Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1910-01-13

OF congress, ana as recommended In this
communication, i see no reason why
agreements between carriers subject to
the act. Specifying. the. classiications OF
freight and the rates; fares and charges
freight which they may agree to estab-
lish, should not be permitted, provided,
S SNpaie; x, q , Sush eo nSTsis%ent, hi, be . Promptly ~
all the provisions Of the interstate conn
merce act, and subject to the right Of
Any =, ps s1 al to or s %ny q aFr ,ss ssre TO G 4a'ssl
fares. charges. or c~lassincations 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 1908. the president
further recommends that the Interstate
law be amended so as to pro.
vide, that no railroad company. subject
to the act shall. directly or in
directly, acquire any interests of any
kind in capital stock. or purchase or
ton which completes with it respecting
business to which the interstate COM
merce act applies. that a law be enact
ton subject TO tho interstate m
act shall hereafter for any purpose con-
nected with or relating to. any part OF It's
capital stock without previous or stimuli
taneous payment to Il 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 10 such cor
p~oration OF not less than the par value.
OF such bonds. or other obligations. or,
n issued at less than their par value.
then not without such payment Of the
reasonable market value Of such bonds
or obligations as a~scertained by the In
t%erstate 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
certained by the commission"
Would Prevent Wrong Practices.
The president continues:
II believe these suggested notifications
in and amendments TO the interstate com
merce act would make 1t a oinplete 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 indivldu-
al or class over any others.
by my direction the attorney general
has drafted II bill TO carry, out these
nished upon request to the appropriate
committee whenever II may be desired.
In addition to the foregoing amend
tho interstate commerce commission
should be given the power. after "A hear
Ing, to determine upon the uniform con-
steps, ladders. roof hand holds, running
boards and hand brakes on freight cars
engaged In Interstate commcrce-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 trainnen injured by coup
ling accidents, due to the enforced In
PRODUCTION of safety couplers, Is a demon
stration of what can be done if railroads
are compelled to adopt proper safety ap-
pliances.
The question has arisen in the opera
tInnQ nf Tho int. rLta fn HninTngrpp nnDlny-
ers' liability act. as to whether suit can
be brought against the employer com
Raanmys In oe, Hay E The r G,her to ,h Srin ana the or suit liz
under this act should be as easy OF en-
forcement as the right Of n private per
son not In the company's employ to sue
on an ordinary claim, and process In each
suit should be sufficiently served II upon
the station agent or 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.
| siderrd by the house Of representatives
and have been passed. and are now be-
fore the interstate commerce committee
OF the senate earnestly urgc 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:
at 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 tn" industrial
companies with respect to which there Is
any reasonable ground for suspicion that
they have been organized FOR IA purpose.
and are conducting business on a plan
which liz in violation Of the antitrust
law no, The hsyo marx tsa Is p a Hr'y W t G"e' a epa I.
ment of Justice, IL sufficient funds are
furnished, to carry on the Investigations
and to pay the counsel engaged in the
work. But such an investigation and
possible prosecution OF corporations whose
prosperity or destruction affects the com
fort not only OF stockholders hut millions
OF wage earners, employees, and associated
tradesmen must necessarily tend to dis
turb the confidence OF the business com
munlty, to dry up the now flowing sources
Of capital from lis places of boarding, and
produce a halt In our present prosperity
that will cause suffering and strained CTR
curnstanCes among the innocent many for
faults OF the guilty, few, The question
which l wish In this message TO bring
clearly to the consideration and decision
Of the congress whether TO avoid business
danger something cannot he done by
which these business combinations may
be offered a means. without great finan-
aHter. organization and extent or their
business into one within ,h" lines OF the
law under federal control and supervision.
securing compliance with the antitrust
For Government Control.
Generally. In the Industrial combina-
lions called trusts the principal bust
ness 10 the sale Of goods in many states
the interstate and foreign business far
exceeds the business lone In any one
state This fact vii, jnS,,fy til" iGd;;
charter to such n combination to make
and sell, in Interstate and foreign COM
merce the products OF useful manufac-
| fura under sllpb Limitations az VIII No.