Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-07-28
What Roosevelt Has Done.

that BODIED we'll for the future of the
country.
What Roosevelt Has Done.
The man who formulated the ex-
preston of the popular conscience
and who led the movement for prac-
tical reform was Theodore Roosevelt
He laid down the doctrine that the
rich violator OF the law should be as
amenable to restraint and punishment
as the offender without wealth and
without influence, and he proceeded
by recommending legislation and di-
rccting executive action to make that
principle good in actual performance
He secured the passage of the social
ed rate bill, designed more effectively
to restrain excessive and fix reason
bates and determinations which had
been general in the practice of the
railroads, and which had done much
to enable unlawful trusts to drive out
of busines their competitors. 1t Sc
cured much closer supervision of rail
way transactions and brought WITHIN
the operation of the same statute ex-
press companies, sleeping car compa-
MES, fast freight and refrigerator
lines, terminal railroads and pipe
lines, and forbade in future the COM
bination of the transportation and
shipping business under one control
in order to avoid undue discrimina-
ton
Necessary to Devise Some Means of
Permanently Securing Progress
Made.
"Nir. Roosevelt has set high the
standard of business morality and obe-
dence TO law. The railroad rate bill
was more useful possibly in the i'm
mediate moral effect of its passage
,, than even in the legal effect of its
very useful provisions. From its
enactment dates the voluntary aban-
donment of the practice of rebates and
DETERMINATIONS by the railroads and
the return by their managers to ODE.
dience to law in the fixing of tariffs.
| The pure food and meat inspection
laws and the prosecutions directed by
! the President under the antitrust law
have had similar moral effect in the
general business community and have
made it now the common practice for
the great industrial corporations to
consult the law with view to keep
ing within its provisions. 1t has also
had the effect of protecting and en-
couraging smaller competitive com
panies so that they have been enabled
to do a profitable business.
But we should be blind to the or.
dinary working of human nature II
we did not recognize that the moral
standards set by President Roosevelt
will not continue to be observed by
those whom cupidity and desire for
financial power may tempt, unless the
requisite machinery is introduced in
to the law which shall in it's practical
operation maintain these standards
and secure the country against a de-
parture from them.
Chief Function Of Next Adminstra.
ton to CIinch What Has Been
Done.
"The chief function of the next Ad.
ministration, in my judgment, is dis
tinct from, and a progressive develop
ment of that which has been perform
ed by President Roosevelt. The chief
function of the next Administration is
to complete and perfect the machin,
cry by which these standards may be
maintained, by which the lawbreakers
may be promptly restrained and pun
ished, but which shall operate with
sufficient accuracy and dispatch to in.
|terfere with legitimate business as
little as possible. Such machinery
is not now adequate. Under the pres
Clll IdtC Jill, dIlu uiiuOi GA lto oAiShu
ments the burden Of the, Interstate
Commerce Commission in supervising
and regulating the operation Of the
railroads of this country has grown
so heavy that it is utterly impossible
for that tribunal to hear and dispose
in any reasonable time, of the many
complaints, queries and issues that
are brought before it for decision. II
fought to be relieved of its jurisdiction
as an executive, directing body, and
it's functions should be limited to. the
Iquasi-judicial investigation of com
plants by individuals and by de
partment of the government charged
with the executive business of super
vising the operation Of railways.
There should be a classification Of
that very small percentage Of indus
trial corporations having power and
opportunity to effect illegal restrains
Of trade and monopolies, and legisla
tion either inducing or compelling
s38 i 8sf. ffs 81 tsss XIX