The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-10

He Proposes a Thorough Investi.
cation of the Affairs of
the Railroad.
La Rue and Clark Put a Brake on
His Ardor-Legal Advice to
b Sought.

There is more and deep trouble in store
for the Southern Pacific Company. Rail
road Commissioner Stanton is not at all
satisfied with the present state of affairs
and is impatient to be doing something
that will prove that his position and that
OF his colleagues is not a sinecure. But
he stands alone in his Impotence, though
not in his desire to bring relief to the
people of the State from the exactions of
the railroad monopoly.
When the commission met in regular
session yesterday all three mem ers we re
present, and the recent decision of Judge
McKenna was the important theme of
discussion. This, it will be remembe red,
declared the commission to be a consti-
tutional body but held that the 8 per cent
reduction On grain rates was unreason-
able.
While Commissioner Stanton was will
ing to forego the pleasure of further
slashing at grain rates until the matter
was brought up and decided on it's actual
merits, he wanted to swing the official ak
at rates on all other commodities. With
this object he made the following motion:
That this commission proceed to the inves-
tigation of the finances and standing of the
Coutneru racine COnp aIy anu us leased lines
for the purpose OF fixing schedule OF rates.
Explaining the plan of the proposed in
vestigation Stanton said:
''lf we pursue this line of inquiry we
shall secure from the railroad company
all its tariff sheets, all changes N the
CO ssification of freights, all amendments
to tariff sheets, all special rates, all special
contracts and all commodity tariffs"
Commissioner Clark thought this gait
was a little too speedy and put on the
brakes with words of caution and pru-
dence, pitched to the tune of economy.
Before we go into such an expensive
investigations, he said, ''we ought TO ask
the Legislature or the Board of Examiners
for financial fund.- as We have no money
now on hand to go into it. -
Ignoring this interruption Stanton con-
tinued: IF We wait until the case relat-
ing to the per cent reduction on grain
rates is finally decided we will have to
wait six months or year.
Chairman La Rue was evidently in
clined to caution. also. II think we
should be guided largely by the Attorney
General" he said, 'in following an in
vestigation in this matter. / believe we
should go to trial on the merits of the
case now pending. The only kind of in
vestigation we could have would amount
to but little and would result like that of
last fall. We came to the conclusion that
per cent was reasonable reduction, bu t
they went to court and the court decided
it was not reasonable. We can now make
them prove their case in court. The
courts decision was based on figures sub
mit;ed by the railroads side alone"
Commissioner Stanton contended that
the Board of Railroad Commissioners was
just as important court as the United
States Court.
IF we 60 into all the details of the in
vestiga ton, :" he continued. I'VE shall have
on record something that can always be
used as basis for our calculations in rate.