Rocky Ford enterprise., 1907-07-26
WHAT Is NEEDED
RAILROAD COMMISSION DE.
MANos MORE POWER.
WILL ASK AID OF CONGRESS-
Would Control capitalization. to pro.
vent Watering Of Corporation
Stocks

Stocks.
Washington.-Frankl X. Lane. q
member OF the Interstate Commerce
Commission, gave out u prepared inter
view. designed to let the railroads.
and the public generally. know what
the commission wants in thn way OF
further federal Legislation to extend
the functions Of that body to the point
nearest perfect usefulness To the conn-
try. Mr.. Lane does not pretend 10
speak Officially on behalf of the CON.
mission as whole. but poll OF the
Individual members would reveal
views practically identical with those
held by MIR. Lane. Commissioner Lane
says that now that the commission
has gained a really practical point OF
usefulness, legislation IL needed To
cover the following important points
demanded To reach compIetion:
The commission wants III. power 10
make rules governing such matters M
the furnishing Of ears to shippers
II wants the power I" control tho
movement. of cars ut n minimum rate
after thcy are loaded.
II wants to have plenhry power TO
control the matter OF the capitalization
Il railroads,
II wants to be- given power to pro-
vent the watering Of railroads stocks.
II wants more power soSernln. tho
movement Of freight To consi.nccs.
These points in brief" explained
Commissioner Lane. cover the mast
important features Of raIiroadin. over
which the commission dcsircs to haso
comprehensive authority.
1t was held by the Supreme Court,
as In gcn rally known he continued.
that prior to recent enactment The
commits sion was without power In M
rates Ia n way that would mean foi''S
TO shippers. Under an act .i III. last
Congress. express companies .ni sleep
Ing cnr companies were brought nn'
der tn. Jurisdiction at III" commission.
1--WE have exercised til. power on ~
prcHs rompsnics.' con,iucJ Commits
rIonrr Lane. ''and recently coniplr'n's
have been filed with us respecting
rates charged by the Pullman com
pany.
The commission wsa also given
power under the Hepburn act To ipsu
iuic n uniform accnuniin. fpr NIL inter.
stat. carriers In the United Siai.s.
which IRE some 200 In nnnlb"r and
operating approximately 80. 900 mI'cs
q ufackas- In the country. This nyn-
tom of accounting has Just been pns
into effect.
we also no~ hay. the power TO cs-
anime the books of all rliirosdt.
"You asked me what thc commission
has done: what IL has accomplished
We have spent n considerable portion
of our time during the past year 10 tho
preparation for the accomplishing nt "f
greater uniformity In IN" practice aud
m-thoin of railroads ;hroushou, the
country rem, rally.
"a very Considerable par. Of our
work has been IN. constituting of acts
Of CohLr.Hs. 40 that the railroads. nm
der all sorts IL conditions and eirrnin.
stances. may know what IN required
OF them.
~ strong effort viii undoubtedly hI
made ifins III" neat nrs don ~ Con-
ETcgN to have the Interstate Commerce
Commission granted power To mako
and .nfofc. rules governing tho matter
Of furnishing cars to shippers. and tho
movement Of ears at some minimum
rate after the cars are loTicsi. Th,f"
IL no donb, a strong movement IN in.
yor q! bringing under ;hc control ot
the commission. or some other federal
body. the supervision of all the work u
capitaiiEins railroads, Ia urirr that tho
watering of stock and other nbuncH In.
furious 10 the public at large may bo
made impossible.
The work of the cpmmIsEion has
been largely devoted to the EupprB-
sion Of DETERMINATIONS In i,Nc. of
one locality and against another loca-
ton similarity situated 10 that tn. 10.
c!,Ii,y Disseminated against ihborci up-
der n handicap which brought uponIta
handicap which bf frisht upon u -
great aad dangerous loss. We have
practically stopped discrimination az
bet tvcen individuals.
THE commission now has the rover
to mako point IA - ans through rrrtrs
SO that II II not possible for a railroad
to refuse an alliance with another, ard
smaller road. where there has never
been through route" concluded Mr.
Lane. In his summing up Of conditions.
We have power also to require rail-
road TO make connections with tho
main road-thc two roadH being owned
and operated by separate bands of
capitaliuts-so that the larger road is
not able TO Kill or even cripple the
smaller road.
"wc are crushing monopoly: We arc
putting all men and all business con
Germs dealing with railroads upon
common level OF privilege. and We will
not allow railroads TO control indus
tries by offering rebates TO certain mon
and trying TO murder smaller concerns.
That sums the situation up according
to our work Of today"