The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-23
FIGHT FOR RATES
KEY NOTE SOUNDED FOR WAR FOR
SHIPPERS RATES.
Chairman Oliver Presents a Report
that Has the True Ring-It Shows
How Railroad Companies can ne
Effectually Reached-Other Work
Done by City Fathers.

The council met in regular session last
night with all the members present except
Mr.. Alberts.
Quite good deal of important business
was transacted. among which wat the fol-
lowing report OF the committee on freight
rates presented by the chairman, Mr..
Frank Oliter, and which was adopted
unanimously:
40 the Honorable Mayor and Councilmen Of the
City of Wichita, Kan:
Your committee. appointed for the pur-
pose of coDferrlng with United States Dis
irict Attorney Perry, and rendering him
such assistance as the mayor and council
men of the city of Wichita may be able TO
give him, and also for the purpose of rec
ommending plan of action TO be pursued
in securing equitable freight rates Tor
Wichita submit the following report:
Your committee waited upon Mr.. Perry
and told him that the council and people
of Wichita highly appreciated his iabors
in tbe case brought by the United States
against the Missouri Pacific Railway com
nsnv- and also told him that the mayor
and CITY councilmen of Wichita, and the
people generally of Wichita, were willing
to render him any assistance they could III
the further prosecution of this and any
other suits MIR Perry said that if the
railroad company should make any fur
Their defense in The matter he would be
very glad to receive such assistance.
your committee also inquired by what
means, if any, il was possible for the peo-
pie of Wichita to procure cheap and equit-
able freight rates on Interstate commerce.
Your committee report that there is no
question but what the citizens OF Wichita
have all the legislation and all the ma
Ehinery of the federal courts and of the
United States government, that Is needed
to secure rates Oh interstate commerce, and
Ia nh, Of " he nf ri
ita have not already secured such rates is
that they have neglected TO enforce the
rights which they already have by the
remedies given by law.
by reason of the delays incident to
the prosecution of the suit now
committee would recommend that the
people of Wichita do not postpone
their efforts to secure equitable freight
rates until the fual disposition of this
case, but that they proceed at once along
the lines indicated in this report, to en-
force the rights which they now have, and
by the remedies which they now have.
by the Interstate commerce law, all
freight rates must be reasonable and just,
and every uOj just aud unreasonable charge
for freight j. declared unlawful. aud is
prohibited. Every common carrier, and
every director, officer. agent or person en-
plOyed by common carrier, who violates
such provisions of the Interstate COM
nerce act, are prohibited. who directly
or indirectly, by any special rate, rebate,
drawback, or other device. charges, de-
mands collects or receives from any per-
son or persons a greater or les cumpensa-
ton for any services rendered in the
transportation OF passengers or
properly, than such common ca
Ter charges, demands. collects or
receives from any other person or persons
for doing for him or them a like and con-
ton of like kind of traffic, under SUBJ
suantiaIly similar circumstances aud con-
iitions, and every such common carrier
who discrimlnRtes or gives any undue or
unreasonable preference or advantage TO
any particular person, company, firm, cor
poration or locality. or any particular
description OF traffics in any respect what
soever or subjects any particular person,
COMPANY firm, corporation or locality, or
any description of traffics TO any undue or
unreasonable prrJudice or disadvant age
in any respect, whatever, is guilty OF mis-
demeanor and upon conviction thereof III
the proper federal court shall Ire suhJect to
fine Of not TO exceed 5000 for each
effence and if the offence for which any
person shall he convicted shall he an I'M
lawful discrimination III rates. fares or
CHARGES for the transportation OF passen-
gers or property such persons shall, in
addition 10 the said fine. he liable to inn
prison ment in the penitentiary for term
moi exceeding two years, or both such fine
and Imprisonment in the discretion OF the
court.
s.For every violation of the interstate COM
merce law there are two remedies: First
by civil action, and, second, by a crlml-
nal action. The remedy by civil action is
in the hands of every person disseminated
against. Such person can tender The legal
charges for shipping traffic, and replevin
The goods shipprd by the common Carrier,
or be can proceed by maudamus In the
federal court against the common carrier
to compel The common carrier to move and
transport the traffic Mt the same rates are
charged for like traffic under similar con-
ditions to any other shipper
"Your committee would recommend
that wherever there Is violation of the
interstate commerce act, such violation be
laid before the federal grand jury. and
That all persons engaged in violating the
law be prosecuted criminaily III the fed
tral court for every offence.
Your committee would further recon-
mend that the honorable mayor and coun-
cilmen instruct the city attorney diligently
state commerce act, aud take such steps
as NAV be necessary TO lay before the fed
eral grand jury every violation of the
Int rstate commerce act.
"Your committee recommend that the
mayor and councilmen of the city OF
mittee, whose duty il shall be TO in-
vestinate every violation of the in
terstate commerce act, and lay be
fore The federal grand jury the
evidence showing such violation, and that
such commit e, if they deem advisable,
be authorized and empowered TO employ
one or more attorneys to assist the city at
lorney in Investigating such violations oil
The law in taking such action thereon as
NAV he deemed advisable, and that the
committee also be authorized and empow-
cred TO employ one or more persons TO IN
restigate any violation of such law and
procure competent evidence thereof, foy
he purpose Of having the violators OF the
law indicted by The Federal grand jury
and prose cnted.
If the people of Wichita will vigorously
prosecute, civiliy and criminally. all viola
items OF the Interstate Commerce act, rs
indicated in this report, your committee
are firmly of the opiui on that within a
year Wichita will have the freight rates
Tor which she has so long been striving.
IF ". OLIVER,
-. II. MCCALL
"B. f MCLEAN.
81 HARLES +. POTTS,
''E. 1. ALLEN.
Committee"
Mr.. Oliver of the finance committee
made report recommending be paw meni
Of $500 to the Cit zrps Electric Light
company 10 apply on lake, aud that tn,
ssme lie charged up against the light bill
The committee showed that tile company
needed the money very SADLY, and DR.