The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-04-30
Work Of the stare COmmi4siOn "a.
Affected by the Interstate Com.
merce Law
Extract FROM Second Annual Repor OF Florida Railroad
Com Ms ioucr-

Extract frou Second Annual Repor' OF Florida Railroad
Com MS iouer-
With respect 10 til" work "i the Commission.
we think il y matter o. US ice 10 mention The
existence - some facts 10, generally known or
appreciated
This board have been charged with making
numerous and large increases in The rates when
in tact the increase was not made by this Com
mission, uut was alleged 10 have been enforced
by The operation OF The provisions Of The An
sccti N ct the Interstate Commerce law. known
as the iong AMI short al clause
We use The term "alleged TO have been made. ="
because though numerous statements have from
time 10 time been made public 10 III" eff ct that
the Interstate Commerce law necessarily in.
creased rates in numerous instances, vet we are
not prepared IN admit that such wa, The case "a
any extent IN Florida.
Advances were made, however. and that f, ct
in more than one instance was impressed uDon
our attention, but the Iates increased were rates
on interstate shipments. We shall not discuss
the work OF The Interstate Commission. nor the
provisions of the Interstate Commerce law. nor
shall We pass judgment upon the facts as stated
by some and denied by others, as TO the effect
generally of the enforcement of the long and
shor, haul clause. We only call attention 10 the
TACT that about the time OF the organic ,tion Of
this Board increases in rates on interstate shin
ments were alleged to have been made, and such
increases were incorrectly supposed by some to
have been made by this Board.
Another matter OF which We wish to speak
briefly is. that numerous complaints reach ms.
which we have no authority to entertain. be-
Cause they are complaints of high rates or other
alleged grievances concerning shipments to and
from points outside the State. We think one.
hall the complaints that in one way and another
come 10 our knowledge are complaints of de.
lays, rates, errors in billing. damage TO freight
refusal TO refund nvercharges and the like in
cases where The shipment about which the alleged
grievances arose were shipments 10 or from points
outside OF Florida
In cases where complaints were formally made
TO the Commission, which we had no authority
10 entertain, because HE shipments were inter
state, when reply 10 the complaints suggested
these facts, parties have said that az the Com
mission could not afford relief, why should it
exist The answer is. that State Railroad
Commissions and the Interstate Commerce Com
mi sion are limited to the sphere OF their own
jurisdiction. AS to complaints i'm regard to
transportation by railways of persons or prop
cry wholly within the State, the Interstate
Commerce Commission has no jurisdiction, and
thus the necessity Of an agency in the State
similar to that established by the United States
Tor the regulation of interstate commerce. has
been already established in a majority of the
Safes
10 this connection we shall take occasion
however, to say that very many of The serious
grievances of shippers are such as exist in
co lnection with interstate shipments and the