The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-11-09

Advocating enlargement Of scope for
federal regulation OF railways the ONO
Manufacturers Association recently
published this statement:
In the evolution Of our railway SES-
TENS all have become practically. II not
In fact. Interstate rather than inGaState
and the problems involved in their CON
tirucd operation and development ar"
those properly coming under the proper
jul iSdictiun OF IN" Interstate NOHl-
mcrcc Commission"
1t is tn: primary province Of the
body which mad" th!S declaration 20
consider and rrUmot" tn" interest u Inc
yc"ri" OF Ohiu--.m other words, state
interest. l. Is si2n!,' mn: that from
such u Sour"" should E ~ IN argument
in favor OF trans r"rr:ns authority from
state TO federal hands. IN" Illinois
Manufacturers Association has urged
all commercial bodies in Its stat 10
support q measure III congress when
would unity regulation OF railways
where federal and state regal
lation conflict" The New Jersey state
Chamber Of C"mmCrcn ut the instance
Of thu ll"hofirn l:"ard Of Trade has ap-
pointed u committee to crystalline New
Jersey opinion in favor OF legislation
which mclll,rs in the language or the
Unbokrn organization. that the M
tirnal government shall on BEHALF al the
states regulate the inStumentalitleS or
iuicrStat" C"mmcrc" except IN those
spheres which are Iistinctiv"l% local.
That is to say. in addition I" n Sr"r"
O" more ri rational trade assHciatlnnS
and = still larger numhcr oI civ chain
irr, OF cuntu"rCe which have announc-
ell approval oi united regulation. we
full these statewide organizations reg
iSt"ring state business sentiment TO th,
aft,c: that 4 Is in the best tniercS al
tn. people Of each state to DO protected
by federal regulation.
In some parts ct tho country thr dis
position OF the people of one state is de-
trrmn"d by the nature Of their interest
IN L controversy between themselves
state. Tho most celebrated cose is that
OF Louisiana and Texas. in which the
Railroad Commission Of Texas anu
some Texas business associations. al
though apparently not Texas farmers;
rnrtInu" efforts to upset tn" result OF
Tie Shreveport case This Is dispute
in which the Interstate Commerce Com
n i:;?icn, sustained by the Suprcn"
Court. has held that federal regulation
could prevent tho authorities OF state
from fixing rates designed 10 iaV"r
shipping ccntcrs in that state at he
expense of shipping ccntcrs across the
border in another state The authorl-
tics and business mon OF Louisiana arc
in favor OF FEDERAL regulation; the p2o-
Me Of Texas. divided on the subject A
somewhat similar situation arrays Ten
nnSscc for federal and Arkansas for
stu." regulation. and th"rr Are n num-
har Of other such controversies.
For the rnost part. however. III" poo
rie or the country are in position to mp
rrnach this question with out TN" pro
Crcfpati0n Of an acute local contest and
II Is rhe p'IrT,osn Of these paragraphs 10
snt forth So;nL Of the phases which m
in:rariia! CONGRESSMAN thinking "nl" Of
The greatest good or the whole country
will he called upon - consider when IN"
Eewlands Join, Committee Of Congress
makes tn" report required Of il by next
Jlnuarv under the act authorizing the
organization Of the committee.
First, what are the principle spheres
Of regulations which most people seem
ia n gree ought to b. left with tho states"
E'nr.,n0st Is taxation Some states
tax railroads on The basis Of property
aSScssrnnut Others tax gross or net
earnings Others tax market value OF
outstanding securities. The very diver
sitY Of these methods indicates that in