The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1909-12-25
ASKS RAILWAY
LkW REFORMS
Annual Report Of interstate Com
merce Commission
APPRAISAL OF ROADS FAVORED

Needs Of Changes In the Present Law
Regulating Transportation cempsn'
les Are Pointed Out. but the De
tails Arc Left to President TAFT 60
supply In . Special Messsos-com
mission Asks Power TO Prevent Al
vances In Rates Of Railways
Vigorous recommendations Tor
changes In the present law regulating
transportation companies are con-
tanned In the twenty-third annual TO
port OF the interstate commerce com.
mission transmitted to congress.
Notwithstanding recommendations
made. however. the report. In this re-
spect. is notable rather for what II
does not. than for what II does. con-
tain. Five OF the suggestions made
by the special committee selected BY
President Taft to draft changes In the
existing interstate commerce act are
offered In the report.
II is known that the commission. as
a body, farors the plans proposed by
that committee, but. as a matter OF
courtesy, II has refrained, In It's report,
from discussing the changes In ad
vance of, the special message on the
subject which President Taft has ind
Gated he will send To coneree"
Deems Amendments Necessary.
The commission expresses It's con.
viction that certain amendments 10
present law are necessary 10 enable
II fully to accomplish the purposes Of
congress.
The report proposes that a physical
valuation be made OF the interstate
railroads OF the country The com
mission points TO the difficulty expert
enced in certain cases where its or
ders are attacked In court In meeting
the testimony as 10 physical value OF
fered by the carriers. and says that II
It's rates are 10 be defended, some
method must be furnished by which .
value can be established which shall
be binding on the courts and the com
mission.
The commission again suggests that
II be given power to prevent advances
in rates or changes in regulations CT
practices 10 the disadvantage OF the
shipper, pending an investigation into
the reasonableness OF the proposed
change. II is stated that where o
rate has been in effect for years II is
presumably reasonable and that there
would be no hardship on the carrier In
giving the commission authority TO re.
quire continuance OF the rate until op.
portunity had been Afforded to inves
tigato the proposed advance. A.
Would Lift Limitation.
The commissions authority 10 es.
tablish n joint rate and through route
is limited 10 cases where no such
route exists. and the commission rec.
ommends that this Limitation be striclS.
en- out OF the law, so II may establish
n through route wherever, upon inves.
tigation. II Is found that the public
necessity and convenience require
such action. A further recommends
tion Is that in certain instances the
shipper be permitted TO direct the In.
termedlate routing OF his traffic. II
Is further requested that the law be SC
amended as TO give the commission un.
doubted authority TO enter corrective
order as the result OF an investigation
instituted by the commission upon Its
own motion.
The commission again calls TO the
attention OF congress the increasing
importance OF some form OF federal
control over railway capitalization and
expresses the opinion that adequate
legislation upon this subject is re-
quired by the interests involved.