Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-02-17
BROWNS RAILROAD BILL.

Pratt, is chairman of the committee on
railroads in the lower house of the leg
islature and in that capacity is doing
some very good work. If there is no
effective RAILROAD legislation at this ses-
sion it will be no fault of his. He has
recently framed an exceptionally good
bill relative to this subject and it has
passed from the committee room to the
House for consideration. In an inter
view with a representative of the To-
peka Advocate Mr.. Brown spoke of the
proposed law as follows:
THE bill will prohibit discrimination
in all phases and forms. 1t will place
the small shipper on basis of equality
with the large one. 1t will cut off tie
giving of rebates, and provides heavy
penalties for giving them.
1T provides for the transfer of
freight from one line to another; it pro-
hibits discrimination in favor of the
long haul as against the short haul; 1T
prohibits pooling; it makes the rates
fixed by the railroads themselves just
rate, and it also becomes the legal rate
which must be given to all alike.
This prohibits favoritism in the
matter of localities and places all upon
basis of equality.
This rate fixed by the railroads,
however, must be within the rates
which are fixed in the bill or such rate
as may hereafter be fixed by the Board
of Commissioners.
1.-The bill also provides for joint rates
and gives any person the right to swear
out writ of mandamus to compel the
roads to give such joint rates; also for
continuous carriage; provides for dam
ages under certain conditions and for
the recovery of damages; makes every
railway ofIicial responsible under GER
tain conditions for the carrying out of
the provisions of the bill. 1t also pro-
yides for classification of the roads.
They are placed in three classes, &C.
cording to their gross receipts per
mile.
1.-The roads earning $4,000 per mile or
over are in the first class.
"Class B includes all roads whose
earnings shall be $4,000 or less than
81, 900.
Glass G includes all railroads whose
gross earnings are less than $4,000 per
mile.
1.-The reports from companies under
the bill, if it is enforced, will be very
complete. One of the strongest fea-
lures of this is that the findings of the
Commissioners shall be prima face ev.
ldence of their business. This throws
the burden of proof upon the complain.
ant. The people on the one side and
the railroads on the other.
The bill will provide for a schedule
of rates, which shall be a basis from
which the Commissioners must work:
but the bill provides that the tariff OF
rates established in the schedule, SET
the basis on which to compare the com.
pensation for thee transportation OF
merchandise. freight, goods or proper.
ty over any line of road in this state
unless the same shall be found to be
unreasonable or unjust, excessive OF
too low, and shall go into effect and be
in force on the LIST day of July, 1897.
1.-The bill, in addition to the schedule
of rates will also TX classitications. but
the classifications will be the same az
are now used by the roads themselves
and this classification will be subject tC
the same changes and notifications as
the schedule of rates. The bill also pro-
vides for joint through rates, and it al
so provides that the Board of Railroad
| Commissioners can order the ATTORNEY
General to bring suit in the Federal
courts in the name of the State of Kan
sas, to compel the Interstate Commerce
Commission to fix reasonable interstate
rates. This is one of the most import
ant provisions in the entire act.
1.-The schedule of rates will show 8
reduction of about 20 per cent. as com
pared with the present rates, but they
are still from 10 to Is per cent. higher
than are the rates in effect in Iowa."