Omaha daily bee., 1916-08-02
Not Such a New Tune After All.

Our amiable democratic contemporary, the
World Herald, throws several varieties of spasms
over what it chooses to call THE Bees new
tune" with labored effort to uncover grevous
Inconsistency in The Bees acceptance of the re-
publican national platform plank for federal regu-
aton Of railroads
II The Bee favored railroad regulation by
state commissions but experiment had proved the
ineffectiveness of that method and the need Of
unified control, we would not hesitate to advocate
some plan that promised more satisfactory re-
suits The founder Of The Bee, at one time, was
openly skeptcal about an Interstate Commerce
commission OF any kind but later became con-
verted to it. At another time, The Bee demanded
abolition Of our old state board of transportation
and rate regulation by direct legislative act, but
when the old maximum freight rate law was
nuihed in the courts, we advocated the establish
ment Of the present elective state railway COM
mission responsible under the constitution d.
rectly to the people rather than subordinate to
the legislature. But experience with this COM
mission in Nebraska, as in other states, has de-
veloped the fact that the railway problem is es-
sentially national problem and cannot be solved
piece-meal by forty-eight distinct and independ-
entity acting bodies
The realization of this fact, however on the
part OF The Bee is not at all so new tune as
the World-Herad would make believe, for The
Bee has more than once urged reorganization OF
the Interstate Commerce commission to make
it do the work now so badly done by the state
commissions or left undone altogether. If the
World Herald man will turn to the file of The
Bee back in September, 1909, he will find dis
cussion of the then proposed enlargement of In
terstate Commerce commission powers in which
we said:
THE difficulty which confronts any plan to
enlarge the powers Of the Interstate Commerce
commission and to add to its work is that the
commission as now constituted and with its pres
ent powers and duties is entirely inadequate to
the demands upon 1t which have grown so fast
and become so complicated that no such single
body can fulfill its purpose satisfactorily. The
expanse of territory within the confines Of the
United States is too wide, our industries too
numerous, our railroad mileage too colossal, Our
problems too varied, the distance too great and
the time too short to have one Interstate Com
merce commission take up all the railroad prob
lens, that may arise and grant relief for all the
grievances and complaints growing out of rail-
way transportation.
WHdl - Hecueu, ne Dec believes anu mas
| already urged, Is division Of the country into
districts for purposes Of railway supervision and
regulation corresponding more or less to the
traffic divisions along which the railroads have
themselves organized traffic associations and
the recasting OF the Interstate Commerce COM
mission so that there shall be subdivision for
each district to investigate and pass on local
matters, subject to review Of the Interstate Com
| merce commission or appeal to the Interstate
| Commerce court, somewhat In the fashion Of
| the federal circuit and supreme courts. Just
now, with the best OF intentions and steadfast
industry, the Interstate Commerce commission
cannot possibly give prompt hearing and deci-
sion on most important controversies, and in
the majority OF cases, delay is the same as de-
NAL Of justice, because tardy damages cannot
| make up for lost business.
| "A body with the authority of the Interstate
Commerce commission within easy reach and
ready to transact business with dispatch in each
| traffic division would make effective the various
rate regulations and Interstate Commerce COM
mission laws as they were intended to operate.
| Uniformity OF rulings would be secured by re-
view and appeal, and undue delay, whose un-
| certainty now prevents people from asserting
| their rights would become the exception instead
| OF the rule"
We have clearly 4 straight-out issue between
the two political parties in this pending presi.
dental campaign as between Matchmaking the
control and regulation of the railroads, and con.
tinuing the feeble, confusing and conflicting eff.
forts at control by each state for itself within its
,wn boundaries. On that issue, The Bee is for
national control and is confident that the re.
publican party, il entrusted with the duty, will
work out reorganization Of the Interstate Com.
merce commission to make it equal to its task
and responsive to the public demands.