The San Francisco call., 1895-08-03
The Railroad Commissioners
Should Work All Day and
Every Day.
PROCEEDINGS OF A SESSION.
Time Is FrIttered Away In Trivial
Discussions - Attorney Sulll-
vans Ideas.

TWO snort half days each month, TO accom-
plisn the same task?
This is not intended as a mathematical
problem to stump the intelligent reader,
but merely to give him line on Wnat the
Railroad Commission may be expected TO
accomplish during the next four years IN
the way of doing what it was elected tor
and carrying out the pledges given by the
members prior to the election. Figure that
out and clear understanding Of the posi-
tion the commission is in, according to the
estimates of one of its own members, may
be had.
The Railroad Commission took office in
January, to hold for four years, conse-
quently forty-one months still remain IN
which to accomplish what it proposes
to do
1t was pledged to reduce rates 25 per
cent and the number of freight classihca-
tions by oue-half In order to do this each
separate rate to each station on the COM
panv's lines must be figured out and con-
sidered and the entire volume of Western
classifcations studied.
DR.. Stanton said yesterday that it would
take twenty expert clerks six months to do
the work.
If this is the case where will the COM
mssion-the members of which NAV fairly
be presumed not to be experts on figures
land, for one day per month"; The fact of
the matter is the commission will have to
work earnestly and intelligently, every day
and all day, if it expects to accomplish
what it promised to compass when it ac-
cepted the nominations rendered it. Those
who formulated the platform and pledges
under which James l. Stanton, ii. NJ.
La Rue and William H. Clark we re nomi-
mated knew the work which the pledges re-
lating to rates aud classifcations had cut
out for the prospective Commissioners, and
that is why they also pledged them to give
up the vocation IN which they were en-
gagged and devote their entire time and at
tention to the business of the commission
Thus far not pledge made has been kept
and seven months of the four years for
which they were elected have passed away
almost without tangible results.
Could some OF those who are being in
jured in their business by exorbitant rail-
road tariffs and discriminating classified
tons have been present at the last meeting
of the board they would have gained an
insight into the manner in which time is
killed and the afternoon worried through
by these Commissioners who are supposed
to be wrestling manfuily with the question
OF how rates and the number of classified
tions can be reduced. The meeting opened
with the reading of the minutes of the
last meeting, which were approved amid
considerable enthusiasm. Then a few
communications were read and placed on
f!e, and the question of instructing the
railroad company to give q Southern Cali
fornia man a rebate of So on freight ship
ment was discussed at length. When this
subject was worn threadbare Chairman !
La Rue remembered that the commission /
was supposed to know something of rates |
and classifcations, and the momentous |
subject was taken up and handled about |
as follows:
Chairman turning leaves of Western |
classification -book(-I find here that the !
rate on wheat from Minturn to Port Costa |
is about twice that charged on -four. This |
surely cannot be right.
Mr.. Clark-Um. (F1gures on writing
tablet while Commissioner Stanton holds
animated discussion with reporter on an
entirely foreign subject.l
Mr.. La Rue apparently to himself)-Here
Is another place where the rate is three
times as great on flour as on wheat. |
wonder what that means?
Other commissioners are busily engaged
in practicing chirography on blank papers.
Mr.. La Rue Frightening up)-Gentle-
men, we must"
Secretary Newman-Here are the bills
for the month to be audited.
Mr. La Rue relapses into silence and signs
the bills.
The matter of rates and classiications is
dropped and the meeting soon after a0-
journs, Mr.. La Rue returning to Sacramento
to manage his extensive ranch and vine
yard interests, Mr.. Clark TO Stockton to
take care of his business and DR.. Stanton
to his practice.
Dr. Stanton's explanation of the broken
pledges is as follows:
1.-The reason we have not reduced rates
25 per cent as we are pledged to do is that |
we have not as yet received reports from |
all the companies under our jurisdiction. |
1 Il -I.&L i
railroad has been extortionate in its |
charges, but we have not had chance to |
determine Just where.
Gas to the classification which we are |
pledged to reduce 80 per cent in number I |
can only say that it would take twenty
clerks six months to go over the books as
it should be done, and we have not gone
very deeply into that subject as yet. Will
we hold more frequent meetings in order
to complete the work during our term of
office? Oh / suppose so. l am willing.
"Now, as to the pledge to give up all
other business except that of the conn mis-
sion. l think have the right 10 keep my
Office open and treat my friends when they
call on me. 1t would not be called prac-
ticing, would it, if | should meet some
friend on the street and give him pre-
scription for a headache? Anyway that
pledge was put in the platform for diff
ferent purpose than is generally supposed.
understand that 1t was only inserted 10
keep me from accepting the nomination.
They thought would not accept the Office
if L had to give up my practice, which, of
course is lucrativen
DR.. Stanton failed to explain why the
commission had not compelled the COM
panies to send in their reports during the
seven months in which it has been in
power.
Attorney Frank ]. Sullivan has had con-
siderable experience with Railroad Com
missioners during the past twelve years,
and consequently his opinion should be
worth something in matters of this kind.
He was member of the famous Railroad
Legislature of 1884, when vigorous but
unsuccessful attempt was made to impeach
Commissioners Carpenter and Humphreys.
The people of California have not forgot
ten how John Daggett, then president of
the Senate and now Superintendent of the
Mint, voted with the corporation when the
vote stood 10 to 10, thereby defeating the
bill that would have retired these gentle
men to private life.
In speaking of Railroad Commissioners
In general and touching incidentally on
the work accomplished by the present
Commissioners. Mr.. Sullivan said yester-