The Washington herald., 1908-03-16
MAGNATE IS tanned
Railroad Mans" Letter Must
Delight President.
HE LIKES TO BE REGULATED
Has Really Some Affection for the
People, 1t Seems, and Proper Re-
gard for the Men Who Run the
Trains-Suggests that the Property
of Railroads BE Valued.

;.ave been received at the White House
from "a man Of prominence in the rail-
road word, who finds no cause for quar-
rel with the Hepburn act or other regula-
tive legislation" really did come from
a person capable Of being described in
those terms, the administration has AZ
last discovered a railroad magnate after
its own heart.
This letter is given out, together with
the statement that ii is proof that the
railroad managers Of the United States
are not a unit in their opposition TO the
policies of the President" The docu-
ment in question is as follows:
The things you have accomplished
in the direction Of regulation and con
troi Of railroad and other corporations
are Of two kinds:
"A-The enforcement Of existing laws
i. The Erdman act. This law. pro-
Viding for board OF conciliauon and
arbitration for settlement OF labor dis
putes. had been on the statute books
without effort at enforcement since 1885
You have in many cases carried its pro-
visions into effect and have made Il an
effective force in settling controversies
l
avoiding strikes and interferences with
the operations Of commerce. In cases
in which the operation of the law has
not resulted in absolute settlement Of a
dispute. II has served a beneficial pur-
pose in making clear 10 the public the
claims of the parties 70 the dispute
This insures a method OF publicity Of the
causes and motives IN any pending labor
troubles. enabling the pubic-the really
interested party-to judge fairly and i'm
partially Of the respective claims Of the
contending factions
Caring for the Brutes.
- The live stock transportation act:
This law. confning within humanitarian
limits the time within which stock can
be confined in cars for transportation
without rest and food, although many
years on the statute book, had never
been efficiently enforced. Its drastic en-
f0rCement under the present administra-
tion has resulted in the imposition Of
many fines upon the carriers guilty Of
violation OF il, and has compelled uni
versal respect and obedience for its hu-
msne provisions.
g. The safety appliance act. This act.
designed 20 protect railroad employees
I from unnecessary hazards in their en-
( ployment. and the travelling public from
| the dangers Of travel. mas been drastcally
and impartially enforced. Many prosecu-
Z tons have been carried 70 successful con
clusi0n, resulting not only In large fines
upon the railroads. but Ia a generally i'm
proved condition Of the equipment Of the
railroads in this respect, and greater vigi-
( lance on the part OF the railroad COM
D&nies in providing proper safety appli-
ances and keeping them IN constant re-
pair.
/ r. The sherman antitrust act: The en-
fOrcement of this law IN the Northern
/ Securities case not only dissolved thai
important merger. but put an end TO fur
ther practices in that direction. and has
been the indirect cause Of the dissolution
Of other mergers in violation OF the law.
| The voluntary surrender by the Union
Pacific and Rock Island OF their control
Of the Chicago and Alton is directly trace
able 20 the results Of the Northern Securi-
ties case and the attitude of the admins
1 tTatiOn toward such infraCtiOns Of the
antitrust act Numberless prosecutions
by the Department Of Justice OF violations
/ Of this law have been successfully carried
on against not only railroads. but manu-
/ facturers and commercial organizations Of
I all kinds. whose combinations 10 sustain
prices and otherwise TO evade the law
have been as impartially attacked by the
administration as the similar acts Of the
railroad companies.
says Rebates Are Gone.
"5. The EIkins act: This act, which is
lpopularly supposed to have been passed
in the interests Of the railroads. and
which repealed the Imprisonment clause
of the interstate commerce act. has been
converted into an effective instrument for
the punishment and prevention of the
crima of rebating Through the enforce
ment of this act, many heavy fines E..v.
been imposed upon both carriers and
shippers. The result OF such prosecutions
has been TO make rebatlng as a practice
too unsafe 10 be indulged in. and it is
universally conceded that the evil has
thus been effectively stamped out
'B-The enactment OF new laws; Chief
among these is u the Hepburn act
Among the many provisions of this law
are the following: (a) The subjectiOn 70
the law not only Of railroad companies.
but Of express companies. sleeping car
companies. fast freight and refrigerator
lines. terminal railroads. and pipe lines;
(b) the restoration Of the provision for
Imprisonment for rebatng: (c) the re-
Quirement for a uniform accounting by
railroads. The enforcement of this pro-
vision has been prompt. comprehensive.
and productive OF good results The rail-
roads now make monthly reports TO the
Interstate Commerce Commission, and
through the commission TO the public Of
the result Of their operations. The policy
of publicity has thus been effectively as
serted and enforced.
WOuId Value Railroads.
This provision can further be made
effective in determining the value Of rail-
road properties under the requirement
that railroads shall report the cost and
value Of the carriers property. franchises.
and equipment coupled with authority to
the commission to employ special agents
or examiners, who shall have authority
under the order of the commission to in
spect and examine any and all accounts,
records, and memoranda kept by such
carriers.
.. The employers liability act: Under
this act the policy of requiring fair and
adequate compensation by the employer
to the empioye from injuries resulting
from the negligence Of the employer is as
| serted Although the act has been held
unconstitutional. as including within its
provisions certain of the operations Of the
railroads not subject to the act to regu-
late commerce, It will probably be passed
In an amended form, which, while renov-
ing this objection. Will still effectively
assert and enforce the principal provisions
| OF the original act.
"3. The hours OF labor law: This act
enforces humane treatment of railroad
| employees engaged IL the hazardous and
/ - H.