The Globe-republican., 1898-12-29
KANSAS LEdS[AIURf.

Dec. 2l.-The Legislature convcne
in extra session, in pursuance OF IT,
governors call, to pass q bill regulse
ing railroad rates. The message No.
read in both houses. It is as follows,
in part:
II recommend that the legislature
missioners full judicial power to try,
hear and determine all questions as 70
the reasonableness and unreasonable
ness of every charge made by rail-
road company for services rendered
wholly within this state in the trans
portation of property; that they be au-
thorized to try, determine and enter )
Judgment declaring what arc at The
time of rendering their decision req
sonable charges for the transportation
Of property between different points
over each and all of the railroad lines
in this state; and also, what are rea-
sonable charges for switching, demur-
rage and all other charges imposed by
them from the time of the reception OF
each and every kind and class Of
freight to its delivery to the CON.
signee, and that they be authorized
either at stated times or on the com
plant of any person, corporation, OF
municipality, to hear, try and deter
mine any complaint made against tho
reasonableness of any charges then be-
ing collected for any service; and that
they also be given power in like man
ner to establish full and complete elias.
si6cations of freight to be used in the
determination of all questions
affected thereby; that the Legislators
declare that the rates and charges so
determined by them to be reasonable
shall be the rate to be thereafter
charged by the railroad companies.
and the only rate which they shall b
authorized to demand or receive until
hearing shall determine that the ex-
listing rate is unreasonable and that
another and different rate is the rea-
sonable and proper one for the service.
Until the board shall determine
what is a reasonable rate It would
seem to me reasonable that the rates
now charged by the several railroad
companies would be declared to be tho
highest rates which they are author
lied to demand After the board shall
have prepared schedules of rates adj
judged to be reasonable all rate sheets
and schedules of charges and classid-
cations prepared or used by the raul
road companies covering their charges
between points within this state
should be declared utterly void and not
receivable in evidence for any purpose
in any court in this state, bat the last
schedules determined to be reasonable
ones by the board of railroad commits
sioners shall be the evidence and the
only evidence as to what are reasona-
BILE charges Railroad companies
should also be prohibited from de-
handing freight charges in advances
except on perishable property or
that having no marketable value at
the point of delivery. All written co..
tracts should be prohibited. -.
1.-THE commissioners should be given
abundant power to carry their judg-s
ments into execution and to see that
the law which prohibits the companies
from taking more than the reasonable
rates determined by them is enforced.
and to this end the legislature should
provide an attorney for the board
whose special duty it shall be to appear
whenever necessary and protect the In
terests of the state in the enforcement
Of the law. If the railroad companies
persist in exacting greater rates than
those determined by the board to b
reasonable all persons injured should
have the right to recover their dam
ages, with reasonable attorneys fees,
in any court of competent jurisdictions
To be efficient the law must strengthen
the hands of the people interested 50
that they shall not be wholly depend
emit on the action of public authorities
for the enforcement of the law.
"a law should also be passed limit
ing the amount of mortgage indebted
ness that may be placed upon rail-
road. AS the matter stands now they
are free to place mortgage bonds upon
their property without regard to its
cost. The only difference that / ses
between a bond issue by the state
and q railroad bond is that the
money to pay the interest of stats
bond is collected by taxation,
while the money to pay the interest
on railroad bond is levied by
the company upon the productions Of
the country. The people must =
surely pay one as the other; thefooogpy
they have q right to protect th60r
selves with q law that will limit go
indebtedness to the actual cost Of ~
road either by purchase or consesue
ton" - -
Dec. 22.-The Republican Jmemb
presented protest in both Hou
against the extra session, tern1M9 -
revolutionary. It was not allowe4to
be spread ON the record. Both HoOoa
adjourned to give the railroad 60
mittees time to prepare bill Tho
Senate passed resolution alloW3nR
every member a clerk.
Dec. 23.-Both houses held short anA