People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1892-12-23
INTERSTATE REPORT.
What the Interstate Commerce Commits.
sion Has to Say-Amen dments to the Law

What the Interstate Commerce Commits.
sion Has to Say-Amen dments to the Law
Suggested.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2O.-The report of
the interstate commerce commission
for the year ended November 20 was
yesterday transmitted to congress. 1t
opens with review Of the reasons
which induced the passage of the act to
regulate. commerce and which are given
in view of the result realized in admin
istering the act and the necessity for
amendments which experience has dis
closed. 1t states that the commission
is gratified at being able to add that
many retired managers of the highest
standing now concede the necessity OF
government regulation and avow them
selves in favor of further enactments
that will make the regulation effective.
THE interstate commerce law" says
the report, although the outgrowth
of an aroused and determined public
sentiment, was compromise between
divergent theories and conflicting in
terests, but those who contrast the
practices which obtained prior to the
law with methods and conditions then
existing will have no doubt Of the
practical value of the statute in cor
recting public sentiment, restraining
injustice and enforcing reasonable
charges and equal treatment So far
from condemning a public regulation,
experience has established its impor.
lance and intensified its necessity, and
the very respects in which the law has
failed to meet public expectation DEM
onstrates the utility of government SUI.
pervision."
The late decision of Justice Brewer
in the circuit court of appeals, decid.
ing long and short haul case is dis
cussed and the dictums of opinion, that
the total joint rate of two roads is over
an independent line from the lines
formed by either road and not to be
considered in determining the local
rate of either road and therefore NAV
be even less than the intermediate or
local rate, is shown to be without found
alton either in the debates in congress,
the practice of carriers since the law was
passed, or the rulings of the commits
sion, which nevertheless are cited in
that opinion as supporting a new
theory. To protect all intermediate
localities and interests from the disas-
trous effects of this judicial interpreta-
ton congress is earnestly urged to take
such immediate action as will give leg
islative construction TO the word Zine"
in the statute.
Several amendments recommended
by the commission for the purpose of
strengthening the law were discussed,
especially those growing out of the de-
cision of the supreme court that the
provisions of section 1S4 of the revised
statutes granting immunity to wit
nesses required to testify concerning
illegal acts in which they have partici-
pated, are not broad enough to meet
the safeguards guaranteed to such a
person by the constitution; and Justice
Gresham's recent decision that congress
cannot constitutiOnally require the fed
eral courts to use their process to com.
pei the production of testimony before
a nOn-judicial tribunal.
Regarding the proposed amendment
by which pooling is to be permitted.
the report says:
The attempt to secure the public
from discrimination, extortion, favorit-
ism, undue preference and undue preju-
dice, and to secure to every citizen Just
and equal and exact treatment in all
transportation matters, is the very es-
sence, spirit and purpose of the law and
1t would be vain to protect carriers
from competitive attacks upon each 9TH
er if the general public cannot be pro-
tected from the greater evils above
enumerated. If the law is to be
amended the two classes of amend
ments should go hand in hand until the
law is made strong, as its trainers in
tended, in the matter of fair and equit-
able rates, fair treatment and suppress
sion of favoritism. 1t is idle to seek to
protect carriers whose immunity, under
authoritative constructions of the law
from restrictions intended by congress,
seems one of the remarkable facts in
current history"