New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-02-07

Interstate Commerce. Esch says:
1--WE can retain whatever of bene
fit federal control has accomplishe
by amending the Interstate Com
merce Act so as to authorize tn
Interstate Commerce Commissioi
to order commol. carriers to inter
change rolling stock and other facili
ties and to maintain open terminal
upon such terms as, between tn
carriers; the Commission may fin
just and reasonable.
1--WE can amend the act to permi
the pooling of traffic and facilitie
upon order of the Commission. unde
such rules and regulations as shall
conduce to the public good.
1--WE can promote and maintain
inland water transportation by au
thorizing the Commission to Fl.
minimum as we'll as maximum rates
I'VE can give the Commission tn
power to regulate the issuance o
stocks and bonds, a power alread,
twice granted by action Of thu
House.
1--WE car give the Commission full
power to prevent competitive waste
by reducing passenger tran mileage
by compelling the use of the shorter
haul. by consolidating offices, sim
plifying and securing uniformity Of
Justification. tar ifs, tickets, etc.
1--WE can lessen the twilight zone
and resultant friction between the
federal and the several state COM
missions by incorporating in the In
terstate Commerce Act the follow
ing recommendation of the federal
Commission made in the annual re-
port for 1916: That, without abdi-
cation OF any federal authority to
finally control questio..s affecting
interstate and foreign commerce, the
Commission be authorized to coope-
rate with state commissions in cf-
forts to reconcile upon a single re-
cord the conflicts between the state
and interstate rates
Commission to Regulate Wages
1--WE can prevent the construction
of needless lines into territory al
ready well equipped by requiring As
4 condition precedent to such cons
truction the issuance by the Com
mission Of a certif cate Of convenience
and necessity, as is o done by
the laws OF Wisconsin, New York
and other states.
Rate making heretofore has had
little or no relation to capitalization
Or cost OF service. It is not an exact
science, There is much room for
Improvement. but changes must be
made gradually aud in such manner
to check congestion in great cen
ters and diffuse prosperity and in
1ustrY throughout the land. Com
petition n rates is impossible under
government ownership and undtr
present federal control, and yet
competition in service should b.,
,etainqd.
The question Of labor must be
careful attention. Up to the
inc of federal control the Inter
Commerce Commission cXcr-
;;sed no power over wages. 1t
fixed the rates. The car
.iers asked for increased rates to
meet the demand for increase in
wages and when granted there was
futher demand to increase wages.
Night not this situation be met by
the rate and wage making
,oWer in one body-the Commits
1t is certain that the Republicans
will not turn the railroads back to
heir original wner as they were,
hat they will reject any attempt
o operate them under government
.wnersh;p, and that they will re-
ulate them under a federal charter
l some such manner as Esch has
utlined. incidentally, they are as
pposed to sustaining any stated
of dividends as much as they
,ere formerly against Bryan's pet
of guaranteeing bank de-
osits. They intend that in the event
t an extra session the entire rail
,ay problem shall be solved and out
f the way by midsummer.
The owners must relinquish the
lain that the roads are private pro-
ertv and as such will be run for the
Of the owner" said chairman
css. The brotherhoods and those
onnected with them must also re-
nduish the claim that the roads run
hiefly to employ men at good
ages. The roads though privately
wned, with profit as the chief in
of the own ership from the
nployer's standpoint, and run bv
Mon labor with high wage as the
1ief incentive from the employees
:andpoint, are and must be con-
in the light of public utilities
he public or third party in the deaf
Iust not only be considered, but
i'll in the end become the chief
Ictor in the determination of the
to Have Protected Marine
simultaneously with the railway
the Republicans will take
, consideration of the means of
DIVIDING a permanent merchant
airline. During the eighteen months
the war there were built in 1903
Upwards of the United States 535
erchant ships with a tonnage Of
rec millions. The country has now
total dead weight tonnage of five
'll'ons aS COnnared to Britain's
millions. The Democrats are
'epar ng to urge upon the country,
thew alredv have in regard to
ilroads. a continuance of govern
ent ownership of both the ships
ID the facilities for making them.
eports come from the Shipping
,ard indicating that an attempt
II be made to show that lack of
ility to compete with foreignl
ttoms heretofore has been due to-
efficiency OF method rather than
tx of subsidy. But Republicans
tort that the Instantaneous re-
Its of public own ership have been
lply proven by the railway admi-
'tration. and that the same inertia
,uld result from government con-
of shipping in time of peace.
icy point ont that before the Civil
ar when this was an Agricultural