Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-06-26

tive should attend the meetings Of the
railroad traffic associations. where an
matters pertaining to the movement Of
traffic. rules. rates, and regulations
governing same, could be discussed be-
tween the officers OF the roads and the
representative of the government.
IA Reasonable Time for Delivery.
The railroads should fix a reasona-
BILE time in which the freight is to be
delivered to the c~onsignees. The limit
should be abundantly reasonable. he
cause the nature Of the freight bust
ness, over which the railroads cannot
always control, demands a great deal
of liberality in its movement, hut | be-
iieve some of the time now consumed
in such delivery should be and could
be saved. to the profit of both the con-
signees and the railroads. Such a reg
ulation could he worked out that
would be of mutual interest to the
railroads and the shippers,
S.-Relation of State and Federal
Power.
Where the state regulation Of rates
or state legislation on other railroad
subjects, directly affects interstate
commerce, the federal authority
should rule. For instance. let us as-
sumo that the rate from Denver to st,
Louis is $50, made up OF 81 from
Denver to the Missouri river and SO
cents local from the Missouri river ia
81. Louis. If Missouri should reduce
the local rate in Missouri to 80 cents,
it would make the Interstate rate
$40. which means, in effect, that the
rate on commerce between states has
been fixed by the state commissioners
instead of the federal commissioners.
This is only one of the numerous cases
and Is the same as is taking place In
all the states ana territories where
state legislation. by reducing state
rates, is establishing the rate on the
Interstate commerce. while our ma
tional commissioners, at Washington.
although authorized by specific act of
congress, charged with the duty, and
the only body authorized by law To
make such regulations, seem powerless
to prevent the disturbances of the in
terstate rates.
Such cases, which can be multiplied
indefinitely, point to a conclusion thai
the federal regulation over rates
should be widely extended. | am far
from being an enemy of the rights of
any state i'm the union, but | do not I'M
derstand that these rights give a state
the right TO regulate the rates nor to
make regulations to govern the
of traffic between states.
nNu,a, go corrorations orthori9ed to
nnrngc IL hondlin~ interstata train
itS"SN - thorttv or h,, "a,
roct suncrvision shouId moi take ava =
any of the power of the state $ over
purely interstate traffic. If the inter-
commerce commissioners should
entire country after using all tho in
- 49,. 49,. go "a NAl flA
machinery of the government to add
just and establish n scale of rates thar
fair and equitable, II is not right
that the power of the various states,
by their separate acts, can break
down the entire fabric OF rates so
fixed by power granted by congress.
is, however. no doubt that the
state can regulate the traflc or rall-
road, telephone, telegraph, water, gas,
or other like companies when are eN-
clusiVely state institutions.
For instance. a railroad from Chi
cagO to East st. Louis which does not
In handling Interstate tratnc
is subject to the jurisdiction OF the
state of Illinois alunc. when, now
1t engages in interstate trafhc,
by interchanging with other roads eM-
tending beyond the state OF llilnols II
thereby becomes Interstate and It's sit
under the law is entirely
changed. 1t has become subject 10
the whole body of the federal law re-
latinR to interstate common carriers,
and has removed itself o all state
governing the same subject
Thereafter, the state OF illinois may
not, under the guise of a local law
reduce It's interstate rates, but such
power resides only In the federal gov
eminent.
The importance of The Commission.
Il srono of the interstate CONF
com ission sho,,1d be sufG-
niontf,, h,.aad ma ~ limo not Nm
1istan, f,ii onforcemant Of tho law