IV
RATE-MAKING AND THE GOVERNMENT[1]
I think all railroad-owners and officers agreed with President Roosevelt when he said in a message to Congress: “Above all else we must strive to keep the highways of commerce open to all on equal terms; and to do this it is necessary to put a complete stop to rebates. Whether the shipper or the railroad is to blame, makes no difference; the rebate must be stopped, the abuses of the private car, and private terminal track, and side-track systems must be stopped.” In fact, the great bulk of the freight in the United States is now moving under that principle. I believe that there is much exaggeration and misconception about the alleged abuses that exist. There is no question of “railroads versus the people”; there is a demand for the correction of certain abuses
- ↑ Remarks before the Committee on Interstate Commerce, United States Senate, May 20, 1905.
