The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-01
iii my last messnge to the Congress-,
Even though II were possible, should

tnn,ntaln tiielr own dignity. and III
order that they may IL effeetive man. I.
nes ssdk dsoFder ana yiGs sa co
arises, uses It fearlessiy. confers lie
lgreatest service upon our people, aud
servant SET should be heartily recsgilised.
But there is no question III my mind
that II has some times been used heed.
lessly and unjustly. and that some Of
the inJunctions Issued inf1iut grave and
those clijoined.
Tl,is matter is daily becoming OF
Ernver Importance and I cannot too
care f as e tSe sa
! ject. II gone way Of remedylng the
abuses. is not found he feeling of In
| dignation against them among large
numbers OF our citizens will tend TO
volt against the whole use Of the pro-
cess of Injunction.
To Submit Further Views.
1t is my purpose as soon as may DO
" submit some further recommends.
lions ~ reference to our lnws re ulat-
2f Federal authority. a very recent
United States rendered since this mes.
REACHING import and OF very serious
probable consequences. has modiftd
the previously entertained views on the
powers OF the Congress In the prcni os
70 such q degree as to make necessary
careful consideration OF the opin'o ns
therein filed before It Is possible def.
snltely to decide in what manner to call
the matter to your attention..
Power to Fuss on Rites.
There should be such action ~ laws
tn H,fa N ,S,fM
" concerns enga Eol In inter-
state commerce, and especially over
the great common carrie ra. The ill.,
ierstate Commerce Commission .,lnu!d
or practice on5its own Initiative. More.
over. It should be provided That when.
eyer the commission has reason TO be-
s nesit mat q proposed advance In i rate
ttigntion. 1t should have authority to
issue al order. prohibiting the advance
pending examination by the commits
s s,o1 In some form the Fed-
S Seni government should exercise su-
OF our interstate railroads. In no other
way can justice be done between tho
t eheiss cha ana the IS public which pay
think that the Federal government
must also assume a certain measure
o. o. control over the physical operation
~ :. !, rai IVY IN the handling Of inter-
authority to establish Through a ~ routes ties
and joint. rates. In order to make
tnis provision effective and in order.
70 Pro promote IN times Of necessity tic
I must also have authority to determine
The conditions upon which cars shall
pc fnterchanged between different n.
t f, railways. It is also probable
horlty. In particular instances, to de-
lernihe the schedule upon which per-
shable commodities shall be moved.
Form Trnfflc Associations.
l desire to rcpe at my Recommendation.
tt ,.at., railways be permitted TO form
ra tes, regulations and practices affect
ing interstate business in which the
members of the association are mu-
taaily interested. This does not mean
POOL their earnings or their traffic.
The law requires that rates shall be
SO adjusted as not to discriminate be.
tween an Individual localities or differs
by all competing lines must be the
same. AS applied to prac ical condl-
tons, the railway operations of this
country cannot be conducted accord
ing ! TO law without what is equivalent
TO conference and agreement. The ar
tlcles under which such associations
operate should be approved by the COM
mission: all their operations should be
S 10 public inspection;. and the
which they. agree should be subject to
dfsapproval by the commission, "A
! urge TINS last provision With the
sam same earnestness that I do the others.
cilities by private capital. Those ia
c1lities will not be adequate unless the
capital employed is assured OF just
treatment and an adequate return. In
believe that. considering the Interests
of he public alone, 1t Is better to
allow too liberal rather TRAN too scarty
earnings. for, otherwise. there Is grave
danger that our railway development
may not keep pace with the demand
for transports ton. But the funda-
mental idea that these ranways are
public highways must be recognized,
ard they must be open to the wh,c
PUBLIC upon equal terms and upon rea-
sonable terms.
Some Combines Useful.
IN reference to the Sherman anti
trust law. ] repeat the recommends
tions made in my message at the open
ing OF the present Congress, as well
gress. The attempt in this law to pro-
vide in sweeping terms against ali
combinat lions of whatever character, IL
technically in restraint OF trade as such
courts, must necessarily be either futile
or mischievous, and sometimes both
The present law makes some combira-
lions illegal although they may be
useful to the country. On the other
| hard, as to some huge combinations
which are both noxious and illegal.
even II the. notion und ertaken against
them under the law by the govern
ment is successful. the result may be
to work but minimum benefit to the
public, Even though the cam blnation
be broken up and a small measure of
aimed at cannot be obtained for such
real good can como only by thor
ough and continuing supervision over
the acts Of the combination in all Its