Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-09-21
Plain, Straightforward Talk About Railway Rate
And Antitrust Laws P|easeS Immense Crowds
At Both Cities Being Royalty Entertained.


the promises of it's platform to do in
the coming regular session.
| The President then outlined briefly
his well-known position with regard
to labor unions and dwelt upon the
necessity of passing at the earliest
possible moment legislation to carry
out platform pledges as to njunctions
He said also that he would recon-
mend that Congress require the rail-
roads to adopt additional safety de-
vices to guard the lives of their en-
ployes.
But the legislation with respect to
| the laborcr," continued the President
lis rot all the legislation that the Re
publican party is pledged to. Indeed
when / look forward to the next ses-
sion and realize how much there is
| to be considered. I tremhle lest the
session will not be long enough. and
that it will not be possible to do all
that has been promised"
| Mr.. Taft detailed the passage of the
railway rate bills several years ago
in which the Interstate Commerce
| Commission was given authority t.
| fix specific rates and continued:
"Tnc rate bill has now been in oper
alton some three years and it must
be admitted that it has not furnished
| the relief against unduly discrimina
| tory rates with the expedition and eff
| fcctivcness which were expected. The
RDublican platform promised addi-
| tionGl legislation in aid of enforcing
the interstate commerce law and
have been engaged in the considera
| If w I recommend
Congress in order to comply with tina
promise Those who opposed the pro
| vision of which appeal from the order
| of the commission might be taken t.
the court did so because they though
such right to appeal would offer mucl
opportunity to delay the proceedings
| IAN examination of the decisions
the commissions and the resort to tn
courts by way of temporary injunc
| tiorS, fully justifies the conclusion tina
! one of the defects of the present in
terstatc commerce law is the delay en-
tailed by litigation in the court owe
| the correctness of the order in tn
commission.
''rne court appeal cannot be abol
ishcd because it is a constitutional
right Something must be done to re
duce it's effect by way of delay so tina
the decision of the court shall b'
PROMPT final and effective.
1t is proposed now by a number o
gentlemen of my cabinet, who hay
conferred with some members Of I'll
interstate commerce commission to fla
ciltate these appeals from the com
mission by the creation of separat
Interstate commerce court of five mem
bers which will sit in Washington an
which shall be the only court to Whic
petitions to set aside or nulll1y tn
| orders of the interstate commerce
| commission can be made and II IS pr"
posed to allow a single judge to max
an order staying the proceedings
the Interstate Commerce CommlssIof
bNt &C. DAYS and thereafter that no III
i1uction shall be allowed against TN
order of the commission unless grant
cd by the whole court of five members
Il knew dat objection will be mad
to- the creation of this court In on
of the bills originally introduced sue
a separate curt vas provided Tor, pu
the provision was defeated. A tarll
court has been provided in the neN
tariff bill to consist of five member
whose judgment shall be final on a
questions arising under the admins
tration of the tariff. l am strongE
inclined to think that a similar court
except that an appeal ought to liz
from it to the supreme court, VII
serve the purpose of expedition an'
the dispatch of business in respect t
the orders of the commission.
Il know that there is we'll grounded
| OF lection to increasing federal courts
and to the provision for the appoint
ment of federal judges, whose terms
and salaries last for life and who be
come q permanent expenditure OF the
government. But there is this to bt
said. if the establishment OF such
court proves TO be mistake, the de
mand for iudgcs throughout the coun
try and their increase will furnish al
+ opportunty to use the judges thus ap
po:ntad for other and general judicia
work. The uniformity of decision
and the promptness Of decision, whici
, nav be expected from court who's
experience will soon make them eX
perts in the disposition of such cases
would promise to the shipper and rail-
road litigants quick decision as to thei
, rights.
/ "A second change in the interstat
commerce law ought to give 10 III
commission the power to near ana ell
certain complaints against uhJus
classification of MERCHANDISE Tor trans
portation. Ii is perfectly clear Una
by including articles in the Same GAS
which ought &c ray dlffereht ia'eS,
railroad cannot commit eXactly III
same kind of injustice as 1t "ouio
t imnosinc an exorbitant rate as 10 an
: one class. Hence, ! haven't the si'sh'