Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-01-13

freight and the rates, fares and charges
for transportation OF passengers ana
freight which they may agree to estae-
fish, should not be permitted, provided,
copies OF such agreements be promptly
filed with the commission, but subject TO
all the provisions Of the interstate COM
merce act. and subject TO the right OF
any parties TO such agreement to cancel
1t as to all or any of the agreed rates,
fares, charges, or classiicatiOns by 20
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 to pro-
vide. that no railroad company, subject
to the commerce act SHAH, directly or IN
directly, acquire any interests OF any
kind in capital stock, or purchase or
lease any railroad, or any other corpora
ton which completes with II respecting
business to which the interstate eom-
merce act applies; that a law be enact
ed providing that no railroad corpora
ton subject to the interstate m
act shall hereafter for any purpose con-
nected with or relating to any part OF Its
business governed by said act. issue any
capital stock without previous or stimuli
taneous payment to 1t 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 preVl-
Gus or simultaneous payment TO such cor
poration of not less than the par value
of such bonds, or other obligations, or,
If issued at less thar their par value,
then not without such payment OF the
reasonable market value of such bonds
or obligations as ascerta1ned by the IN
terstate commerce commission; 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
-. z11s-aAsAn wont fha fniT UaHln nf
such property. services or other thing as
certained by the commission"
Would Prevent Wrong Practices.
The president continues;
81 believe these suggested notifications
in and amendments to the interstate COM
merce act would make it a complete 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 indlVidu-
| 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 1t may be desired,
I'm addition to the foregoing amend-
ments of the interstate commerce law,
the interstate commission
should be given the power, after a hear
ing, to determine upon the uniform con-
struction of these appliances-such as Sill
steps, ladders, roof hand holds, running
boards. and hand brakes on freight cars
engaged in interstate commerce-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 trainmen 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-
planes.
THE question has arisen in the opera
lions of the interstate 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
under this act should be as easy of en-
forcement as the right of a 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 m committee
of the senate. | earnestly urge that they
be enacted into law"
Control Of the Trusts.
The second part of the message is de-
NOIbu " AAAS N'iiNA ~ AN"'f :
lengthy discussion of trusts, good and
bad, and the success of prosecutions UNI
der the Sherman antitrust act, Mr.. TAFT
says:
ut 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 ii
is not beyond the power of the depart
ment 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 and
possible prosecution of corporations whose
prosperity or destruction affects the COM
fort not only of stockholders but millions
of wage earners, employees, n 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 its places of boarding, anc
produce a halt in our present prosperity
that will cause suffering and strained cir.
cumstances among the innocent many fol
faults of the guilty 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 canno be done by
which these business combinations MAJ
be OttelGu Il means, WITHOUT great lllidll
cial disturbance, of changing the char
acter, organization and extent of thei
business into one within the lines of thu
law under federal control and supervision
securing compliance with the anti-trus
statutes.
For Government Control.
Generally, in the industrial combina
tions called trusts the principal bust
ness is the sale of goods in many state
and in foreign markets.; in other words
the interstate and foreign business ia
exceeds the business done in any on
state. This fact will justify the fed
, eral government in granting a fedora
charter to such a combination to max
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 anti-trus
/ law. 1t is possible so to frame a statut
= that while it offers protection to a fed
= eral company against harmful, ~vexatiou
: and unnecessary invasion by the states
1 it shall subject 1t to reasonable taXatio
E and control by the states, with respect t
its purely local business.
MANY people conducting great bus
: nesses have cherished a hope and q be
e lief that in some way or other a lin
e may be drawn between good trusts an
s bad trusts and hat it is possible b
n amendment to the antitrust law to max
r a distinction under which good combine
ions may be permitted to organize, SUI
press competition, control prices, and q
it all legally If only they do not abus
s the power by taking too great profit OF
t of the business. They point with force
certain notorious trusts as having grow
: into power through criminal methods l.
g the use of illegal rebates and plain chea
l. ing, and by various acts utterly violatiN
It of business honesty or morality, and ufi
IS the establishment of some legal line
s. separation by which criminal trusts
l. this kind can be punished, and they, {
Y the other hand, be permitted under II
l. law to carry on their business. No
is the public, and especially the busine
public, ought to rid themselves of Il
" iSea that such a distinction Is practi