The news & observer., 1896-12-18
Important Decisions Constru-
ing Interstate Commerce.
TRAFFIC CONDITIONS BAD
Ticket Brokerage a Scandal and
Must be Broken Up.
FREE PASSES ARE CONDEMNED
The Law Must be Amended to Execute
the Object intended by It's Enact
ment--Suitable Prohibitory Leg
islation 7scommended.

Washington, Dec. 17.-Decisions rem
dered during the year by Federal courts
involving important features OF the act
to regulate commerce are assigned a
prominent place in the tenth annual re-
pert of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission sent to Congress to-day. Dur
ing the year the Supreme Court has rem
dcred three decisions of special import
ance. In one case the law has been up
held and fortified in a most important
particular, but the outcome of the other
has either emphasized the defects of the
statute or left its further Interpretation
Sc doubtful and uncertain as to increase
the difficulties of efficient administra-
ton. These cases were the import rate
case involving the question Of differences
of charge for like service as between
foreign and domestic traffic; second the
Social Circle Georgia case involving the
long and short clause OF the act, and
third the Brown case concerning the
right OF a person to refuse testifying on
the ground that it might criminate him
self
The general discomfort with present
transportation conditions, the report says,
rs shown by petitions from so many sec
tions for the enforcement of the statute,
emphasizes the necessity OF amending the
law so as to give greater force and
finality to the findings and decisions of the
commissions.
In April last the Commission requested
the carriers to show how far, up to April
/, their equipment had been made to con-
form to the requirements of the safety
appliance act, relating TO c0uplers aud
train-brakes which became effective
January 1, 1898. Replies were received
from 1,690 companies Eighty per cent
of the 35,S9S locomotives mentioned in
these replied have driving wheel brakes
Of the 33,323 passenger cars reported in
use, 9002 per cent have automatic
couplers, and 1891 per cent are fitted with
train-brakes. 1,217064 freight cars are
reported, Of which 20.59 per cent have
train-brakes and 374f per cent are
equipped with automatic couplers. The
requirements of this law for a standard
height of daw bars on freight cars ap-
pears, from inspection made at different
points during the year to fairly well OBJ
served.
AS to ticket brokerage, the report says
"This illegitimate traffic has become a
positive scandal, and decisive measures
should be taken to put an end to these il.
legal transactions The Commission re-
commends that it be made penal offence
for any person to engage in the business
of seelng interstate passenger tickets
unless he is an authorized agent of the
carrier, duly constituted such by written
appointment"
The practice Of giving passes or reduc-
ed passenger rates to shippers or their
employees, and Of issuing complimentary"
passes to persons on account of the pro-
fession in which they are engaged or the
public duties they perform, is strongly
condemned and it is recommended that
suitable prohibitory legislation be en-
acted.
A number Of amendments to the law
are recommended with the view to make
the substance Of the law mean what it
was supposed to mean at the time of its
passage.