Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-01-15
The State Board of Railway
Commissioners Re-
organized.
Interesting Talk With Hon.
John b. Breathitt, the Old
est Member of the Board.
The Work Of Arbitration Between Ship
pers and Railroads Quietly and satis-
factorily Done -- Historical Facts
Concerning the Commission.
Special Dispatch to the Ledger.

Special Dispatch to the Ledger.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo-, January
13.-The State Board of Railway
and Warehouse Commissioners was
re- organized to-day. The retiring
member is VIM. C. Downing, OF
Scotland county, who completes a
term of six wears, and the new
member is VIM. III. Hickman, oi
Stoddard county, who will hold of
fee until January, 1897.
By the reorganization effected
to-day, II on. John B. Breathitt,
the oldest member OF the Board in
point of service, becomes Chair.
man, and General James Harding
is continued as Secretary.
1t is only within the past few
years that this Board has come
prominently before the people OF
Missouri. 1t has done its work o1
arbitration between the shippers
and the railroad corporations qui.
city but efficiently, and the ques.
tion "of what use is the railroad
commission, and how has it OF
does it benefit the people of Mis-
souri, ?" often frequently heard in
the past has been conclusively
answered in the affirmative by the
good and effective work accom-.
plished by the Board. The act by
which the railroad commission was
established became a law in May,
1875. The law was defective, as
under it the Commissioners had nc
actual power to enforce their rul.
ings or orders regarding railroad
rates. Under the act of 1887, by
which the authority of the Board
was largely increased, results have
been much more promptly attained
than was possible under the act Of
1875. In a conversation with a
LEDGER reporter this afternoon on
the work of the Board, Chairman
Breahitt said:
"The new law under which we
are now working was created in
1887. During the regular session
of the General Assembly in that
year, vigorous efforts were made
to enact a law very materially
changing the then existing laws,
and clothing the Commission with
largely increased power. The Sen.
ate and House of Representatives,
however, could not agree upon a
measure and an adjournment was
had without any action regarding
railroad regulation. Gov. Marina
duke then called an extra session
of the General Assembly for the ex-
press purpose ofrailroad legislation.
The Assembly convened on May
11th, 1887, and On July 9th, 1887,
the act to regulate railroad corpo.
rations, and popularity known as
the "Swamp Angel" was approx
ed and took effect practically Nov.
9Th, 1887, and is now in force.
Under this act the Commissioners
were empowered to make investiga-
tions of complaints informally, or
where ever deemed necessary, by
formal hearings and to decide as to
the reasonableness of rates. Any
rates established by them are prima
facie reasonable, ,and must be adopt
ed by the railroads unless they see
proper to appeal to the Courts.
The Commissioners examine all
rate tariffs and schedules issued by
the railroads of the State; these
schedules being filed (by law in
the office of the Commissioners.
These rates are legal maximum
rates until such time as they may
be changed or modified in accord
anoe with law"
"Do the Commissioners make
changes in the rates filed by the
rallroads?"
"Frequently. It has often been
the case that rates fled have been
in excess of those established by
law and in these cases no.
tice was promptly given to the
company filing the rates to make
the necessary correction before the
Commissioners could approve the
rate tariffs. Rates are also changed
after formal hearings, sometimes
after informal hearings, but most
frequently after correspondence
with the proper officials"
"Have changes been made in
rates under the new law, which eff
fected any material reductions7"
eyes. Some very material re:
ductlons have been made. For in
stance, after Investigation and
formal hearing reduction in grain
rates was effected by which, &C.
cording to a statement cf a com
mittee of farmers of Jasper county,
a saving of 100000 annually was
made for the producers of that
county alone. In coal rates, a
very material reduction was effect.
ed by the orders of the Commits
sioners, after formal hearing of the
matter. The reduction was 20
cents per ton and amounts to a,
least the sum of $500, 600 yearly at
Kansas City alone.
Rates on live stock have been
adjusted SO that a reduction oil
s6 90 to 81 so per car load has been