direction were taken before Roosevelt went out of office. The new
Federal Department of Commerce and Labor was created, and its
head became a member of the Cabinet. The Bureau of Corporations
was established in the same department. These new executive
agencies were given no regulatory powers, but they did perform
excellent service in that field of publicity on the value of
which Roosevelt laid so much stress.

In the year 1906 the passing of the Hepburn railway rate bill for
the first time gave the Interstate Commerce Commission a measure
of real control over the railways, by granting to the Commission
the power to fix maximum rates for the transportation of freight
in interstate commerce. The Commission had in previous years,
under the authority of the act which created it and which
permitted the Commission to decide in particular cases whether
rates were just and reasonable, attempted to exercise this power
to fix in these specific cases maximum rates. But the courts had
decided that the Commission did not possess this right. The
Hepburn act also extended the authority of the Commission over
express companies, sleeping-car companies, pipe lines, private
car lines, and private terminal and connecting lines. It
prohibited railways from transporting in interstate commerce any
commodities produced or owned by themselves. It abolished free
passes and transportation except for railway employees and
certain other small classes of persons, including the poor and
unfortunate classes and those engaged in religious and charitable
work. Under the old law, the Commission was compelled to apply to
a Federal court on its own initiative for the enforcement of any
order which it might issue. Under the Hepburn act the order went
into effect at once; the railroad must begin to obey the order