The Yale expositor., 1910-01-14


terstate carriers established by the acts
or congress, and as recommended In TINS
agreements between carriers subject 10
the act, specifying the classifcations or
freight and the rates, fares and charges
for transportation of passengers and
fish, should not be permitted. provided,
copies of such agreements be promptly
all the provisions of the interstate COM
merce act, and subject to the right or
any parties to such agreement TO cancel
fares, charges, or classifcatons 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
commerce law be amended so as 10 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 or
lease any railroad. or any other corpora
merce act applies; that& law be enact
ed providing that no railroad corpora
ton subject to the interstate commerce
act shall hereafter for any purpose con-
nected with or relating to any part OF its
business governed by said act. issue any
taneous payment to II 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
of 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
avria nf fha Yar W
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:
Il believe these suggested notifications
in and amendments to the interstate com
merce act would make IL a complete and
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,
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 il may be desired.
I'm addition 10 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
-
boards and hand brakes OH freight cars
engaged in interstate commerce-used by
the trainmen In the operation or 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 II railroads
are compelled to adopt proper safety APP
pliances.
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
under this act should be as easy of en-
forcement as the right of a private per-
son not in the company's employ 10 sue
on an ordinary claim, and process in each
the station agent OF the company upon
whom service is authorized is made, to
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. l 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:
utive to direct an investigation by the de-
partment of justice, through the grand
jury or otherwise into the history. organ
iZaton, and purposes of all the Industrial
companies with respect TO which there is
any reasonable ground for suspicion that
they have been organized for 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 ed. depart,
furnished, to carry on the Investigations
and to pay the counsel engaged in the
work; But such an investigation and
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 it's places of boarding. and
produce a halt in our present prosperity
that will cause suffering and strained cir
cumstances among the Innocent many for
whHS Of w She his to 6rDe
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 means, without great fnan-
cial disturbance, of changing the char
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-
tons 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
eral government in granting 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. IT is possible so to frame "a statute
that while it offers protection to a fed
eral company against harmful, veXatious
and unnecessary invasion by the states,
IL 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 n 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
IL all legally II only they do not abuse
the power by taking too great profit out
OF the business. They point with force to
certain notorious trusts as having grown