The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-08-19

Under the present rate Dill, n
under all its amendments, the bur-
den Of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission 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 reason
able time, of the many complaints,
queries and issues that are brought
before it for decision. 1t ought to be
| relieved of it's jurisdiction as an eX-
ecutive. directing body, and its func-
lions should be limited to the quasi
judicial investigation of complaints
by individuals and by a department
of the Government charged with the
executive business of supervising 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 restraints
of trade and ~monopolies, and legis-
lation either inducing or compelling
them to subject themselves to regis
try and to proper publicity regula-
lions and supervision Of the Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor.
Railway Traffic Agreements.
1t is agreeable to note in this re-
gard that the Republican platform
expressly, and the Democratic plat
form implicitly, approve an amend
ment to the interstate commerce law
by which interstate railroads may
make useful traffic agreements If ap-
proved by the commission.
Valuation Of Railways.
It is clear that the sum of all rates
or receipts of a railway, less proper
expenses, should be limited to a fair
profit upon the reasonable value OF
it's property, and that if the sum ex-
ceeds this measure it ought to be re-
duced.
The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion has now the power to ascertain
the value of the physical railroad
property, if necessary, in determin-
ing the reasonableness of rates. If
the machinery for doing so is not ad-
equate, as is probable, it should be
made so.
Control Of Corporations.
The fact is that nearly all corpora
lions doing a commercial business are
engaged in interstate commerce, and
if they all were required to take out
a Federal license or a Federal char
ter, the burden upon the interstate
business of the country would be-
come intolerabIe.
1t is necessary, therefore, to de-
wise some means for classifying and
insurirg Federal supervision Of such
corporations as have the power and
temptation to effect restraints of il
terstate trade and monopolies. Such
corporations constitute a very small
percentage of all engaged in inter-
state business.
Combination of Capital.
The combination of capital in large
plants to manufacture goods with the
greatest economy is just as necessary
as the assembling of parts Of a ma
chine to the economical and more
rapid manufacture OF what in old
times va made by hand.
The Government should not inter-
fere with n any more than the
other, and when such aggregations OF
capital are legitimate and are prop
erly controlled, they are then the
natural results of modern enterprise
and are beneficial to the public. In
the proper operation of competition
the public will soon share with the
manufacturer the advantage in econ
omy Of operation and lower prices.
Proper Treatment of Trusts.
Unlawful trusts should be re-
strained with all the efficiency of in
junctive pSocess, and the persons en-
gagged in maintaining them should be
punished with all the severity Of
criminal prosecution, in order that
the methods pursued in the operation
of their business shall be brought
within the law. ~.
Revision of the. Tariff.
1t is the policy of the Republican
party permanently to continue that
standard of living. In 1897 the Ding
ley tariff bill was passed, under which
we have had, as already said, a pc
riod Of enormous prosperity.
The consequent material develop
ment has greatly changed the condi-
tons under; which many articles de-
scribed by the schedules Of the tariff
are now produced. The tariff in a
number of the schedules exceeds the
difference between the cost Of pro-
duction of such articles abroad and
at home, including a reasonable profit
to the American producer. The ex-
cess over that difference serves no
useful purpose, but offers a tempta-
ton to those who would m%onopolize
the production and the sale of such
articles in this country to profit by
the excessive rate.
On the other hand there are other
schedules in which the tariff Is not
sufficiently high to give the measure
of protection which they should re-
ceive upon Republican principles, and
as to those the tariffs should be
raised. A revision of the tariff I'M
dertaken upon this principle, which
is at the basis of our present business
system, begun promptly upon the in
coming of the new Administration,
and considered at a special session
with the preliminary Investigations
already begun. by the appropriate
committees of the House and Senate,
will make the disturbance of business
incident to such a change as little as
possible. Asxp
The Rights of Labor. SS&
In order to induce their employer
into a compliance with their request
for changed terms of employment,
workmen have the right to strike in
a body. They have a right to use
such persuasion as they mayA provid-
ed it does not reach the point Of du-
ress, to lead their reluctant co-labor-