MR. TAFT'S MESSAGE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 752, 26 February 1910, Page 3

MR. TAFT'S MESSAGE.

" ;WEAPON AG'AJNST■ RAllWAYi''-•;';■' ~ . ; v ."couet;;op-c6mmeege!'^; ; ■;!■■•:':y' •. President'.Taffs ; 'special Messaged was . issued on■:,. January. ■: 7; recommendi ''.. the creation of -, a.United- States' Court 'of Commerce, to. try ..all;, railway .eases'.aris- V' , ;ingv.outv\of;-orSers^/made...:b3r;.-tlie;iliiteivr! : ; iState■; Commerce-Commission;Y and fanalo- ijl •. gous, to :th'e, repently.-authoriEed/i-itJiiitcdf.J States Customs' Court .:: Mr. ITaffcV sa j(h- ; '.'• that !t'he;necessity" of'.such' a'.'•tribunal'■Mi'-v----ishown by. the annual, reports' of the Inter-' State . Commerce, , Commission, '.in '■■ which -L it is. stated that the;'effectiyepess>'of ijatieS,;" Interstate.; Commerce '-. Law ;has;>!Jeen'' t .'-. jeopardised:through delay's ; incidenfi:.to-theVα present method 'of "railways? appealing ■-to .'.-i any United States'..Circuit Court through."-. '■■'.: out v the country;. ■■•:'.■'■.'.: •:-;■;.-/' "■: ■■■•£'• ;■ tinues,.'should consist of.:five ; .judges;,toibe^ ■'■' dMi^|^- : frqm\e;^ong;tie;-Ppi^>Statee' ! V-" : circuit-judges,'five , new. circuit judges be-'v ing- appointed; to replace them. , The'.-xfc 'S gular:; sessions. ■of -the i new''court should'-i bp/held-at .Washington,..-bntdt should-': be empowered to : .hold'sessions:in differ-. , ! lent 'parts, .of /the United-States' ■ visable; ;Its orders, should': be-final, .sub-.'v.' ject:'only; to, review ...by;.the .United 'Stajei.:-'''... Supre'me/Court. , ', The >judgV-of' the : Cpht - ; i : mcrce 'Court,. it. is ; . suggested;; might- be :• ■ empowered'.itb; allow: 'it; stay^f^any-order 't made by the .liter-State' Commerce : Com- * mission- for: not:.'more,.,than; sixty. day6'if '•" '■ it were-shown- that irreparable damage v would.result. Mr. Taft'eajshe sces-So "' ' re ??° n -.■. W; ? tariff:. agreements'-'ilietweon .railway companies'.should, not be.:permit. '■!' ted,: subject : to rthe-provisions-r-ofx^th*- 1 ?.. 1 'interstate. Commerce.'Act,: any''. partie*K*l^, A a V n S ;t . he rie^t-'to' cancVl'-theia : on; thirty, days', notice." :; ' :"- ;'• ;:w;.-■.-:,

A ; 'H:- •Commissioh , s;'.Powefs; ; ■ i MrV,Tait' i<-> v } /• : "v& ,i ■ To : give tto "Intestate ; Cqmniei6e 'Com. -r mission the initiative power to brings com-'; 'Si plamta against: imjast.'olaEsificatioiiv-ofv/ii merchandise for transportation. '' '"■' : : : ■?' / To: give; the commission: tHe power'to ' ;: .i. ■fix rates after; a. complaints is 4oagedi'and !: "'lt' l powertoreadjust classification when-rates T-'lf. are determined.unjust, i,; ..-,- .; ~:'.5 J: ,?; '•' i -•■;To. give • the -commission- the ■ poWer .'to' ■< ''H suspend,.-, modify, '■ or ''annul any Jcnangej''- V in rates or regulations which-impose uri- ; ' :,; due .'burdens, on shippers; "to. f,ompel ; 'con>';- ''■■.:■' fleeting carriers: 1 to'.'unite; informing. a'- '$'■■■ through .route, ; and' to!fix the. fate"aid .ap-■ £ ; '■ portion 'it among --the!carriers;... to.,pre-'; ; V:i' scribe ■ rules' and , -regulationsi under which $■' shiiipers;-sliall:ThaTe'.:the'-prmlege-.'to r -'de-" : V' signate the:i'outeiqyer!.which..their, ship-v'': : ments shall. be 7 carried^td.the -destination '■'•■'• beyond .that of/.the, first,carrier.;.;;.j."V',v,/ -: ( : ': To-prohibit ■pany acquiring -■stocli : 'ik'-any'• Mm^finr.^-. , .railway; to-l)rohibit)anyirailway..'engaged ■;• in inter-State.'.conime.r,ce from issuing any; : . \ additional ftoclcsor v 6r, other! obliga- ri? ■tions.exceptirith;thVfapproval : mission,, based :upon a finding by'thecomi;, v.: mission'.that 'the same" issued; :'fireti .'■?■■- ■for, the. purposes;authorised: by '.law,; and,' , ', j •;■ .'second, for a'price, not; less, than par. for- ■ ' stock ..and not.' less:'.'than" :.the : '. reasonablo'/'' • market'JTalue;for..bqnds,.\such piiceVbbing' :;".; paid.either 'in cash; property, or'semces,.'::. .and if,' property , or services, ■■ then ; atH the.- .'v. Jair 'ralue; thereof,, as'.'dotennined ;by -th'ey.;-",■: conunissibn.'Cf..:;.-.C'/,'."!' .;-."."' i: "'>■-■■. i';'*"<-:'

fMr.'Taft s'ajs that 'tha^p're- , ':/■ sent condition* under;;which' the-railway . ■■''■'; cbnipanifsiexercise: control throngi .the ownership ;.'of competing! '^!i'g*Mjini^tip^uh'dtt,itteV.ei^^ilßgjsT-' v v jjlatiTe'.poVcr conferred "by the-'law's: 'of"' ,1, :many. ; States,-/and■ the);effect of/ any at-, .■; "tempt now'made suddenly:to reverse that ;:. policy,: s>o.; far,..as. it /affects -the ..ownership : ":; of ;stoc]is'::heretofqreVacquired,,'.wonld!-.be. ■/) ~tb"inflict, grievous"lnjuryI'not'1'not'.'only l: "oh. ~ : ' : '- the ; corporations: 'affected, but on■.'a large ■ . ..body-'-.of-:the- investment-holding public. , '.--. He'recommends' ;":": . ■'V' : r 'iy.':

-^■'Tbr/;'t)ie'..'p'rblictioa^bi..:theVmm6riiy' ; *..'' of the stqcthblders, ; affl^6Fsecuriig ; tnenr i --' the best market for that .the . -against"acquiring■;■. ,■-..-. •in 'pr'lease'jof,-property'-.of, any.coaipejinß r -.*' .line, .'.■lie'^~Muple , iit. -6halV'not:.operate; to.'preyent': any •'■'■; ■pbration,'; which'at' the divte.of 'the , pas- '■''t:i'-' sage.of such Act. did..oirn"'not,less. v than,< ;j: bne-half;of-.the.-entire issued-outstanding 'i'ffi capitalrstpek-of any, other railway, from . -V acquiring;:aHr'or:;the\ir(!mainder' ! 'of;-the ."'■ I stock';;.nor.'\tb...prohibit, any, r'ail'ira'y'lcOHK ; .'";'. pany: which Vat 'of: the':, enact-';'...'' mbnt'bf. the.law'■is/'ODerating'ia: , railway v;?; ■of ,':any ; 'otherlcorporation , under ;a;;lease ■"■:'. .'■'■ ■EEecuted.'for^a.vtefni ;6f 25: years ; '.irqnxll'acquiringZtha.'Tevefeibna'Ty.'lowncr-,:"':::-. ship;',pf..,.the;4.e n sised;.;,railwSyi".:., hv . ■:■:'.''.':'■ ', The : President ■recommends? the' exten-" ■. " fSion.-bf "the■'authprity::"of;. the '.Inter-State ■■;■■>■ ■Commerce Comriiissioni.-tb',the .supervision', i>; ■of .6afoty appliances ba "goods: tiaiis. : -fqr-?.:u : :the'.behefit"of therailwiayi.employees and ; ■ fthe;extension , of.!the'.scbpe-bf: the-Em--.- , -...-- ployers' Liabilitv'j Act ■ to- facilitate ; Buit« for'damages', by linjureid'.'enlployeesi/V i:';-'v...

+ ■■1 i*.:::Anti-Trust'Legislatjon.;~;^r" :? ; ;i 'f; , .' "■'■-. Turning to ; tho discussibn'of'tlie' 1 Aati- 'i; Trust; Lair,.;the; Message: declares;.tha£.:.V ; - nothiiigcould'hatipen ;more'destructive tjie,prosperitj-..of;..the : 'c'onntrj'vtliaii:-.th«'.-. ; i Joss, of'that great economy- of-production vj■"■■ .effectedi in rail'■• manufachiring^lines--by;■■''"''- ■' ■the: employment'.'of- -larse : c'&pitaU under ■ ■<:•: ■■'■'■ oue. management -.and. says': that' Supreme V "1 .CJburt?decisions iwould' , : in'inarij-;cases•-bi'; ■'.' ■■ rendered'•uniiecessarjj'by the . of - : the•■; voii ':''unreasonable": before.:the '-..'. i.■' T "restraint" of.:trade""."cbridemned- in ;tha*i''Slaw,.;.;: .;!;;;■ \«:.-i;.;.^.i ; .!!.';v:-; : iV'V ?. The: President-goes ■ori . k.j- : th'at,'-:' f;i . '.while lt.is, possible:;for;':the Department' i> .of.-Justice under, the-preseiitvlawvto'in- ■"■■:;. Testigate;.the: Mstpij,..'.prgariisatidal,''-;an<}! . : ■purposes of all industnal.-coinpanies'<6ue.-. l "'•>■ pectedvpf- violating; a'e/AntirTrust':li'aiir.Kj^' ■such investigation•.would'.tend;'to:,disturb"-""■ ;i confidence,; prosperity, :■.' tb the'"innocent many >■; '■' ,&rVthe , Taft'proposesi. a.federai'charter;-'.:-.; under !wbieh'-..business, coriibinations.. will'■'• , •be.tfolu'ntarily-Enabled to "■'■ change- , the.:,/-; ;character ) ::or.gariisatibri,' ; ; .and '}. extent'/, ol'V- r .theiribiisines's liner? ■;;'- : : of the lay; Under-federal supervision, such'•"-v agairist istbc£-ivate'ring''and ■'"' ! ' to• requirei'full>periodic. renprts. ; of■'the-'a-'. andjsuch'.V' : ; ,qorpbratibus T .tpybft;:prqhibitedt.from,.hpld--i • .iigLstock. :in.>,other.. ; .corp6ratipris,'. .escept , . 7 • •forispacial reasons.approved, by. the propel-•federal-authority;';,';;;"': l'V,'."'."■ '- ~;J~ ■•.' ; - : ' ~~ : '-ff