Extension of Tenure of Government Control of Railroads. Hearings Before the Committee on Interstate Commerce, United States Senate, Sixty-Fifth Congress, Third Session, on the Extension of Time for Relinquishment by the Government of Railroads to Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1919 Excerpt: ...rates and services to that which may be under investigation by the Interstate Commerce Commission in a given case, is a great advantage to the latter in reaching a correct conclusion. Not that the Interstate Commerce Commission is bound to accept what the State commissions or the railroads may have done, but it is certainly a great advantage to know what they have done, and give it that weight to which the commission thinks it is entitled. If we should adopt any system of regional commissions, so-called, in certain districts or States, so that they will have the advantage of the knowledge to be gathered from familiarity with the matters with which they deal, would the Interstate Commerce Commission be any better off or any better able to decide what ought to be done because of the recommendation of such regional commissions than they are with access to the action of the State commissions and the railroads, which throw light upon the subject in the given case which the Interstate Commerce Commission may have under consideration? The proposal to establish regional commissions for the purposes which have been pointed out. and mainly to avoid the charge of destroying the local control and the benefits of the service of those who are best acquainted or who would become best acquainted with the situation in a given locality, is but a mere inducement held out to meet the objection that by abolishing the State commissions the local control is taken away. It has. not been shown, and can not be shown, that such regional commissions could better regulate the local rates and matters of transportation than do the State commissions when they properly perform the functions of their office. The right should remain with the State and it should be expected that the agencies ...