The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-12-06
MESSAGE

I tie matter TO congress That COM
mission has been appointed and is
| engaged In the investigation and con-
sideration or the question submitted
Under the law. II consists OF Presi-
dent Arthur T. Hadley. of Yale Uni
verslty. as chairman; Frederick {.
Strauss Frederick y. Judson, Pro
! fessor b II Moyer and Walter l.,
Fisher, with William Groswald us sec
rotary,
The third proposal led to such mis-
| construction OF It's objects that | am
not disposed 10 press IL for further
consideration. II was intended to
permit railroad acqu.esence in the
same rates for the same service over
competing railroads, with no obliga-
ton to maintain these rates Tor any
tine.
Safety Appliances and Provisions,
The protection OF railroad employees
from personal injury is n subject of
the highest importance and demands
continued attention There have been
two measures pending IN congress,
one for the supervision of boilers and
the other for the enlargement uf dan
Eerous clearance
be adopted looking to a prevention Of
| accidents from these causes. II
seems to me that with respect TO boil
| ers, a bill might well be drawn re-
quiring and enforcing By penalty a
proper system of inspection by the
railway companies themselves which
would accomplish our purpose | sug-
Sest that the commission be requested
To hake a special report as to injuries
Fl ON outside clearance AMI the best
method OF reducing them.
Valuation of Railroads.
The interstate commerce commits
sion has recommended appropriations
! for the purpose of enabling 1t to en-
I ter upon a valuation of all railroads
| This has always been within the ju-
! rlsdiction of the commission. but the
| requisite funds have been wanting
! Statistics of the value OF each rail-
road would be valuable for many pur-
| poses, especially If We ultimately en-
, act any limitations upon the power
/ OF the interstate railroads TO issue
stocks and bonds. as | hope we may
! ] think, therefore. that in order 10
! permit a correct understanding of the
! facts, 1t would be wise to make rea-
/ sonable appropriation to enable the
Interstate commerce commission 10
proceed with due dispatch to the val
! uation of all railroads. have no
| doubt that railroad companies them
| selves can and will greatly facilitate
, this valuation and make II much less
| costly I'm time and money than has
! been supposed
Fraudulent Bills of Lading.
For the protection of our own peo-
pie and the preservation of our credit
! in foreign trade. / urge upon congress
the immediate enactment of a law
under which one who. in good faith,
advances money or credit upon a bill
OF lading issued by a common car
! rler upon an interstate or foreign
shipment. can hold the carrier liable
! for the value of the goods described in
| The bill at the valuation specified i'm
the bill. at least TO the extent of the
advances made in reliance upon it
Such liability exists under the laws
OF many Of the states see no OBJ
| lection to permitting two classes of
bills of lading TO be issued 1l
Those under which a carrier shall be
| absolutely liable. as above suggest
ed.and (2) those with respect 10 which
the carrier shall assume no liability
! except for the goods actually deliv-
cred to the agent issuing the bill
| The carrier might be permitted to
make small separate specific charge
IN addition to the rate Of tranSporta-
! tion for such guaranteed bill. as an
! insurance premium against loss from
| the added risk. thus removing the
principal objection which | under
stand is made by the railroad com
panles TO the imposition of the liabil-
ity suggested, namely that the ordi-
nary transportation rate would not
compensate them for the liability as.
sumed by the absolute guaranty of
| the accuracy of the bills OF ladine. |
further recommend that punishment
of fine and Imprisonment be imposed
! upon railroad agents ~ shippers for
| fraud or misrepresentation In connec-
tion with the issue OF bills Of lading
issued upon interstate and foreign
shipments
Except as above, I do not recon-
mend any amendment to the inter
| state commerce law as IT stands. 7
do not now recommend any amend
ent 10 the antitrust law In other
Words 1t seems TO me tnat the exist.
ing legislation with reference to the
regulation o, corporations and the
restraint of their business has reach
ed = point whore we can stop for \
while and witness the effect of the
vigorous execution of the laws on
the statute books In restraining the
abuses which certainly did exist. and
which reused the public 10 demand
reform. II this test develops a need
for further legislation. well and good.
but until then let us execute what
we have. Due TO the reform move.
ments OF the present decade. there
| has undoubtedly been a great i'm.
pTovement in business methods and
standards and in the earpestness of
effort on the part of business men to
comply with the law They are now
seeking to know the exact limita.
tions upon business methods imposed
by the law, and these will doubtless
be made clearer by the decisions of
the supreme court in cases pending
before it,
| believe IL to be in the interest of
all the people Of the country that for
the time being the activities of gov.
ernment, in addition to enforcing the
existing laws, be directed townrd the
economy of administration and the
enlargement of opportunities for for.
elgn trade, the conservation and i'm.
proVement OF our agricultural lands,