The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-09-06
SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS
INSTALLMENTS

After years spent in fighting the
political bosses in the House of Rep
resentatives and later as Governor
of Wisconsin, La Toilette is elected 20
the Senate in 1905. In the Senate he
realizes that he is regarded as
crank and disturber of the peace.
He expresses a preference for assign
ment to the Committee on Interstate
Commerce, but rceivs no response TO
his letter. Here as in Wisconsin. he
discovers the political bosses fighting
progressive legislation. When he
comes to the Senate he finds the inter
state commerce act still the most i'm
portant legislation pending. the Hep
burn bill. amending this act. has
passed the House and is before the
Senate.
There are Just three principal pur-
poses in the governmental regula-
ton of railroad rates: The first. to
prevent unjust and extortionate
rates from being imposed upon the
country; the second, to prevent dis
ordinations between shippers, or To-
calities, or commodities; the third. to
enforce and regulate an adequate
service.
The primary purpose in the enact
ment of the interstate commerce act
in 1851 recall clearly the argu-
ments and hearings-was to prevent
the imposition of unreasonable and
unjust rates. 1t passed in response
to a demand of the public which had
been growing in volume ever since
the days of Granger legislation.
III saying this 1 do not wish to be-
little the abuses arising from dis
ordinations of which rebates fur
nish one example. They have been
most serious in their consequences;
but the early advocates of railroad
regulation saw clearly that the sub
ject of deepest importance was not
determinations but unreasonable
rates.
One school Of advocates Of railway
regulation has adopted as its plat
form the prevention of discrimina-
ton. because it is the least difficult
Of the two branches Of the subject
70 deal with. II provokes the least
opposition from the railroads, and 1t
is always backed by powerful organ
izations OF shippers.
True
Again and again President Roose-
Welt laid it down in his message and
public addresses that there was very
little complaint that rates were IN
reasonab BILE, but that there was much
complaint against determinations.
And that statement was true. 1t was
true for this reason. The shippers
can easily organize and can make
themselves heard and felt.
The thing in which the shipper is
vitality interested Is that his compel
itor shall not have a better rate or
better facilities than he has. But he
IS not concerned as to whether that
rate is high or low He always
charges the rate in as part Of the
cost 10 the consumer, who is the real
freight payer the country over.
Now, the consumer is primarily in
terested in unreasonable rates. Nor
has he the means Of knowing when
he buys his coal. his supplies, his
food. his lumber, his hardware. how
much of the price he has 10 pay is
due to excessive freight charges.
He realizes that year by year il
costs more for everything he mus.
buy, but he is not able to put his
finger upon the particular amount OF
that excessive cost which is due %
freight charges made in the ship
ment Of raw material 10 the factol
in the shipment of the partially fr
ished product to some other factory
and in the further shipment Of tn
finished product TO the wholesale
or jobber. and in the final shipmen'
70 the retailer. from whom
buys it