The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1910-01-15

agreements between carriers subject to
freight and the rates, fares and charges
for transportation of passengers and
Hshs 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
fares, charges. or classifications by so
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 1903. 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 shall. directly or in
directly, acquire any interests of any
kind in capital stock. or purchase or
Aease any railroad. or any other corpora
ton 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
ton subject to the interstate commerce
act shall hereafter for any purpose con
nected with relating to any part of its
business governed by said act, issue any
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 prev1-
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
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
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 it a complete and
effective measure for securing reasonable
ness of rates and fairness of practices in
without undue preference to any indiVidu
al or class over. any others.
has drafted a bill to carry out these
recommendations, which will be fur
nished upon request to the appropriate
I'm addition to the foregoing amend
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-
steps. ladders, roof hand holds, running
boards and hand brakes 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.
1.-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
& IN any place other than arn that tic OF sits Its
under this act should be as easy of en-
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
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
lengthy discussion of trusts, good and
bad, and the success of prosecutions un-
der the Sherman antitrust act, Mr.. Taft
TT 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
any reasonable ground for suspicion that
they have been organized for a purpose,
which is in violation of the antitrust
law. The work is a heavy one, but it
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 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 its places of boarding, and
produce a halt in our present prosperity
that will cause suffering and strained cir
cumStanCes 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 be done by
which these business combinations may
be offered a means, without great hnan-
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
statutes.
For Government Control.
Generally, in the industrial combina-
lions called trusts, the principal bust
| and in foreign markets; in other words,
the interstate and foreign business far
| state. This fact will justify the fed
| eral government in granting federal
! and sell in interstate and foreign COM
merce the products of useful manufac-
|
| cure a compliance with the antitrust
| law. 1t 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,
| it shall subject it 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 a line
| may be drawn between good trusts and
| bad trusts and that it is possible by
| amendment to the antitrust law to make
| distinction under which good combina-
| tons may be permitted to organize, sup
press competition. control prices, and do
| it all legally if 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
| into power through criminal methods by
| the use of Illegal rebates and plain cheat
| ing, and by various acts utterly violative
| of business honesty or morality, and urge
| the establishment of some legal line of
| separation by which criminal trusts of
| this Kind can be punished, and they, on
| the other hand, be permitted under the
| law to carry on their business. Now
| the public, and especially the business
| public. ought to rid themselves of the
| idea that such a distinction is practic-