Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1911-10-05
TAFT SAYS TREAT
BUSINESS FAIRLY.
President Makes Plea for Amity
and Renewed Confidence.
MODERATE ACTION is BEST
Relations Of the Federal Government
to the country's Business Are
Discussed by the Chief
Executive.

Waterloo, Iowa. Sept. 2s.--President
Taft and party are journeying across
Iowa, and are met by great crowds at
every stopping place. At this place
he delivered an adrdess on the sub
ject of THE Relation Of Government
to the Business Of the Country" He
said in part:
MY Fellow Citizens: wish to in
vite your attention to the relation OF
the federal government and the fed
eral statutes to the business OF this
country, its legality and Its prosper
fly. There are four most important
points at which the policies OF con-
gress and the federal executive touch
the business of this country in such
vital way that the people are en-
titled to have the greatest care. In
dustry and application characterize
governmental action in respect to
them. They are. first. in respect Of
interstate commerce and the regula-
ton OF railroads and the rates OF
transportation between the states:
second, in the enforcement OF the
laws forbidding combinations to mo-
nopolize interstate trade in Industrial
companies: third. In the amendment
of tariff legislation affecting chiefly
the manufactures of the country; and.
fourth, In the furnishing for the use
of the business of the country a prop
or banking and currency system which
shall automatically give an elastic
currency. expanding and contracting
according to the k.siness methods.
and inspiring confidence in the bust
ness community which shall prevent
panics.
First. In respect to the regulation
Of railroads and the prompt remedy
ing Of unreasonable and unduiy dis
eliminating rates. we have progressed
far toward satisfactory solution. In
the last administration the power was
given to the Interstate commerce COM
mission TO fix railway rates, II having
been decided that the functions OF
the interstate commerce commission.
then conferred. went only so far as
to find that a rate was unreasonable.
but did not include the power OF fixing
q reasonable rate. When the first
regular session of congress met in my
administration I urged upon the con-
gress the necessity for further legis-
lation looking to a more complete
control and regulation Of railways In
respect to rates than had heretofore
been given. recommended the es-
which should absorb all the reviewing
Jurisdiction which circuit courts had
heretofore had. to consist OF five
members. with the hope that this
might secure greater expedition and
greater uniformity in ruling and a
prompter disposition by the Supreme
court of cases passed upon by the
Interstate commerce commission.
Il recommended that cases affect
ing the interstate commerce should
be put under the direct control OF
the department of justice. and that
the proceedings after the order had
been made in the Interstate commerce
commission should be brought for or
against the United States, and not
against the commission. as thereto
fore.
Il recommended that shippers
should have some easy and practical
method Of ascertaining a rate ap-
plicable to any proposed shipment
In advice in writing with penalty
for a failure to furnish 1t.
II recommended that the commits
sion be authorized to act on its own
Initiative, as we'll as upon the COM
plant of any individual respecting the
r8asonableness of any rate or the fair
mes Of any practice. and that the CONS
mission should be empowered to pass
upon the classification OF commodities.
as well as upon their rates. that hav-
ing been left In doubt under the pre-
vious law.
Il also invited attention to the in.
furious delay Of remedy which was
occasioned to the shippers whenever
unreasonable advances in rates were
made. The interstate commerce COM
mission might find the advance unrea-
sonabls only after long hearing. and
after 1t had gone into effect. and after
the unreasonable rates had been col
lected for a considerable period.
suggested that the Interstate CON-
merce commission might have power
to suspend such an order for so days
and look into its reasonableless. and
that II It be found unreasonable It
should not be permitted.
Il invited attention also to the COM
plant Of the shippers that they did
not have the power to direct the route
over which their shipment should pass
to destination. l recommended that
this be given them. subject to such
reasonable regulation as the commits
sion might prescribe.
IAN these provisions in one form
or another were enacted into the law.
In addition. the house OF representa-
tives added to the Jurisdiction OF the
interstate commerce commission the
power to declare reasonable rates In
respect Of telegraph. TELEPHONE and ex-
press companies. A modification was
made In the senate regarding the long
and short haul clause. which gave
more discretion to the interstate com
merce commission than that which
Unsuitable Doubt.