Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-03

vided that the national government should have complete and sole control of interstate commerce. There was then practically no interstate busi- ness save such as was conducted by : water, and this the national govern ment at once proceeded to regulate in thoroughgoing and effective fashion. Conditions have now so wholly chang ed that the interstate commerce by water is insignificant compared with the amount that goes by land, and al- most all big business concerns are now engaged in interstate commerce. As a result, 1t can be but partially and i'm perfectly, controlled or regulated by | the action of any one of the several states, such action inevitably tending to be either too drastic or else too lax and in either case ineffective for pur- poses of justice. Only the national government can in thoroughgoing fash ion exercise the needed control. This does not mean that there should be any extension of federal authority, for such authority already exists under the constitution in amplest and noeJ far reaching form, but it does mean federal activity. This is not advocat- ing centralization. It is merely looking facts in the face and realizing that centralization in business has already come and cannot be avoided or undone and that the public at large can only protect itself from certain evil effects of this business centralization by pro- viding better methods for the exercise of control through the authority al- ready centralized in the national gov ernment by the constitution itself. There must be no halt in the healthy constructive course of action which this nation has elected to pursue and has steadily pursued during the last six years, as shown both in the legis- lation of the congress and the admin
 istration of the law by the depart
 ment of justice. The most vital need is in connection with the railroads. AS to these, in my judgment, there should now be either national incorporation act or law licensing railway compa nies to engage in interstate commerce upon certain conditions. The law should be so framed as to give to the interstate commerce commission pow
 CT to pass upon the future issue of se curities, while ample means should be provided to enable the commission, whenever in it's judgment it is neces- sary, to make a physical valuation of any railroad. AS stated in my mes sage to the congress year ago, rail roads should be given power to enter into agreements subject to these agree ments being made public in minute de- tail and to the consent of the inter- l state commerce commission being first 1 obtained. Until the national govern ment assumes proper control of inter- state commerce in the exercise of the authority 1t already possesses it will ! be impossible either to give to or to get from the railroads full justice. The railroads and all other great corpora tions will do well to recognize that this control must come. The only question i is as to what governmental body can most wisely exercise it. The courts will determine the limits within which . the federal authority can exercise it., and there will still remain ample work f within each state for the railway com mission of that state. and the national
 interstate commerce commission will
 work in harmony with the several state commissions. each within its own province, to achieve the desired end.