The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-01-16
GEO. M. JACOBS, President.
MYRoN CARLETON. loueH, Editor
l. M. DAVIS, Business Manager.
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTIONS.
nLAW as a REMEnY.ei

enormous traffic throughout the coun-
try. appeared in The New York Times
OF December 9th last:
Our inquiries at the cointry's traf.
flc centres did not reveal any single
cause Of the shortage Of cars which
is annoying every railway, every ship.
per, and every consumer of anything
transported by railway The unfeeling
railway men seem to think that there
is nothing to do but to work out Of
the congestion as best we may, but
down at Washington the wise men
know better than that. The true rem.
edy is to give power to the wise and
strong men who who are charged,
IL is true. with other matters, but who
would have no objection to taking
charge OF any other small Jobs which
are badly attended to. The President
has taken mp the subject with the In
ter-state Commerce Commission AMI
has asked them to draft drastic rem
ediai legislation giving them power
III constitutional objections can be
overcome" to compel any railroad to
forward an adequate number of cars
to any point at any time of emer-
gency." This Is thorough, but too
slow for Senator Hansbrough's taste.
He is to the fore with the project Of
law ito compel the railroads to antici-
pate extraordinary movements of
commodities. and TO take care Of such
shipments when they are offered"
These are excellent remedies. The
only defect is that they are applied sole.
ly to the railways 1t would be de-
riscry to suggest that Congress should
pass an act enabling, or rather "com.
peIIing" all or us TO be foresighted
and forehanded. We would not make
any such absurd suggestion as that,
but recommend only that the inter.
State Commerce Commission, or the
President, or both, should have power
over all directly concerned. On Christ.
mas Day, for instance. there were a..
900 cars idle al galveston because
shippers would not unload them Is
IT not clear how much the situation
would be relieved IL the Interstate
Commission had authority to order ev.
cry shipper to provide himself with
storage facilities adequate to enable
him to take the goods out of the cars
and turn them back for other loads?
Then there are the Northwestern coal
dealers who refused to stock up be-
cause freight rates would be cheaper
in thirty days. upon the expiration Of
the notice required by law. Can any.
body fail to see how 1T would help
everybody II the commission had pow
er to order such backward merchants
to stock up in anticipation Of what
has overtaken them2 Then there are
the car factories which have provided
a capacity for construction of only
10000 cars a year, where as the rail-
ways need sto.ooo; 70 say nothing Of
Iepa,rs. surely nobody could object
70 'he commission ordering the car
companies e. increase their capacity
ioi.n Win Sleariy nobody receiving
saea ofpers wonia pc heard TO plead
'nae 'ney eeala not get the labor, or
me material, Or me capital for such
WORK. ana mat each and all Of them
were DONG ah that was humanity pos
s'p'e without orders. because it was
ior their pasueular interest so to do.
IN particular nobody would be heard
10 say that interference by outsiders
would only compheate matters and
make fresh stronhle.i For example,
upon arbitrary instructions coal has
oeen sent 70 the Northwest, and there
are complaints that all other freight
ana passenger atrafiic has been disor-
aered, With balance Of hardship to