280 Presidential Addresses 



It is clear that corporations created for quasi pub 

 lic purposes, clothed for that reason with the ulti 

 mate power of the state to take private property 

 against the will of the owner, hold their corporate 

 powers as carriers in trust for the fairly impartial 

 service of all the public. Favoritism in the use of 

 such powers, unjustly enriching some and unjustly 

 impoverishing others, discriminating in favor of 

 some places and against others, is palpably violative 

 of plain principles of justice. Such a practice un 

 checked is hurtful in many ways. Congress, having 

 had its attention drawn to the matter, enacted a most 

 important anti-rebate law, which greatly strengthens 

 the interstate-commerce law. This new law pro 

 hibits under adequate penalties the giving and as 

 well the demanding or receiving of such preferences, 

 and provides the preventive remedy of injunction. 

 The vigorous administration of this law and it 

 will be enforced will, it is hoped, afford a sub 

 stantial remedy for certain trust evils which have 

 attracted public attention and have created public 

 Unrest. 



This law represents a noteworthy and important 

 advance toward just and effective regulation of 

 transportation. Moreover, its passage has been sup 

 plemented by the enactment of a law to expedite the 

 hearing of actions of public moment under the anti 

 trust act, known as the Sherman law, and under the 

 act to regulate commerce, at the request of the At 

 torney-General ; and furthermore, additional funds 

 have been appropriated to be expended under the 



