Gloucester County Democrat., 1908-07-16

eommission, such valuation to take
into consideration the physical value
of the property, the original cost of
reproduction and all elements of value
that will render the valuation made
| fair and just.
We favor such legislation as viii pro-
hibit the railroads from engaging in
business which brings them into COM
petition with their shippers, also Iegis-
iation which will assure such reduc-
ton in transportation rates as condi-
tions will permit, care being taken to
avoid reductions that would compel a
reduction of wages, prevent adequate
service or do injustice to legitimate in
yestments. We heartily approve the
laws prohibiting the pass and the re-
bate, and we favor any further neces-
sary legislation to restrain, control and
prevent such abuses.
/ We favor such legislation as will in
crease the power of the interstate COM
meree commission, giving to it the in
itiative with reference to rates and
transportation charges put into effect
by the railroad companies, and permit
ting the interstate commerce commits
sion on its own initiative to declare a
rate Illegal and as being more than
should be charged for such service;
that the present law relating thereto
is inadequate by reason of the fact
! that the interstate commerce commits
sion is without power to fix or investi-
gate a rate until complaint has been
made to it by the shipper.
We further declare that all agree
ments of traffic or other associations
of railway agents affecting interstate
rates, service or classification shall be
unlawful unless fled with and approx
ed by the interstate commerce commits
sion.
We favor the enactment of a law
giving to the interstate commerce com
mission the power to inspect proposed
railroad tariff rates or schedules before
they shall take effect, and if they be
found to be unreasonable to initiate
an adjustment thereof
Believing with JEFF
The Rights ferson in "the sup
of the States. port of the state
governments in all
their rights as the most competent adj
ministration for our domestic concerns
and the surest bulwark against anti
republican tendencies" and in "the
preservation of the general government
in its whole constitutional vigor as the
sheet anchor of our peace at home and
the safety abroad we are opposed to
the Capitalization implied in these sug-
gestions, now frequently made, that
the powers of the general government
should be extended by judicial con-
struction.
There is no twilight zone between the
nation and the state in which exploit
ing interests can take refuge from
both, and it is as necessary that the
federal government shall exercise the
powers delegated to it as it is that the
state governments shall use the author,
ity reserved to them, but we insist that
federal remedies for the regulation of
interstate commerce and for the pre-
yention of private monopoly shall be
added to, not substituted for, state
remedies.
The Republican con-
Economy In gress in session just
Administration. ended has made ap-
preparations amount
ling to 81, 1,00S,000,00O, exceeding the to-
tai expenditures of the past fiscal year
by $90,000,000 and leaving a deficit of
more than $60,o00,000 for the fiscal
year. We denounce the needless waste
of the peoples money, which has re-
suited in this appalling increase, as a
shameful violation of all prudent con-
ditions of government as no less than a
crime against the millions of working
men and women from whose earnings
the great proportion of these colossal
Isums must be extorted through exces-
Isive tariff exactions and other indirect
methods 1t is not surprising that in
the face of this shocking record the
Republican platform contains no refer
ence to economical administration or
lpromise thereof in the future. We de-
mand that stop be put to this fright
full extravaganza and insist upon the
strictest economy In every department
compatible with frugal and efficient
administration
Coincident with the
ofTcehoIders. enormous increase in
expenditures is
like addition to the number of Office
holders. During the past year 23,784
were added. costing SIG, 900. and in
the past six years OF the Republican
administration the total number of
new offices created, aside from many
commissions, has been 99,319, entailing
an additional expenditure of nearly
$70,000,000, as against only 1929 new
Offices created under the Cleveland and
Mckinley administrations, which in
volyed an expenditure of only $6,000,-
900. We denounce this great and grow
ing increase In the number of Office