The Prescott daily news., 1917-04-05

Onihcation of Regulation Is EssenrIaL-
 A Complete, Harmonious, Consistent
 and Related System Needed-FederaI
 incorporation of Railroads by Gener.
 al Law Favored
 Washington, March 6.-Responsibil. ity for the railway development of the country, for providing necessary trans. portadon facilities to care for the grow. Ing business and population of the country now rests largely with con. gress and not entirely with the rail. road managers. This was the state ment Of Judge Robert $. Lovett. chair. man of the executive committee of inc Union Pacific system, to the Newlands Joint congressional committee when that body resumed it's inquiry into the subject of railroad regulation this week.
 ln making this statement of the changed conditions of the railroad sit uation Judge Lovett undoubtedly had in mind the decision of the supreme court on the AdamSon law, handed down last week, which establishes the right of the federal government to fix railroad wages and to prevent strikes. This decision is regarded by railroad men and lawyers as marking an epoch in tine development of transportation in the United states
 We have our share of responsibil. ity," said Judge Loyett but it rests primarily on congress When the gov. crnHo9t regulates the rates and the financial administration of the rail. roads, the borrowing of money and the Issuance of securities 1t relieves the railroad officers of the responsibility of providing and developing transporta- ton systems, except within the limits of the revenue that can be realized from such rates and under such restrictions
 "tor country such as ours for a people situated as We are, to bIunder along with Il series of unrelated, incon. siStcnt, conflicting statutes enacted by different states without relation to each other, instead of providing n com plete and carefully studied and pre- pared system of regulation for busi ness that is so vital to the life of the nation, Is worse than folly"
 lie summed up the present problems and difficulties of the railroads as fol lows:
 FirSt.-The multiplicity of regula. tions by the several states with respect to the issue of securities, involving de. lays and conflicting state policies gen. orally dangerous and possibly disas- trouS.
 Second.-The state regulation of rates in such d manner as to unduly reduce revenues to discriminate in ia. vor of localities and shippers within its own borders as against localities and shippers in other states and to dis turb and disarrange the structure of interstate rates.
 Third.-The inability of the Inter- state Commerce Commission, whoever the commissioners may be, to perform the vast duties devolving upon it un. der existing laws, resulting in delay which should never occur in commer- cial matters-and compelling the com missioners to accept the conclusions of their employees as final fin deciding matters of great importance to the commercial and railroad interests of the country.
 Fourth. The practical legality that has been accorded conspiracies to tie up and suspend the operation of the railroads of the country by strikes and violence and the absence of any law to compel the settlement of such dis putes by arbitration or other judicial means, as all other issues between citi- zens in civilized states are to be set ted
 Fifth.-The phenomenal increase in the taxation of railroads in recent years.
 Sixth.-The cumulative effect of these conditions upon the investing public, to which railroad companies must look for the capital necessary to continue development
 We believe that the unitication of regulation is essential" said Judge Lovett, and that with the rapid in crease of state commissions in recent years congress will in time be com pelled to exercise it's power in the premises To unify regulation there should be complete. harmonious, con sistent and related system. We be- lieve the best. If not the only practical plan, Is the federal incorporation Of railroads by general law. which will make incorporation hereunder com pulsory. thus imposing on all railroad companies throughout the United States the same corporate powers and ..n....rt