Mr. E. P. Vining, a former railroad manager, says that the reduction of a rate found unreasonable by the Commission may result in new discriminations unless other rates are reduced in fair proportion.[415] It is also clear that in many cases the reduction of other rates by the railroads may nullify the effect of the Commission’s order in respect to the rate complained of. Take, for example, the railroads leading from the wheat belt to Minneapolis and to Milwaukee. Excepting the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul the roads that lead to Minneapolis are not the same roads that lead to Milwaukee. The Commission found that the rates on grain to Milwaukee and Minneapolis subjected the former to undue prejudice and disadvantage, but if the Milwaukee roads were ordered to reduce their rates to a given level the Minneapolis roads could neutralize the order by reducing their rates below the said level.[416] In other words no mere right to designate a reasonable rate in place of a rate complained of and found unreasonable can prevent unfair discrimination between places. Nothing short of a general rate-making power can do the work properly. Particular rate-fixing alone means patchwork and inefficiency, easy evasion and new discriminations in place of the old ones. On the other hand, to give a public board general power to revise rates would if effective be tantamount to taking possession of the railroads without compensation, and if ineffective would amount to little in the way of stopping discrimination. If the tariffs were made by or subject to the revision or approval of a public commission and the rates so made were enforced, the most vital element in the ownership of the roads would be made public. And if the rates were disregarded or the power not vigorously and intelligently exercised the evils we are considering would still continue. CHAPTER XXXIV. CAN REGULATION SECURE THE NEEDFUL DOMINANCE OF PUBLIC INTEREST? It is questioned whether any form of regulation can overcome discriminations. One of the ablest members of the Interstate Commerce Commission said to me: “No, regulation can never stop discrimination.” And the man who is regarded by many as the leading railroad expert in the country replied to my question in substantially the same way. “Regulation properly so-called cannot eliminate discrimination, though it may greatly diminish it.”