The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-07

| ference between the annuities thus
granted and the salaries may be used
for the employment OF efficient clerks
at the lower grades. II the bill can be
thus amended | recommend its passage.
| as IL will initiate valuable system and
ultimately result in q great saving In
| the public expenditures
INTERSTATE COMMERCE coMMIs-
the benefit and utility OF the amend
| ments to the Interstate commerce law
contained In the net approved June IS.
1910. The law as enacted did not con-
mendcd. IT did not specifically denoupce
as unlawful the purchase by one Of two
parallel and competing roads OF the
stock OF the other. Nor did il subject
TO the restraining influence OF the inter-
state commerce commission the power
OF corporations engaged in operating in
! terstate railroads TO issue new stock and
| bonds; nor did it authorize the making
! OF temporary agreements between rail-
ronds, limited 70 thirty days. fixing The
same rates for traffic between the same
places.
| j do not press the consideration OF any
/ OF these objects upon congress at this
session. The object of the first provis-
Ion Is probably generally covered by the
antitrust law.
The second provision was in the act
referred TO the consideration of com
mission TO be appointed by the execu-
| tive and to report upon the matter TO
congress. That commission has been ap-
pointed and is engaged In the inrestiga-
| ton and consideration OF the question
President Arthur r. Hadley Of Yale uni
yersity as chairman. Frederick c.
strauss. Frederick n. Judson, Professor
B, II. Meyer and Walter L. Fisher with
| William L. S. Griswold as secretary
The third proposal led TO so much mis-
construction of its object as being that
OF the weakening of the antitrust law
| that | am not disposed to press 1t for
further considers tion. II was intended
to permit railroad companies to avoid
useless rate cutting by "A mere tempo
rary acouiescence In the same rates for
the same service over competing rail
roads. With no obligation whatever 10
maintain those rates for any time.
,, SAFETY APPLIANCES AND PRO-
vlsioNs.,The protection of railroad
employees from personal injury is a sub
jcct of the highest Importance and de-
nlands continuing attention. There have
becn two measures pending in congress.
one for tho supervision of boilers and The
other for the enlargement Of dangerous
clearanccs. Certainly some measures
ought 20 be adopted looking TO a pre-
vention OF accidents from these ca,Ises
II seems to mo that with respect to
boilers bill might well be drawn re
quirinS and enforcing by penalty pro-
per system Of inspection by the rail
way companies themselves which would
accomplish purpose.
The entire removal OF outside clear
ances would be attended 10y such enor-
must be adopted. BY the act of May g.
1910. the interstate commerce commits
sion is authorized and directed TO invcs-
tigate accidents. to report their causes
and its rccomme ndations suggest tina
the commission be requested to make q
special report as to injuries from out |
side clcarances and the best method OF
reducing them.
VALUATION OF aAILRoAps.-rbe
interstate commerce commission has rec
ommendcd appropriations for the pur-
pose of enabling II 10 enter upon valua-
tion Of all railroads. This has always |
mission. but the requisite funds have |
been wanting. Statistics OF The value |
of each railroad would be valuable for
many purposes. especially II We ultimate
lY enact any limitations upon the power
of the interstate railroads to issue stocks |
and bonds. as hope We may.
7 think, therefore. that In order TO
permit correct understanding OF tho |
facts. Il would be wise To make rca-
sonablc appropriation 10 cnablc the in
terstate commerce commission to proceed |
with due dispatch to tho valuation OF ali |
railroads. ! have no doubt that railroad
companies themselves can and will great
ly facilitate this valuation and make II |
much less costly in time and money than |
FRAUDULENT BILLS OF LADING.-
Forged and fraudulent bills of laGing |
purporting tn he Issued against cotton. |
some months since. resulted in losses of
several millions OF dollars to American !
and foreign banking and cotton interests. !
Foreign bankers then notified Amer
ican bankers thut. after October 81 1910. |
they would not accept bills OF exchange |
drawn against bills OF ladng for cotton
issued by American railroad companies.
unless American bankers would guaran-
tee the integrity OF the bills OF lading
tanned that they were not justified in
giving such guarantees, and that, IL