Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-10-02
Address Deals With the
T ariff, Transportation,
Banking, and the En-
forcement of Laws For
bidding Trusts.
GIVES HISTORY OF
RATE LEGISLATION
Mr.. Taft Deplores Enmity
Against Successful Enter
prise Which He Says is
One of Contry's Trou-
bles.

One of the greatest speeches deliv-
cred by President Taft on his present
tour of the west is the Dies Moines
address in which he deals with bust
ness prosperity and the relation be
tween business affairs and the gov
eminent In view of the fact that
the telegraphic report of his speech
contained only resume Of the more
important parts and as the Republican
has received from washington a copy
of the address in fun it is herewith
reproduced for the benefit of this pa
per's readers. The address is as fol-
lows:
My Fellow Citizens: I wish To invite
your attention to the relation of the
federal government and the federal
statutes to the business Of this cOun-
try. its legality and its prosperity.
There are four most important points
at which the policies of congress and
the federal executive touch the bust
ness of this country in such vital
way that the people are entitled to
have the greatest care. industry. and
application characterize governmental
action in respect to them They are.
liiSl. III respect OF interstate commerce
and the regulation of railroads and
the rates of transportation between
the states: second. in the enforcement
Of the laws fOrbidding combinations to
monopolize interstate trade in indus
trial companies: third. in the amend
ment of tariff legislation affecting
chiefly the manufactures of the coun-
try: and. fourth in the furnishing for
the use Of the business of the country
a proper banking and currency system
which shall automatically give an elias
tic currency. expanding and contract
ing according to the business 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 of
unreasonable and unduly discriminat-
ing rates. we have progressed far to-
ward a satisfactory solution. In the
last administration the power was Civ
en- to the interstate commerce com
mission to fix railway rates Il having
been decided that the functions of the
interstate commerce commission. then
conferred. went only So far as to find
not include the power of fixing n reaS-
enable rate. When the first regular
session of congress met in by admins
tration I urged upon the congress the
necessity for further legislation looking
to more complete control and regu-
lation Of railways in respect to rates
than had Heretofore been given. I
recommended the establishment OF
commerce court. 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 eXpe-
dition and greater uniformity in rul-
ing and a prOmpter disposition by the
supreme court Of cases passed upon
by the interstate commerce commits
sion.
l recommended that cases affecting
interstate commerce should be put un-
der the direct control of the depart
ment Of justice. and that the proceed
ings 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 heretofore.
l recommended that shippers should
have some easy and practical method
OF ascertaining n rate applicable to
any proposed shipment in advice in
writing with a penalty for a failure to
furnish it.
I recommended that the commission
be authorized to act on its own mi
tiative, as well as upon the complaint
of any individual respecting the reas-
onableness of any rate or the fairness
of any practice. and that the COM
mission should be empowered to pass
upon the classification of commodities.
as well as upon their rates, that having
been left in doubht under the previous
law
| also invited attention to the in