Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-25

Wnere ne was educated. or three years he
was department commander Of the GAR. for
the department of Vermont, and he also held
the Office of judge advocate upon the staff OF
the commander-in-chlefo of the GAR.
HOW THE PROCEEDINGS ARE CONDUCTED.
The method of procedure adopted by the
commission when sitting as a court resembles
that Of a congressional investigating COM
mittee. The examination of witnesses is con-
Quoted by the members of the commission. The
parties in the case, as a rule, employ counsel,
who crOss-examine witnesses and at the close of
the hearing make oral arguments and submit
briefs. lie testimony ID taken down by short
hand writer's employed by the commission and
! the cases are assigned to the different members
of the commission; and the decisions reached,
when approved, are published as the opinions
of the commission. The law gives authority to
the commission to send for persons and papers
and to swear witnesses. If witness refuses
to answer question or the orders of the COM
mission should be disobeyed the offending per-
SONS can be arraigned before any United States
court which is given authority by the law to
compel obedience by Imprisonment aud fine.
The authority of the commission has never
been questioned SO as to make a recourse to the
courts necessary.
GRIEVANCES REDREssED BIZ THE COMMISSION.
The abuses which the commission endeavor
to rectify have arisen in some cases from the
competition growing out of the rapid increase
OF railroads. A road is built parallel for some
distance with an established line. At once q
war of rates ensues. In order to make up for
the reduction in the freight charges along the
competing portions of the road. for example,
the rates on the other sections are increased.
Probably the companies, becoming tired of the
war and its losses. agree TO form a pool By
this latter arrangement each road receives a
certain percentage of the freight earnings of
both roads and the rates to the patrons of both
re inst AZ AZ
stand The same thing occurs in the matter of
passenger transportation. Then there are
cases where a dealer in some town, through
favor with the road, obtains special rate
which enables him to undersell his
competitors. Favoritism may be shown to
one town or section of the country to the dis
advantage of another town or section In this
way the business of an individual or Of an en-
tire town may be built up or destroyed. All
these various features OF railroad management
have become familiar to the public since the
commission was organized by such terms as
''unj Just discrimination" the ''long -and-short
haul" &c. Under the latter term may be
classed large proportion of the abuses which
resulted III the Interstate commerce commits
sion. This term simply means that railroads
have been accustomed to charge more for carry
ing freight and passengers short distance over
the same line than for a longer distance, and in
this way they have been able to meet COMPETE
ton and to distribute their favors where it was
thought the greatest benefit could be gained
| for the company.
RAILROAD REGULATIONS
The law, however, forblds all unreasonable
charges, unjust discrimination, undue or un-
reasonable preference or advantage the pool
| ing of frcights and the division of earnings 1t
| also contains the somewhat famous .'lOng land
| short-haul clause, the meaning Uf which has
| been explained. The railroad companies are
also required to print and keep open for public
4 achA Anl oh rot. MI
| fares for the transportation of passengers and
property, advances which are to be made
| only after ten days public notice.
| As may be perceived the interstate commerce
law applies throughout the entire scope of the
| field where the many railroad corporations of
! the country come in contact with the people, or
wherein their relations with each other the
i public interests are affected. The commission
does not employ a force OF inspectors, as is the
case with other departments of the government
to search out violations of law. The informa-
! ton OF such violations comes to them in the
| shape OF complaints. People from all
| parts of the country write to the COM
mission informing them that some road
| is unjust in its charges-is discriminating
against them in favor OF some one or is doing
| something that is regarded as contrary to the
| law. Comparatively few Of those complaints
are made the subject of formal hearing by the
commission. In fact, but small proportion
| of the work of the commission is represented
by THESE public hearings
| ADJUSTING coMPLAINrs.
| When a complaint is received the commission at
once informs the road against which the CON-
| plant is made. Both parties are placed in COM
munication, and in this way, through the inver-
vention of the commission, disputes are settled
| and wrongs remedied. The initiative, however
| can be taken by the commission and frequently
| they pursue this plan. For example, the roads
| are required to file with the commission their
| schedules Of rates. If upon examination of
| these schedules it is found that erroneous or
| excessive charges are made the matter is brought
| to the attention OF the road directly by the
commission. A call can be made upon the
| railroads at any time to explain their system
Of freight charges and the commission has the
authority to direct any change to be made.
| Frequently one railroad complains of unlaw full
methods Of another road. The commission.
therefore, has large and active corps OF vol
untary assistants to keep 1t posted in regard to
violations Of the law. It is the policy OF the
commission, by frequent conference and inter
course with the railroad managers, to have
observed rather than to devote it's
time mainly to instituting and Conducting
penal and criminal prosecutions. They
believe that the publicity that ensues from the
| exposure of practices or acts that are wrong or
| in contravention of the Law brings the force of
public opinion to bear upon them. This is an
element they consider Of great Importance in
| the administration Of all laws and they find tina
the conclusions or even suggestions Of the com.
| mission are almost invariably acouiesced in bv
| the railroads. While this has been their policv
IN the past, yet the commission are of the opin
| ion that the time has come when more aoeres-