The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1910-01-14


sns act' specifying the ciassihcations of
Lreisnt and the rates, fares and charges
LOT transportation of passengers and
Lurelght which they may agree to estab-
ISL sn; should not be permitted, provided,
copies OF such agreements be promntiy
MED with the commission, but subject r.
all the provisions of the Interstate com
merce act. and subject to the right Of
any parties to such agreement to cancel
IL as to all or any of the agreed rates
daa a' charges, or classfcations by so
Gays notice in writing to the other mar
Ties and to the commission"
Other Amendments Uroed.
u IN accord with other declarations Of the
republican platform of 1908, the president
lurther recommends that the interstate
commerce law be amended so as to pro-
Vloe, that no railroad company subject
70 the commerce act shall. directly or in
oirectly, acquire any interests OF any
ihiIlu IN capital stock, or purchase or
lease any railroad, or any other corpora
ZION which completes with it respecting
business to which the Interstate COM
merce act applies; that a law be enact
ed providing that no railroad corpora
tion subject to the interstate commerce
aCt shait 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 it of not less than
the par value of such stock, or any bonds
or other obligations Except notes matur-
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
or such bonds, or other obligations. or
II issued at less than their par value
then not without such payment of the
reasonable market value of such bonds
or Obligations as ascertained by the in
terstate commerce commission; and that
no property, service, or other thing than
money, shall be taken in payment to such
carrier corporation, of the par or other
required price of such stock, bond or 9TH
er obligation, except the fair value of
such property, services or other thing as
Certalned by the commission"
Would Prevent Wrong Practices.
The president continues:
Il believe these suggested notifications
IN and amendments to the interstate COM
merce act would make 1t complete and
enecuVe measure for securing reasonable
ness of rates and fairness of practices In
the operation of interstate railroad lines,
without undue preference to any indvidu-
al or class over any others.
BY my direction the attorney general
mas drafted bill to carry out these
recommendations, which will be fur
nished upon request TO the appropriate
committee whenever it may be desired.
ments of the interstate commerce law,
the Interstate commerce commission
should be given the power, after a hear
ing, to determine upon the uniform con-
struction of these ppliances-such as sill
steps, ladders, roof hand holds. running
boards and hand brakes on freight cars
engaged in interstate commerce-used by
the trdinmen 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 10 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.
The question has arisen in the opera
tons of the interstate commerce employ
ers liability act as to whether suit can
be brought against the employer COM
pany in any place other than that of its
home office. The right to bring the suit
forcement as the right of 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
whom service is authorized is made to
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 a
lengthy discussion of trusts, good and
bad, and the success of prosecutions un-
der the Sherman antitrust act, Mr.. Taft
says:
lit 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 a plan
which Is In violation of the antitrust
law. The work is a heavy one, but 1t
is not beyond the power of the depart
rnent of Justice If SUFFICIENT funds are
furnished, to carry on the Investigations
and to pay the counsel engaged In the
work. But such an investigation ana
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 dts"
turb the confidence of the business COM
munlIy. 10 uIy up llic nv" iio"itAs SooA ~
of capital from its places of boarding. ana
produce half In our present prosperity
that will cause suffering and strained cir
cumstances among the Innocent many Tor
faults of the gailty 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 oy
which these business combinations may
he offered a means, without great inan-
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,
eraI government in granting federal
charter to such combination to make
and sell In interstate and foreign COM
merce the products of useful manufac-
ture under such limitations as Will Sc
cIre a compliance with the antitrust
law It is possible so to frame a statute
that while 1t offers protection to led
eraI company against harmful veXatous
and unnecessary invasion by the states,
il shall subject ii to reasonable taxation
and control by the states, with respect 10
ito n,Irely local business.