Salt Lake Tribune | 1901-12-04 | Page 10 | Interstate Commerce

I INTERSTATE COMMERCE Law Needs Amendment and It Is So Recommended In 18S7 a measure was enacted for the regulation of Interstate railways commonly known as the Interstate commerce act The cardinal provisions of that act were that railway rates should be just and reasonable and that all shippers localities and commodities should be accorded equal treatment A commission was created and endowed with what were supposed to be the necessary ne-cessary powers to execute the provisions provi-sions of this act LARGELY AN EXPERIMENT I That law was largely an experiment I I I Experience has shown the wisdom of I r Us purposes but has also shown possibly I possi-bly that some oC Us requirements are I wrong certainly that the means devised I I de-vised for the enforcement of Its provisions I pro-visions are defective Those who complain com-plain of the management the railways I rail-ways allege that established rates are not maintained that rebates and similar simi-lar devices arc habitually resorted to that these preferences are usually in favor of the large shipper that thoy drive out oC business the smaller competitor com-petitor that while many rates are too low many others arc excessive and that gross preferences are made affecting af-fecting both localities and commodities Upon the other hand the railways assert as-sert that the law by UH I very terms tends to produce many of these Illegal practices by depriving carriers of that right of concerted aetol which they I claim Is necessary to establish and maintain nondiscriminating rates SHOULD BE AMENDED The The act should be amended railway is a public servant Its rates should be just l to and open to all shippers ship-pers alike The Government should see ali this is to It that within its jurisdiction so and should provide a speedy Inexpensive remedy to that pensive and elfectlve lemed end At the same time It must not be forgotten that our railways are the arteries through which the commercial lifeblood of this Nation flows Nothing could be more foolish than the enactment enact-ment OL legislation which Would unnecessarily legislaton cessarily Interfere with the development develop-ment and operation of these commercial commer-cial agencies The subject Is one of great Importance Hind calls for the L earnest attention of the Congress