Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1885-01-24
The Railroad Commission.

G6DaIOF Mlll6E VI VUsSI1HlhC SouaoJ =
has introduced 4 bill Ito create and
establish a Board of Railroad COM
missioners aud to define and regnlate
its powers and duties and TO fix the
compensation thereof. : Such bill
will necessarily attract much attention
from the whole people Of the state who
have. suffered SO much from the extor-
tions Of the railroad companies now IN
existence. This bill provides for the
election Of three commissioners, two re-
pubIicans and one democrat 70 be elect
ed by the present legislature, which IS
to tx their salaries They are to elect
their clerk. The powers Of the Board
are to enquire into all the business ST
the companies and it has right to ex-
anime their books for this purpose,
Their duties are prescribed III the 9th |
section, which provides that after per-
sonal examination it shall appear that
repairs are necessary, or additions to
/ the rolling stock or station houses, or
that any sckange la the rates or fare
for transportation of freight or passen-
gers is reasonable or necessary for the
use of the public, etc, it shall be the
! duty Of the Board to notify the COM
pany, which shall be gwen a hearing,
but if they fail to convince the Board,
it may fine them for neglect to repair
: and may forbid the railroad company
to charge any larger rates or fares than
! those fixed by the Commission.
Having carefully examined the bill
we are compelled to witl-hold our as
sent. While the State has general SUI
: pervision IF the railroads we have
never heard the claim that it was au-
thorized to interfere with the manner
Of their construction or repairs. If
loss of life or property occurs by rea-
son Of neglect in either of these par
2 ticulars, the law already provides due
: remedy for the suderings. If com
$ mission were to decide upon these
3 questions and there vas no refusal on
e The part of a company to comply with
y its orders, we would respectfully en-
:. quire whether the State or the com
S pany was responsible for an accident
g caused by defective bridge or culvert
e The higest judicial authority III the
y United States has decided that thu
IS States have the authority to fix th'
rates Of freight apd fares on the rail
roads within their boundaries, but thi
gives them no authority to delegat,
this power to d commission and if j
: did, We deem it contrary to public pol
s icy to do SO. Not upon the GROUND
indicated by a railroad magnate iii Cal
!. ifornia who said 1T was cheaper to bu,
the commissioners thar ths legislature
for such a thing could never happel
in Oregon, especially as two of then
} would be republicans, but becaue j
!. imposes upon three men too great
responsibility. The people Of Oregon
have demanded Of their representative
without distinction Of party, in anlnis
! taxable terms that an act should b
{. passed regulating freight and fares o
, the railroads and preventing discnm
: notion in regard to the same Whe
= such an act is passed ard it is found t
work injustice to the railroads or til
: peopleit will be time enough toprovid
for railroad commission to remedy it
: defects. The Legislature cannot shil'
) its responsibility by any such sham a
= the Miller BILL