Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-06-18

/ llshment of orderly government in the
island. The threatened instructions
were averted, peace and good order
restored, and the development of pro
ductlon, transportation, and commerce
resumed. Public order has been per
fectly kept, and at no time for a
century has the island been SO free
from marauding bands as under Ameri
can provisional administration. Local
and national elections are to be held
and the government again turned over
to the Cuban people.
Our Batteships Ride TriumphantIy
Around the Globe.
Our navy has been strengthened un.
til today we hold second place
among the naval powers in the world,
and our fleet Of battleships rides tri-
'unphantly around the GLOBE receiving
the friendly salutations Of the nations
conveying peace and good will to all
the people
The department of justice has pros.
ecuted its work with fidelity and dill
gence seeking to prevent violations of
federal law and to mete out meritori-
GUS punishment to the guilty. Its
most important work during the past
four years has been to defend the
soundness of the positions taken by
It relating to prosecutions under the
| Sherman antitrust law and the inter
state commerce law, by carrying pro-
ceed1ngs thus inaugurated through the
various courts and to final determin-
alton by the supreme court of the
United States, that the constitutions
ality of these acts might be adjudicat-
ed and settled.
The effort of the national govern.
ment to invoke that provision of the
federal constitution which empowers
congress to regulate commerce with
foreign nations and among the states
presented problems of the greatest
perplexity, the solution of which has
been attended with no little difficulty.
Without rehearsing the legislation
enacted to correct the evils and the
work Of enforcing these statutes, 1t IS
gratifying to know that the abuses
complained of are fast disappearing.
and carrier and shipper alike are CO.
operating in the enforcement of the
law, and what at one time threatened
to be a prOtracted and acrimonious
struggle is fast assuming peaceful
solution.
|
annual report for 1907, says:
1T means much for the present and
more for the future that the princ-
pies of this law have gained greatly
in general understanding and accept
ance by railway managers almost
without exception the amended law
has been accepted in good faith, and
they exhibit for the most part sin
i cere and earnest disposition to con-
form their methods to it's require
ments. To a gratifying extent there
has been readjustment Of rates and
correction Of abuses by the carriers
themselves. Methods and usages of
one sort and another which operated
to individual advantage have been vol
unfairly changed and it is not too
much to say that there is now free
dom from forbidden determinations
which is actual and general to a de-
gree never before approached"
| The commission further says:
| "It is in this general and marked
improvement in transportation condi-
tons that the commission observed its
special qualification. The amended
law, with it's enforceable remedies, the
wider recognition of it's fundamental
justice, the quickened sense of public
obligation on the part of railroad man
ayers, the clear perception of shippers
OF all classes that any individual ad-
vantage is morally. as well as legally,
indefensible, and the augmented influ.
ence of the commission resulting from
its increased authority have all com
bined to materially diminish offensive
practices of every sort and signally
promote the purposes for which tbs
law was enacted. This results in the
voluntary adjustment by the parties,
without resort to the commission, Of
a vast number of compromises, which
otherwise would ripen into complaint
and litigation, while in numerous in
| stances a settlement is effected by a
friendly Intervention, by the commits
sion through correspondence or per-
sonal interviews between the shipper
and carrier directly concerned
The rulings Of the commission are
generally and cheerfully accepted by
the carriers. The traffic officials of
the carriers have manifested, to a
commendable degree, a disposition
and willingness to fairly and carefully
consider the merits Of complaints thus
called to their attention by the COM
mission, and have voluntarily reduced
their rates and applied corrective
measures in numerous cases.
Interstate Transformation Was Never
So Clean.
In communication from one of the
commissioners on the 5th of the pres
ent month the statement is made that
Interstate transportation was never
so clean and free from unfair and I'M
lawful practices as at this moment. 1t
may be that here and there venture
some and reckless railroad officials
still indulge in rebates or take other
measures to give special privileges to
favored shipper. If SO, they will be
detected sooner or later and adequate
ly punished, but among the great mass
of railroad officials there is an honest
and firm effort to cooperate with the
commission in the observance of the
law
"The law has also commanded the
respect and obedience of the shipper.
From all the letters which can be
secured, I believe we are justified in
| saving that this GREAT opd yay;,p