The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-11-23
By gibson GARDNEx

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2S.-Shall the
authority OF the states over railroad
rates be wiped out and all authority
vested In the interstate commerce
commission? This question has been
raised by the so-called Shreveport
rate case. and all the leading railroads
have started cases seeking to divest
the state authority. The state COM
missions and the shippers are oppos-
ed TO this move. They contend that
interstate rates ought TO be left TO the
authority OF the state commissions
and that the federal commission
would not be equal to the task OF rate
making carried to the extent which
would be necessary II the state com.
missions were wiped out. At the re
cent session OF the state commission
ers an address by Solicitor Farrell. of
the interstate commerce commission.
advocated an extension OF the Shreve-
port doctrine, but a resolution was
passed by an Overwhelming vote ex-
pressing the belief OF the commission
ers that the state authorities should
be upheld to specified degree. The
resolution provided that the inter
state commerce commission should
not have legal power TO enforce rules
or rates or to exempt a railroad from
rules or rates prescribed by state
commissions until such rate or rules
shall have been found unreasonable
by judicial determination. In other
words, the state commissioners be-
lieve that the courts should stand be-
tween the ruling OF a state commits
sion and the authority OF the inter
state commission.
That the public is more interested
In jails than In schools is the interest
ing conclusion drawn by w. +. Fea-
gin. state superintendent or education
for Alabama. as q result of a survey
recently made by him In his state.
After describing the dilapidated rural
school In the same county with a
handsomely constructed Jail. Supt.
Feagin says: The Jail has sanitary
drinking fountains. shower baths.
clean floors. plenty OF light good ven
tilation. and Is otherwise attractive.
Could person from the district In
which this school Is located be blam-
ed for preferring the jail?" Supt.
Feagin concludes that the farmer who
owns cheap automobile frequently
spends as much on the upkeep OF his
one car as the community spends for
the total maintenance OF the local
school. including the teachers salary.
Mr. Feagin found that out Of. 1923
pupils entering the first grade In the
schools inspected In Alabama. only go
completed the work of the fourth year
of the high school OF the teachers.
as per cent are holding their present
positions for the first time. or the
remainder, Is per cent are teaching
their second session in their first
school. and only 10 per cent have
stayed more than two years in the
same place.
The effect OF the aeroplane as a
new adjunct to war was clearly fore
seen by it's inventor. the late Prof ;.
p. Langley, secretary Of the Smith
sonian institution. In an article pre-
pared for delivery in New York city,
April IL, 1901. before the American
Institute OF Electrical Engineers. and
published in the 1900 report OF the
Smithsonian institution. Prof. Lang
ley said: There is no room here TO
enterlon the consideration of the con-
struction OF larger machines or TO OF