The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-04-01
ROOT SPEAKS ON
RAILROAD Bill,

| Washington March 31-Command.
| ing the careful attention of a major
| ity OF his colleagues. Senator Root
| today consumed three hours In con-
tlnuing his speech In defense of the
administration railroad bill. before the
| senate. He again failed TO conclude
| his remarks He defended the mer-
| ger provision of the bill as a great
| advance over existing law, as it made
the purchase of one companys stock
| by another an offense, while he ar
| Gued. such acquisition was not He
| gal except as part OF a conspiracy.
He also supported tho traffic agree
ment section but expressed n willing
| ness to require such agreements 10
| be dependent on the approval Of the
| interstate commerce. Mr.. Root empha-
| sized the provision permitting traff1c
| agreements are of 0.Ecial Import
| ance He declared the present pro
| hibitive act provoked It's own viola
ton This course was most demoral-
| izing and should not be encouraged
| by falling 10 put In the power Of the
railroads TO observe the law and still
make their agreements. 1t was bet
| ter to have the railroads voluntarily
| conform to the law than to have them
| forced to do so. he said
Insists on Competition.
I'VE insist upon competition" be
continued, but we prohibit such com.
| petition as we think injurious and
| we forget the railroads themselves
may be better able to force the law
| than can any officer In Washington"
He argued In many matters the
| railroads were practically required TO
| enter into agreements and so long
as this was true, he said. 1t was abso-
| lutely necessary the roads be author
| ized 10 come together To do this
would be to wipe out an ananomoly
| and abuse.
In reply to an inquiry from Mr.. Ray
| ner. Mr- Root said he would favor an
| admiral requiring that agreements
| among railroads have the approval of
the interstate commerce commission
| befor5 going into effect The only
| reason for its Insertion, would be TO
| avoid MISUNDERSTANDING the concession
| however. was considered by the op-
ponentS Of the bill as very important.
| Mr.. Depew advocated amending the
| bill to require governmental approval.
| He said he had held to that position
for many years before he entered the
| senate.
Debate Ensues.
"And / believe that Is the attitude
| of every railroad man In the country.
he added
Senator Clapp said he would insist
the bill be so worded as 10 make
agreements unlawful unless approved
by the commission.
| Mr. Root said he never would con-
| sent TO give TO the commission the
| right TO suspend rate fixed by a rail
road without investigation. He would
not consent that any official should
| supervise rates To do more would
be TO change from the American to
the European system, he said, with
government ownership inevitably fol-
lowing
Eve all desire the extension of our
system. but NC will never say TO the
capital of the country VIC encourage
It's Investment only to concentrate its
control in Washington" said Mr.. Root
Mr.. Cummins asked whether there
was any difference In principle in CIV
Ing the commission the power to sus-
pend rates for GO days for investiga-
tion and giving II power 10 make an
indefinite suspension.
Bacon Takes Issue.
| 1.-THE power to render indefinite
suspensions is the power 10 render
final judgment" responded Mr.. Root,
whereas the power of temporary sus-
pension is like the granting OF tenn
porary injunction The power TO sus-
1 ~.
suspend without any Investigation
Mr. Bacon took issue with Mr..
Roots assertion, the fixing OF rates
by the government would lead to
government ownership. He said for
thirty years the railroad commission
OF Georgia had had such power
Mr.. Root replied there would be
found u vast difference between state
and government control The chief
function OF ownership was the fixing
of rates, he said and he argued il
the state could Tx rates 1t could re.
tluce them to poin; where IL might
be necessary to take absolute con.
troll. Mr Aldrlch asked Mr. Root
whether he was in favor OF giving the
interstate commerce commission pow
CT to fix the rates on all the railroads
of Georgia. Mr.. Root replied he
would not favor turning over con-
troll of all the railroads To the COM
mission Nh. Root commended &he
merger section of the bill did not In.
terferc with the operation OF the an
II trust act. He declared tho supreme
court decision in the Northern Sccuri-
ties case, had not held the purchase of
stock to be contrary 20 the antitrust
law.
On the contrary, 1t had explicitly
held that congress could not control
the mere acquisition of stock OF a
railroad corporation. The ofense was
IN the conspiracy and 1t might not
always be that the purchase of stock
was in pursuance OF conspiracy, or.
IL so, 1t was not always easy TO prove
the facts, He said this bill would re-
lIevc the government of the necessity
of finding a conspiracy.