /
1906
The new act enables the commission 1
TO fix rates and gives efficacy TO all its 4
orders by providing that they shall go 4
into effect thirty days after they are /
made, unless suspended by an order OF /
court and failure to comply with them /
is punishable by a fine Of $500 a day 4
during the delinquency. Express com
mt r7-
pipeline companies are brought under
the jurisdiction of the commission as
common carriers. The act gives the com /
mission power to fix the rates FOR the va
rious incidental services performed by rail- /
ways at terminals and on the journey and 1
TO require them 10 be performed for every /
shipper. By Withholding such services /
from one, and extending them TO another |
and by imposing varying charges for /
them, companies have been able in the /
past 10 make them q convenient iustru- /
ment for discrimination.
The new law requires the publication 1
Of rates charged for such incidental ser
vices. Railroads are compelled 10 furnish =
cars without discrimination for the move /
ment of traffic. After May, 1908. they
are confined In their business strictly 20 /
transportation by a provision forbidding /
them, after that date to transport for /
themselves anything but what Is intended
for their use as common carriers. Ex- I
perience has shown that the railroads /
cannot be trusted TO deal fairly in mat 4
ters OF transportation between themselves |
and their competitors In an outside bust /
ness.
The new law makes radical changes in /
the matter of the publication Of rates.
Under the old law, by means of what was /
called the midnight tariff. a railroad /
company gave favored shippers advance /
information of a contemplated reduction +
OF rate and Immediately restored the old /
rate when these shippers had profted by 1
T. Thirty days notice is now required /
of any change in the rates unless the /
commission, for good cause. mOdides the /
requirement.
Resembles National Banking act.
Again, the new law enables the com
mission 10 prescribe a uniform system /
OF accounting for railroads Under the (
old law the commission could call for /
report of the railroads and might ask 4
questions Of railroads, but 1t had no way
10 compel compliance with its request. /
and no penalty was provided in the law /
for failure to make the full report In /
der the new law, annual reports must be 4
made under oath, and penalties are pre-
scribed for failure to file them with the
commission within certain time.
The commission can call for monthly OF /
special reports. 1t may prescribe the 4
bookkeeping methods of the carrier and /
has access at al times through examin-
ers 10 the carriers books. The carrier is /
forbidden 10 keep any other books than
those prescribed. The commissions au-
thOritV under the new law o7-er fnta,-