The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-08-14
Is UTTERLY USELESS.
The State Board of Railroad Com
missioners
MIGHT As WELL NOT EXIST

For 1t Has No Power to Enforce Hts
DecisiOns-Tts Claws Are Pared, Hts
Teeth Extracted and 1t IS Purely
Ornamental in Every Particular.
A great many people in Kansas are
beginning to wonder what useful pur-
pose the state board of railroad commits
sioners serves There was a time not
long ago when people appealed to the
board for relief, being evidently pos
sessed of the idea that the commissioners
had the power to prevent Determinations
in freight rates and prohibit exhorbitant
charges. This they are beginning to
realize is a delusion for it is seldom that
an individual or community requests re-
lief of the board.
They have learned to their cost that no
matter what the members comprising the
board may wish, individually or col
lectively, that they have no power to
enforce any orders which they may
make. The railroad companies obey
them or not as they see fit.
The re are now numerous rulings OF
the Kansas board of railroad commits
sioners in regard to freight rates to
which not the slightest attention has
ever been paid. For instance, in the
SaIina coal case the railroads were
gravely ordered to reduce the rate on
coal from southeastern Kansas points
from 50 to $3.50 per ton.
A victory was won by the people of
Salina but the railroad companies con-
tinue to collect 50 a ton. Numerous in
star ces of similar character might be
cited.
The fact that the rulings and decis-
ions of the board amount to nothing and
that their opinions have no more weight
with the railroad companies than the
opinion of some poor shipper, has re-
suited in convincing the people that it is
waste of time and money to try
cases before the board. This is evidenced
by the fact that since the
present board of railroad commissioners
was organized not single case of i'm
portance has been brought to its atten-
ton
1t is beginning to be generally IN
derstood that the powers of the board are
only advisory and not mandatory; that it
has no power to enforce its orders, and
that if it does not please the railroad
companies to comply with them they are
! ignored.
Occasionally some one asks that a
| railroad be required to maintain an agent
| at some station that has proven unprotit-
! able and the board with mock judicial
gravity puts an order on its books requir-
! ing the agent to be employed, If it Is not
too expensive to comply the agent is en-
gagged and the once deserted station is
again open for the liu siness that
NAV be offered it. Som i'm railroads
condescend to put in rack when
ordered to do so by the board, but not al
ways.
During the administration of the Pop
ulist board and the preceding Repub-
lican board, a great many important
cases were adjudicated by the railroad
! commissioners. The railroad companies
| fought complaints foot by foot and en-
ployed the best legal talent in the rail-
road service just as if the decision OF
the board was a matter of grave i'm
Dortance to them.
If the decision was in favor of the rail-
roads the railroad attorneys were happy
in their victory and if it was against
them they at once advised their com
panies that a decision of the railroad
commissioners did not amount to any
thing, anyway.
The present board of railroad commits
sioners has evidently felt guilty con-
| science because no work has been i'm
posed upon it.
There consciences pricked them be-
cause they were called upon to make nc
showing of work in return for the liberia
salaries paid them by the state. They
| found somewhere in the statute a Law
that required or permitted them to make
an annual tour of inspection of all the
railroads in the state. 1t made no differ
ence to them that the law had been found
useless by all preceding boards and tina
it served no good purpose. They saw
here an opportunity to make an appear
ance of earning their salaries, so they
started out on j MEETING tour.
If while on their tour they should find
any abuses they will have no power tt
correct them, SO the trip can result in nc
possible benefit to the taxpayers who
will have to defray the expenses of theil
pleasure trip.
The state board of railroad commits
sioners should either be abolished or il
should be clothed with power to enforce
its rulings. AS it exists now it is simply
an asylum for politicians who have beef
of service to their party and who arr
thus enabled to receive their reward a
| tho axpa0ao 0f the manila