The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-13
Thinks There May Be {
Legal Objection, but
No "JOker."
POSTPONED TO ANOTHER DAY.
The Railroad Commissioners Gould
Not Decide on Other
Commodities.

SIOHerS ueCiueu yesterday TO reduce the
grain rate of the Southern Pacific in Cali
fornia per cent-that is, it adopted that
portion of DR.. Stanton's substitute resolu-
ton; but the reduction has not been made
| yet.
| According to Mr.. Clark's idea, the whole
| business is wrong. He pointed out to his
| fellow-members that they should have
prepared a schedule and by vote adopted it.
Mr.. Clark was by no means silent
minority yesterday. He did his full share
of the talking, and he was very positive in
his manner, Notwithstanding the two other
mem bers of the board did not consider all
he said. He was decidedly in favor of the
grain reduction, and went DR.. Stanton 2
per cent better by offering a resolution
making the reduction on grain 10 per cent.
But Mr.. Clark did not want to go into
other commodities. That was his idea in
the beginning of the session, ne said, and
the others would not have it; so now. he
stated, he would not give them what they
| would not give him-the privilege of going
into all commodities.
Mr.. La Rue put himself on record by
proposing his original reduction of Is per
cent on grain, and his proposition failing
of success, he ran it down the line till it
reached Dr.. Stanton's figure s, and there it
stayed.
After deal of discussion as to the
merits of the Stanton substitute, Mr.. Clark
| made a record for himself by insisting on
dividing the question, and secured vote
on DR.. Stanton's per cent reduction on
grain, leaving the further reductions con-
! templated to be acted upon this afternoon.
Before the Railroad Commission got
| down to the real business of its session,
when it was called to order shortly after
| O'Clock yesterday afternoon, several COM
munications were read by Assistant Sec
rotary Kelly.
| One was from General Manager K. II.
Wade of the Southern California Railroad
Company, with reference to the complaint
of the San Diego Property-owners' Union,
based on the road not haying been opened
| to Temecula, after its blockade through
washouts. General Manager Wade ex-
planned that it had been repaired between
Oceanside and Fallbrook with the aid of
contributions made by the citizens of Fall
brook, at cost of about $1,000. and that
the local traffic warranted this expendi-
ture. On the other hand it was shown
that to make the repairs to Temecula
would cost about 100000; that there was
no traffic to warrant this expense, and
that the business of that section was not
suffering by reason of the interruption on
the Southern California Railroad. The
communication was ordered filed.
From the Sierra Valley Railroad came
an inquiry as to whether it was necessary
for the road to make a report of its bust
ness this year, as it had only been in oper-
alton since June. Without formally SO
deciding, it was the opinion of the COM
mission that no report would be exacted
from the road this year.
Next came an inquiry from E. E. Edge
| wood of Los Angeles as to whether the
commission had the right to adjust the
rates of the Santa Fe and Atlantic and Pa
cif1c roads in this State, and attention was
called to the rate between Los Angeles and
The Needles, a distance of 241 miles, which
was SIG 70, or very nearly cents a mile.
Ordered filed.
The last document read was a protest
from E. M. Jones, vice president of the
Celusa and Lake County Railroad, against
the application of any general reduction
of rates on that road as the rates were
now as low as they could be fixed without
forcing it to forego business. 1t was argued
that great consideration should be shown
by the commission to independent lines
which were in competition with the South
ern Pacific or other transportation, so as
to encourage competing companies.
This took the same course as the others
and the deck thus being cleared for the
great battle Chairman La Rue announced
that the matter then before the board was
the consideration of Commissioner STAN
tons substitute providing for an average
reduction of 25 per cent on all freight rates
of the Southern Pacific Company as they
existed in December of last year and an
immediate reduction of per cent on grain
rates.
Hardly had the proposition been pre-
scented when Commissioner Clark was on
his feet, saying:
Mr.. Chairman: have resolution to offer as
a substitute for all subject matter on grain
grain rates have given that subject all my
attention. believe we should give the farmer
some relief at once. Ihave examined the rates
to the different points and believe 10 per cent
will be fair reduction and give considerable
relief to the farmers.
To make a horizontal reduction would, in
my opinion. be violation of the constitution
according to the opinion of the Attorney-Gen-
eral, for we would be virtually sanctioning
rates that are illegal according to his interpre-
tation of the constitution / think that in
the test OF the courts.
His substitute was read as follows:
RESOLVED, That the grain rates now existing
over the Southern Pacific Company's lines in
California, as established by grain tariff 2
and subsequent amendments thereto, be, and
the same are, hereby reduced an average of 10
per cent, and from Sacrame to, San Joaquin
and Salinas valleys and other points similarly
situated, and for like distances, be made uni
form TO points OF destination; and the secre-
tary of this board is hereby directed to pre-
pare schedule of rates in accordance here
with, serve a copy of the same on the railroad
company affected thereby and to take effect as
soon as required by law. w. R. CLARK,
Commissioner Third District.
La Rue-The resolution is indefinite and not
to the point.
Stanton--It means that we should take up
the Determinations and adjust them. 1t
means great deal of work. Ny amendment
of per cent reduction on grain rates makes a
reduction of $l40, 900 or $150, 900 on the pres
ent rates. and subsequently we will give grain
shippers the benefit of whatever further re-
auctions may be made. The s per cent re-
duction now and further reduction later will
accomplish all that is wanted.
Clark-A horizontal reduction would retain
the determinations and be in conflict with the
constitution.
MISUNDERSTANDING can be adjusted as
we progress. / respect the Attorney-Generals
opinions, but our power is limited. We can
fix what we consider fair and reasonable rates,
but these may be reduced at certain points by