The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1894-12-08

Interesting Extracts from the Commits
sInner's Animal Report.

sinners Annual Report.
WASHINGTON, Dec. O. The eighth an
rnal report OF the Interstate commerce
commission ranges through "A variety
of subjects, synopsis of which is here
given:
Regarding criminal and civil procedure no
commission says the law does not clOthc Il
with detective or prosecuting functions, IT'S
connection With the criminal side OF the law
ending with its report TO the department Of
Justice. IL II the duty Of shippers. railroad
managers and citizens generally says The
commission. 20 assist the government In run-
Ming down violations OF the statute
designed 20 protect their interests. Transpor-
tation should not be regarded as a part % the
private business OF shippers. II should ho
viewed as agency provided under governs
ment sanction. n recommends thar the ear
rying corporations be nude indctable and
subject 10 iino for violation OF the act
Discussing the long and Short haul clause.
the commission says; Due Observance OF that
clause VIII encourage legitimate aud restrain
iuegitimute competition IA the carrying trade,
The report Spc@kS OF the unreasonable
freight rates from Chicago nnd Cincinnati so
northern points. OF tho unreasonable rates on
wheat and OF the failure 81 many carriers 70
post their tariffs required hy law.
Speaking al she classification of frcirhts
rhc commission refers 10 the progress
already made toward harmonious rHii-
road operation which Is desirable for
the public interest and explains the necessity
60 provide q single classification az commodi-
ties for the whole country, Uniform classiN-
cation, the rcIort says. depends upon tho
passage Of O statute requiring its accomplish
ment and the con mission recommends that it
bc directed 90 make md prescribe within a
time % Dc named for such classification.
The relation on railroad receivers TO tho law
II referred 70, aud IL f. urgcd that the attitude
Of a receiver 20 tho law IS precisely that % The
corporation whose affairs have not been taken
control Of by the court
Concerning oyurchnrges and unGerrharges,
the report declares that carriers ought 10 pub
lish their tariff rates ana schedules plainly
enough and employ agents sufficiently skilled
20 enable them TO correctly quote rates TO
shippers.
Among other topics considered by the COM
mission are changes Ia transportation rates.
through ratios and through routes pooling OF
ireights and divisions ~ earnings. The COM
mission rc!rains from expressing any opinion
on the subject Of government owernshipo rail-
roads. and states its reasons for not Investigate
ing the great strike Of 1904 among which arc
facts that the controversy includes matters
outside OF the commissions Jurisdiction. Re-
forring 10 railroad financial endorsements.
the report intimutes that many recoyerships
we're the natural sequence OF mismanagcment,
overcapitalization and ill-advised projecting.
The report bristles with figures In is ailu-
sion 20 railway statistics. showing that on
June 30, 1893 there were l76i,60T miles OF Line
IN the United States. being an increase during
the year OF i.sgI5S The tendency toward con-
s0lidntlon f. shown by the fact thnt twenty
eight roads wore merged, twenty roads we're
recognized and sixteen roads consolidated
into other systems. The capitalization of the
roads was Si0.tO6t 354l0. equivalent TO JOB 42l
per mile OF line. Tho gross earnings wore
fi220,s5l ia. tho operating expenses S25gsi-
200, leaving net earnings of S3g3. SD j35. which
is equivalent TO s3l4 per mile OF limo
Various recommendation for amendments
90 the act are suggested In accordance with
plans mentioned Ia the body OF the report.
which among other things convey suggestions
regarding legislation, authorizing the COM
mission 20 investigate threatened labor con-
tests on railways, and 20 require annual re-
psrts from various companies whose business
IL closely related 10 that OF trans pOrtatlOn.