Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-08-20

as the binding Of the arteries or veins
! leading to a member of The human
body destroys its life.
Failure of Old Interstate Commerce
Law and Causes.
The result of twenty years opera,
ton under the interstate commerce act
of 1887. passed to restrain abuses of
just discrimination and unreasona-
bleness of rates. was that the railroads
came 10 regard the action Of the com
mission II created as of no importance.
The delays. due to the necessity of re-
sorting to the courts to try out the
merits of every order of the commits
sion, before IL became effective, made
the remedy Of the complaining shipper
or locality so slow and burdensome
that in contested cases, it was no
remedy at all The commission was
not. under the old act authorized To
fix reasonable rates. 1t could only
say that particular rate was unreason-
able and order a railroad to change
its rate and make II reasonable. The
railroad might fix new rate at any
thing less than the rate derlared to he
Jnf esasonabie, ana II the reduction
made was not sufficient, a new action
had TO be brought to decide that the
new rate was also unreasonable.
President Rooseyclts Recommcnda-
tion-New Rate Bill.
Made aware of the moribund condi
ton Of railroad regulation under the
old law and of the widespread abuses
which prevailed in railway manage
mcnt, President Roosevelt recon-
mendcd that the powers of the COM
mission be largely increased by first 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 II be made an administra
tive tribunal with real power. This
was done by the passage of the rate
the commission to fix rates and gives
efficacy to all of its orders by provid-
ing that they shall go into effect thirty
DAYS after they are made. unless sus-'
pended by an order of court, and fail
ure to comply with them is punishable
by a fine Of $1,000 a day during the
delinquency. Express companies,
sleeping car companies, and oil pipe
line companies are brought under the
Jurisdiction of the commission as COM
mon carriers.
The new law requires the publica-
ton of rates charged for such inciden-
tai services. Railroads are compelled
to furnish cars without discrimination
for the movement of traffic. After
May, 1908, they are confined in their
business strictly to transportation by
n provision forbidding them, after that
date TO transport for themselves any
thing but what Is intended for their
use as common CARRIERS The new
law makes radical changes In the mat
ter of publication of rates. Under the
old law by means of what was called |
HNHnHaH n
psny gave favored shippers advance 1
Information of a contemplated reduc- /
lion OF rate and Immediately restored |
he old rate when these shippers had |
profited by H. Thirty days notice Is ]
now required of any change I'm the =
rates unless the commission, for good 4
,ause. modines the requirement.
Resembles National Banking Act.
Again. the new law enables the COM
mission to prescribe a uniform system
Il accounting for railroads. Under the
I'D law the commission could call Tor
report of the railroads; might ask
questions OF railroads, hut IL had no
way to compel a compliance with us
'equest Under the new law, annual
eports must be made under oath. and
penalties are prescribed for failure 20
lie them. The carrier Is forbidden to
lcep any other books than those pre-
cribed. The commissions authority.
lnder the new law. Is thus in many re-
poets like that Of the comptroller OF
he currency over national banks,
which has the confidence and approval
4 the country.
sreat Opposition by Railroad~--
heir Arguments Against Bill. 4
Never before was there such q
United opposition by the railroad IN
erests to any national measure ~
hey instituted against the rate bill
The objections urged against u
fere three. First. b was said TO be un 4
nwisc departure from the laissez
aire doctrine Of as fittle doctrine as
.ossible. and was a long step toward /
ocialism and government ownership.
outraged Public Opinion Carried
he Blll
The revelations Of infidelity o. trust
hliEationE in the insurance investiga-
ions IN New York. the fraudulent dis
In the traffic Of the coal
arryinE roads disclosed by the in
uiry made by the interstate commerce
ommission and the disclosure Of Sc ,
ret rebates on an enormous scale
ranted the Standard OIL company bs 4.
ne railroads In the report of Mr. Car
ED. as commissioner Of corporations,
vercame such a specious argument.
reated a strong public opinion In IA
OF Of a radical remedy against an
ishonest corporate practices and held !