The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-03
RULES FOR RAILROADS.
THE BILL TO AMEND THE PRESENT
REPORTED BACK.

Reductions in Published Rates Can
Only be Made After Three Days
Notice-Three Provisions Proposed
for the Punishment of Under Billing
and Other Trickery.
WASHINGTON, May 2.-In the Senate to-
day Mr.. Cullom, from the Committee on
Interstate Commerce. reported the bill to
amend the interstate commerce law, and it
was placed on the calendar. The bill pro-
poses to amend the sixth section Of that
law so as to require that printed schedules
of rates shall be kept open to public in
spection" and accessible to the public"
that reduction in published rates shall only
be made after three days public notice, in
stead of without previous notice, as at
present; and that the provisions in regard
to advances and reductions in rates shall
apply to Joint tariffs made by connecting
roads as well as to tariffs made by individ
ual roads. 1t is proposed to amend the
tenth section of the act the criminal pen
atty section, by making those convicted of
violating the act liable to imprisonment for
not exceeding two years, in addition to the
fine already provided for, or both fine and
imprisonment in the discretion of the court,
when the offense is an unlawful discrimina-
ton in rates for the transporta ton of pas
sengers or property.
THREE PROVISIONS PROPOSED.
The committee proposes three provisions
in regard to "under billing The first is
that officers, agents or employees of a rail
road who, by means of false billing, false
classification, false weighing, or false report
of weight, or by any other device or means,
knowingly and wilfully assist or willingly
suffer or permit any person to obtain trans
portation at less than the established rates,
shall be deemed guilty of a msdemeanor
and shall be subject to a fine of not exceed
ing s., 600 or Imprisonment for not exceed
ing two years, or both IN the discretion OF
the court.
GUILTY OF FRAUD.
The second is that any person, or officer,
or agent of any corporation who delivers
property for transportation to any common
carrier, subject to the provisions of the act,
or for whom as consignor or consignee such
carrier shall transport property, who shall
knowingly and willfully, by false billing,
false classification, false weighing, or false
report of weight, or by any other device or
means whether with or without the con-
sent or connivance of the railroad, or its
agents, obtain transportation for property
at less than the established rates, shall be
deemed guilty of fraud, which is declared
to be a misdemeanor, punishable as in the
first case.
WARNING AGAINST BRIBERY.
The third provision makes subject to the
same penalties any person who by the pay
ment of money, ETC., or by solicitation shall
induce any railroad or any of its officers or
agents to discriminate unjustly in his favor
as against any other conslgnor or consignee
in the transportation of property, and also
makes such persons liable with such rail
road IN action on case TO be brought by
any consignor or consignee Disseminated
against for all damages resulting there
from.
The only other amendments of general
interest proposed are one to permit railroads
TO carry free destitute and homeless persons
transported by charitable societies, and an
other TO permit railroads to give reduced
rates to municipal governments for the
transportation of INDECENT persons.