Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-12-05
Federal Control of
Railroads In Favored.


mo small part of the trouble that we
have comes from carrying to an ex-
IRENE the national virtue of self-re-
lance. of independence in initiative
and action. 1t is wise to conserve this
virtue and to provide for it's fullest ex-
ercise, compatible with seeing that lib
erty does not become a liberty to
wrong others. Unfortunately, this is
the kind of liberty that the lack of all
effective regulation inevitably breeds,
The founders of the constitution pro-
vided that the national government
should have complete and sole control
of interstate commerce. There was
then practically no interstate business
save such as was conducted by water,
and this the national government at
once proceeded to regulate In thorough
going and effective fashion. Condi-
tions have now so wholly changed that
the interstate mme by water Is in
significant compared with the amount
that goes by land, and almost all big
business concerns are now engaged ir
interstate commerce. AS a result, II
can be but partially and imperfectlS
controlled or regulated by the action Of
any one Of the several states; such &C.
ton inevitably tending to be either too
drastic or else too lax. and in either
cast AlSlcNllNc lpI pun pD5tS u JUSTICE
Only the national government can il
thoroughgoing fashion exercise thu
needed control. This does not meal
that there should be any extension o
federal authority. for such authorit,
already exists under the constitution il
amplest and most far-reaching form
but IL does mean hat there should b
an extension of federal activity. Thi
is not advocating Capitalization 1t i
merely looking facts in the face, an
realizing that Capitalization in bushes
ha already come and can not be avoid
ed or undone, and that the public a
large can only protect itself from cer
tain evil effects of this business cen
tralization by providing better method
for the exercise of control through TIL
authority already centralized in til
national government by the constitu
ton itself. There must be no halt /
the healthy constructive course of az
ton which this nation has elected
pursue, and has steadily pursued. dul
ing the last six years. as shown both
the legislation of the congress and Il
administration of the law by the d,
partment of justice. The most Wit,
need is in connection with the railroad
AS to these, in my judgment the,
should now be either a national inco
poration act or a law licensing railws
companies TO engage in interstate cor
merce upon certain conditions. The la
should be so framed as to give to ii
interstate commission pow
to pass upon the future issue of secur
ties. while ample means should be DR.
vided to enable the commission. whe
ever in it's judgment 1t is necessary,
make a physical valuation Of any raj
road. AS / stated In my message to t
congress a year ago railroads shou
be given power to enter into. agre
ments. subject to these agreements b
ing made public in minute detail and
the consent OF the Interstate CONNER
commission being first obtained. I'm
the national government assum
proper control of interstate CONNER,
in the exercise OF the authority ii /
ready possesses. 1t will be impossig
either to give to or to get from [
railroads full Justice. The railroa
and all other great corporations W
do well TO recognize that this cont
must come: the only question Is as
what governmental body can mo
wisely exercise II. The courts will I
terIglnc the limits within which /
federal authority can exercise 1t, q
there VIII still remain ample wa
within each state for the railway co
mission of that state: and the natioi
interstate commission VI
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