Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-25
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
SENATOR CULLOMs BILL FA-
VORABLY REPORTED.

Its Provisions Given in DetaiI-FavOr-
able and Adverse Reports on the Wo-
man Suffrage Questionable. Randall
Again Snubbed in the House During
the Debate on the Naval ApprOpria-
tion Amendments.
WASHINGTON, April 24.-The Senate
Committee on Railroads unanimously re-
ported, with a few minor amendments,
the bill prepared by Senator Cullom to
establish a commission to regulate inter-
State commerce and for other purposes.
1t creates a commission TO be known
as the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, to consist of five men,
bers, to be appointed by the Presi-
dent by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate. 1t provides that
not more than three of the commissioners
shall be members of one political party.
The commission shall have supervision
over all matters pertaining to the regu-
latiOn of commerce among the several
States and Territories and the methods of
operation of all transportation companies
engaged in Interstate commerce, and it is
made the duty OF the commission to enforce
the provisions of the act by all lawful
means within its power. If any trans
pOrtation company engaged in Interstate
commerce shall demand or receive in the
transaction of its business of inter-
State commerce more than reason
able rates of compensation, it
shall be deemed guilty of eXtOrtiOn, or if
any such company shall directly or iH-
directly bv any rebate drawback or other
device collect or receive from any person
a greater compensation for any service
it may render in its transaction of inter
State commerce than it collects or re-
ceives from any other person for like SER
vice, or If it neglects or refuses to furnish
equal facilities, it shall be deemed guilty
of unjust discrimination. Complaints of
eXtOrtiOn or unjust discrimination are to
be investigated by the commission. II,
in case the complaints are found to be
well founded, the companies refuse
reparatiOn or to desIst from
the Objectionable practice, the commission
is required to certify the facts to the
District Attorney of the United States for
the judicial district in which the act COM
planned ofOccurred, and it shall be the duty
of the District Attorney, at the request of
complainant, to forthwith commence such
proceedings in the name of the complain
ant, as may be necessary to recover any
damages sustained by him, and in case of
failure to recover, cOmplainants shall
pay the cost of the suit, the attorneys
fees excepted. Any company convicted
under the provisions Of the act,
either of eXtortiOn or of unjust dis
elimination, shall forfeit and pay
for each Otfense fine not exceeding ST.
600. Any company that shall neglect or
refuse to make such annual reports as the
commission may require, or that shall
neglect or refuse to answer any question,
or to produce any book, papers, contract
or document, or properly certified abstract
thereof called for by the commission in
making its investigations, shall be deemed
guilty of misdemeanOr, and on cOnyic-
ton thereof shall be fined in a sum not
exceeding $1,000 for each Offense. The
salaries of the commissioners is fixed
at $500 each and of the Secretary
to the commission at $500. In making
investigations the commission is armed
with power to require the attendance of
witnesses, to administer Oaths and to re-
quire the production OF all books, papers,
contracts and documents or properly GER
titled abstracts thereof relating to any
matter under investigation, and Is au-
teorized to conduct investigations in any
portion of the United States. The com
mission is authorized to require annual
reports from all transportation companies
engaged in Interstate commerce, to fix
the time aud prescribe the manner in
which such reports shall be made, and to
require from such companies specific an
swers to all questions upon which the
commission may need information. Sixty
thousand dollars is appropriated for the
use and purposes of this act for the pres
ent and the next fiscal year.