Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-23
Dcnaturinf the Commerce Commission

ttc commerce COmNlisSiO
a inc governments control Of the interior
system OF transportation proceeds more
ana more people arc beginning to wonder 10
what extent the Interstate Commerce t,on
"''''on VIII be recognized as Il factor in the
lcurcSS cl wrong which may be committed
!" inc consideration OF great problcms of
'"'c.'hah'hg and III iurthcring the processes
VI 'cdcrai regulation. The ability of this
p"dv TO deal with these matters has boen
demonstrated again and again. and tho viii,
'nshcSs oil the country To intrust il with Tho
9o'"t'oh 90 Snch problems has been signitied
III inc long series of measures adopted by
Io"SFeSS designed to enlarge the commits
SiOn'S powers
when the President took over rho railway
system under his war powers and CONGRESS-
supplemented that action by giving the Pros
'ucht ratc-making power, the commission
seemed to have been lcgisiatcd into - posi
ton OF usclcssncss. Yet Congress placed II IN
ho'ic"hat anomalous situation by refusing
c'hcr 10 abolish the commission or 10 cur-
'''i any OF lis original powers except that
TO suspend rate which already had ro,e
INTO chcct II may declare that rate mi
and revise it, but il may not be susnendoL
pend'ng determination OF the question.
Ihdcr these circumstances the question
""turaiiE arises. how long two rate-mukinr
"sc"c!eS can go along harmoniousiyo That
me COMMISSION IS better informed than the
dircctor-Gencral OF railroads upon sucb MAI.
.e's m"St Dc assumed. II has studied them
'o' '"th'! years and its decisions must carry
Win them the weight OF expert kpuwledgc
yin INC other hand, the dircctor-CeneraI who
is charged by the President with the onera,
'IoH OF 'he roads. must be better informed
regarding Tie revenue needs OF Tho c,rri.rs
All" from his decisions on that subject ,hero
can be no appeal
mere Is another factor that must be CON
H,"e'e"' NAT factor is the shipper The
supper Is eh'it'ed TO tribunal before which
me may appear and state his grievances
' '"'''oaa administration, for the time is
me representative Of all the carriers lie
decisions regarding freight and passe,ner
'h"F seS are necessarily ex partc. The simmer
uh"e' present practice, must accent Them
''"I practice Is not in keeping with me
'"'"'H Oh congress. under which the Inter-
S'''e 'oMmci"e Commissions jurisdiction
W. J"Stiee OF II given rate should re-
MAN. ibaf Jurisdiction so far has M, hoon
'"'""e"' ""' me time is coming when II
WIN ~ ana the commission, if IL is no, TO-
'"IiE ahde" the domination OF the railroad
administration. must cyeI else its powore
there are signs that the commission !. 80,
wiiiinG 10 force issues with the director pt,-
'I"' upon the question OF rate-making 'rbo,
pD"H mas taken no exception to the blanke1
80 ~ ceh' rate increase recently ordained by
'"e "''cciof general But il any citizen ap-
pears Win complain, it must act. and when
II acts It's attitude will be watched with
Keen interest by the whole country
Another living link connecting the old
south with The prcscn, generation has becn
o'oHeh' another OF those notable figures In
"hom was iyphed all that the old South
$1,000 Tor at the same time possessing the
pest oil those things developed by the new.
mas heen removed, and to-day every Southern