In respect to the distance tariff question, Chairman Knapp of the Commission says: “I am very far from believing that there should be anything more than the most inconsiderable tendency, if any at all, toward the adjustment of rates on a mileage basis, and I think the prosperity of the railroads, the development of the different sections of the country and their industries, justify the making of rates upon what might be called a commercial basis rather than any distance basis; but do you realize what an enormous power that is putting into the hands of the railroads? That is the power of tearing down and building up. That is the power which might very largely control the distribution of industries. And I want to say in that connection that I think on the whole it is remarkable that that power has been so slightly abused. But it is there.... It comes back to the question which Senator Dolliver asked, are the railroads to be left virtually free to make such rates as they conceive to be in their interests? Undoubtedly their interest in large measure and for the most part is the interest of the communities they serve. Undoubtedly in large measure and for the most part they try as honestly and as conscientiously as men can to make fair adjustments of their charges. But suppose they do not. Is there not to be any redress for those who suffer? That is really the question.... Suppose it were true that a more potent exercise of government authority and the adjustment of rates tended somewhat to increase the recognition of distance with the result of producing a greater diffusion of industry rather than its concentration.... I cannot believe that all those institutions, laws, administrations which operate to the concentration of industries and population are altogether to be commended. I doubt if they result in happier homes, better lives, greater social comfort.” A public board might not be willing to apply the equalization principle without limitation under competitive conditions. It might put the sash and door makers of Michigan and Vermont on an equality in New York City, and yet not think it best to enable the Vermont manufacturers to send sash to Michigan and Indiana points at the same rates the Michigan manufacturers pay, while the Michigan factories get the same rates to Vermont and Massachusetts points as the Vermont people; nor to arrange matters so that a train-load of bananas from the port of New York to Boston would pass a train-load of bananas going from the port of Boston to New York. It takes a lot of railroads working for profit, regardless of the waste of industrial force, to see the wisdom of such cross-hauling. A public board would be likely to recognize not merely the principles of profit, equalization, and development of traffic, but also the principles of economy from a national standpoint, the adaptation of special localities to special work, the value of diversification of industry, etc., etc.