The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1910-01-14

I teTState CaTTIeTS eStaDTISTtU Dy
| of congress, and as recommended in this
| communication l see no reason why
| agreements between carriers subject TO
the act, specifying the classifications OF
| freight and the rates, fares and charges
| for transportation of passengers and
| freight which they may agree to estab-
lish, should not be permitted, provided
| copies of such agreements be promptly
| filed with the commission, but subject to
| all the provisions of the interstate COM
merce act, and subject to the right OF
4 any parties to such agreement to cancer
| 1t as to all any of the agreed rates;
fares charges, OF classifcations by 30
days notice in writing to the other par
ties and to the commission"
Other Amendments Urged.
In accord with other declarations of the
| Republican platform of 1905 the president
| further recommends that the interstate
| commerce law be amended so as TO pro-
| vide, that no railroad company subject
| to the commerce act shall, directly or IN
! directly, acquire any interests of any
kind in capital stock. Or purchase OF
lease any railroad. or any other corpora
ton which completes with 1t respecting
| business to which the interstate com
merce act applies; that law be enact
| ton subject to the interstate commerce
| act shall hereafter for any purpose CON
| nected with or relating to any part OF It's
| business governed by said act, issue any
capital stock without previous or stimuli
| taneous payment to 1t of not less than
| the par value of such stock, or any bonds
| or Otner ODnRdUOnS ieXCept HOtcS
ing not more than one year from the
| date of their issue). without the previ-
| Gus or simultaneous payment to such cor
poration of not less than the par value
| If issued at less than their par value,
then not without such payment OF the
reasonable market value OF such bonds
| or obligations ascertained by the In.
| terstate commerce commissions; and that
| no property service, or other thing than
money, shall be taken in payment to such
On t@rfn
| required price of such stock, bond or 9th.
| er obligation, except the fair value OF
such property, services or other thing as
certained by the commission,
Would Prevent Wrong Practices.
The president continues:
IT believe these suggested notifications
| in and amendments to the interstate COM
| merce act would make it complete and
| effective measure for securing reasonable
| ness of rates and fairness of practices in
| the operation of interstate railroad lines
! without undue preference to any individu-
! al or class over any others.
4 "By my direction the attorney general
| has drafted a bill to carry out these
recommendations, which will be fur
nished upon request to the appropriate
committee whenever 1t may be desired.
"In addition to the foregoing amend
ments of the interstate commerce law,
the interstate commerce commission
| should be given the power, after hear
| ing, to determine upon the uniform con,
struction of these appliances-such as sill
| steps, ladders, roof hand holds, running
| boards and hand brakes on freight cars
engaged in interstate commerce-used by
| the trainmen in the operation of trains,
| the defects and lack of uniformity In
which are apt to produce accidents and
injuries to railway trainmen. The Won
derful reforms effected in the number of
switchmen and trainmen injured by coup
ling accidents, due to the enforced in
PRODUCTION of safety couplers, is demon
stration of what can be done IL railroads
are compelled to adopt proper safety ap-
planes.
lions of the interstate commerce employ
ers' liability act, to whether suit can
be brought against the employer com
pany in any place other than that of it's
home office. The right to bring the suit
under this act should be as easy of en-
forcement as the right of a private per
son not in the company's employ to sue
on an ordinary claim, and process In each
suit should be sufficiently served If upon
the station agent of the company upon
bond the company in ordinary actions
arising under State laws; Bills for both
the foregoing purposes have been CON
sidered by the house of representatives
and have been passed. and are now be-
fore the interstate commerce committee
of the senate. earnestly urge that they
be enacted into law
Control of the Trusts.
The second part of the message Is de-
voted to the control of trusts. After
lengthy discussion of trusts, good and
bad, and the success of prosecutions UNI
der the Sherman antitrust act, Mr.. Taft
says:
ut is the duty and purpose of the exec
utive to direct an investigation by the de-
partment of justice, through the grand
jury or otherwise, into the history, organ
ization, and purposes of all the industrial
companies with respect to which there is
any reasonable ground for suspicion that
they have been organized for a purpose,
and are conducting business on plan
which is in violation of the antitrust
law. The work is heavy one, but 1t
is not beyond the power of the depart
ment of justice, If sufficient funds are
furnished, to carry on the Investigations
and to pay the counsel engaged in the
possible prosecution of corporations whose
prosperity or destruction affects the COM
fort not only of stockholders but millions
of wage earners, employees, and associated
tradesmen must necessarily tend to dis
turb the confidence OF the business COM
munity, to dry up the now flowing sources
of capital from its places OF boarding and
produce halt In our present prosperity
that will cause suffering and strained cir
among the innocent many Tor
faults of the guilty few. The question
which / wish in this message to bring
clearly to the consideration and decision
of the congress whether to avoid business
danger something cannot be done by
which these business combinations may
be offered a means. without great finan-
cial disturbance, of changing the char
acter, organization and extent of their
business into one within the lines of the
law under federal control and supervision,
securing compliance with the antitrust
statutes.
For Government Control.
Generally, in the industrial combina-
lions called trusts the principal bust
ness is the sale of goods in many states
and in foreign markets; in other words,
the interstate and foreign business far
exceeds the business done in any one
state. This fact will justify the fed
era government in granting a federal |
charter to such a combination to make |
and sell in interstate and foreign com
merce the products of useful manufac- |
ture under such limitations as will Sc
cure a compliance with the antitrust |
law 1t is possible so to frame a statute |
that while 1t offers protection to a fed |
eral company against harmful, veXatious |
and unnecessary invasion by the states. [,
II shall subject 1t to reasonable taxation |
and control by the states, with respect to |
its purely local business.
MANY people conducting great bust |
nesses have cherished a hope and a be- |
lief that in some way or other a line
may be drawn between good trusts and |
bad trusts and that II is possible by /
amendment to the antitrust law to make |
a distinction under which good combina- |
lions may be permitted to organize. sup /
press competition, control prices, and do /
it all legally If only they do not abuse /
the power by taking too great profit out /
OF the business They point with force TO
having