The Brookhaven leader., 1886-05-20
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.

ProvisIons OF the Interstate Commerce
Bill as 1t Passed the Senate-A Commis-
sion Provided For-The Long and short
Haul Clause EntIre-The Bill Now Goes
To the House.
WASHINGTON, May 13.-The Inter-
State Commerce bill, as amended and
passed by the Senate yesterday, provides
for a commission of five persons, to be
appointed by the President, by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate, to
carry out the purposes of the bill. Each
commissioner Is to have q salary OF s7,-
500 year, and a secretary, to be appoint-
ed by the commission, is to have salary
of s3,500 year. The principal Office Of
the commission is to be at Washington,
while general sessions may be held else
where to suit public convenience, in
which the necessary expenses incurred
are to be paid from the Treasury. The
first commissioners appointed shall hold
office for a term of two, three, four,
6ve and six years respectively,
the term of each to be
designated by the President; their success
sors, however, hold for SIX years each.
Not more than three of the five shall be
appointed from the same political party.
All persons holding stock or bonds of
any ImmOn carrier, or holding official
relations to such corporations, are de-
clared Ineligible for appointment. The
commissioners must not engage in any
other business. The commission is given
authority to inquire into the usiness and
management of all common carriers sub
ject to the provisions of the bill, and to
obtain full and complete Information as
to such business, may require the at
tendance and testimony of witnesses, and
the production of all books, papers,
agreements, tariffs and documents relat-
ing TO anv matter under investigation, and
may to that end invoke the aid of the
United States Courts. Persons having
complaints to make against any common
carrier (of Interstate commerce) shall
make complaint in writing to the com
mission. The commission shall send the
complaint to the common carrier and re.
quire either satisfaction of the complaint
or answer in writing within reasonable
time specified. If reparatiOn Is not
made within the time stated, the commits
sion shall investigate the complaint. The
commission shall also investigate all
complaints forwarded to it by State COM
missions, and may institute inquiries on
its own motion. Complaints shall not be
dismissed because of absence of direct
damage to complainant.
Reports of the commission shall be in
writing and shall include the findings in
fact on which based, and a recUmmenda-
tion as to what reparation, II any, should
be made by common carriers to the in
iured party: and such findings shall be
deemed prima face evidence in all ju-
dicial proceedings.
Whenever any common carrier shall
refuse TO obey any lawful order OF the
commission, 1t Is made the duty OF the
commission to apply to the United States
Circuit Court sitting in equity, alleging
violation; and the Court shall hear and
determine the matter on short notice and
without the formal proceedings of ordi-
nary suits, but so as to do justice, and the
Court may in proper cases issue writs OF
Injunction or other process, mandatory
or otherwise, to restrain further violation
Of orders of the commission on the part OF
the common carrier offending. For such
purposes circuit courts shall be deemed
always in session.
The bill requires that all charges for
any service in transporting passengers
or freights or stoI.ng goods by com.
mon carriers shall be reasonable; 1t pro.
hibits all rebates and drawbacks, and
all unjust discrimination; requiring
that all persons shall be charged and
treated alike for services rendered under
substantially similar circumstances and
conditions.
Every common carrier subject to the
bill shall, within sixty days after 1t be-
comes a law, file with the commission
copies of all it's tariffs of fares and
freights, including its classifcatiOns and
terminal charges, and shall make them
public so far as the commission may
deem practicable. No advance on such
published rates shall be made without
ten days public notice.
The long and short haul clause, being
a section of the bill, reads as follows:
That it shall be unlawful for any common
carrier to charge or receive any greater
portation OF passengers, of like class and
quality or property subject to the proVi-
sions of this act for shorter than for Ion
ger distance over the same line, in the same
direction and from the same original point
of departure, or to same point OF arrival.
But this shall not be construed as authoriz.
ing any common carrier with the terms OF
this act to charge and receive as great
compensation for shorter as for u longer
distance, provided, however, that upon ap-
plication to the commission appointed under
the provisions of this act, such common
carrier may, in special cases, be authorized
to charge less for longer than for shorter
distances for transportation of passengers
or property; and the commission may, from
time to time, make general rules EXEMPT
ing such designated common carrier
in such special cases from the opera
tions OF this section of this act
and when such exceptions shall have been
made and published they shall. until changed
by the commission, or by law, have like
force and effect as though the same had
been specified IN this section. Any common
carrier who shall viola Q the provisions Of
this section of this act shall be deemed guilty
of extortion. and shall be liable to the per
son or persons against whom any such ex
cessive charge was made for all damages
occasIoned by such vi )lation.
The bill now goes to the House fol
concurrence.