The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-23
POWERS GIVEN 1T BY LAW
ONLY THE BEST MEN SHOULD
BE SELECTED.
AMENDMENTS TO THE COMMISSION ACT
Powers of the Commission TO be Enlarged
in Several Respects. Fix Rates for
Pullman Car Compar y and
Tax lis Property.
Tax lis Property,

The News and Observers suggestion
that the members of the General As
sembly ought to be very careful in their
selection Of Railroad Commissioners, the
position being one of the most important
in the State, has met with warm appro-
val from all quarters.
The Legislature will not only be called
upon to select new Commissioners, but
it will be asked to make some important
amendments to the Railroad Commits
sion act, charging the power of the
Commission and thereby comforting on it
new duties and added responsibility.
And these things will constitute ono
of the most important works of the
coming session.
Yesterday | asked Mr.. II. c. Brown
chief clerk to the Railroad Commission
to define the present powers of the Com
mission, as authorized by the act and the
probable amendments that will be ask
eel for when the General Assembly
meets. He replied
THE act and the amendments thereto.
creating the North Carolina Railroad
Commission, vests the Commission with
more duties and greater power than is
granted TO the Commissions OF any other
States.
THE Board of Railroad Commission
ers are invested with judicial and adj
mnistrative powers. They are au-
thorized to hear and decide all complaints;
tariffs of railroads, telegraph, telephone
and street railway companies; to make
rules for the interchange of traffic be
tween railroads; to hear and adjust diff
ferences between them; to prevent unjust
discrimination to examine books and
papers of railroad companies; to require
the filing of all tariffs issued, and such
reports as may be deemed necessary; to
require the repairs deemed necessary
upon any railroad, or any addition to or
change of station or station houses; to
make rules as to contracts between rail
roads; rules as to trackage, delivery of
freight, handling of baggage, transporta-
ton of passengers, freight, etc, etc: to
investigate complaints of discrimination
on Interstate traffic, and if sustained.
to bring such complaint before the Inter
State Commerce Commission for redress,
in accordance with the provisions of the
act of Congress establishing said Inter
State Commission; to investigate the
cause of accidents.
THE Commission is also a board of
appraisers for railroads, telegraph and
steamboat companies: and n board Of
equalization for all classes of property
The act has been judicially CON
strued in its real points by the highest
courts, and in every essential particular
has been upheld.
"As to the amendments that wi. prob
ably be offered" continued Mr.. Brown
1.-The following have been suggested:
4. Give the Commission control over
the pullman cars-that is the fixing a tar
if of charges for berths and seats on the
Pullman cars.
so. The power to assess for taxation
the Pullman Company, telegraph and ex-
press companies, so amending the act
that the capital stock of those companies
may be reached
%. Power to fix n schedule of rates
for telephone companies, both for the
rental of phones and the sending of mes
Sages
a. Control of street railways. within
and without the corporate limits of any
city or town.
-. Free transportation to the Railroad
Commissioners, when on official duties,
such rs examining roads, bridges, depots,
etc.
"6. Enlarge the power of the Commits
sion as to grade crossings.
- Then again amendments will be
offered eliminating parts of the act,
which are seriously objected to by the
transportation companies.
ITO your question as to who will be
elected Railroad Commissioners. /. of
course, have no means of knowing. /
feel certain, however, that the coming
General Assembly will be careful to elect
to this important position men only of
such State reputation, that when n mat
ter between the railroads and the people
is passed upon by them, no criticism.
impugning their motives in reaching
thpir verdict will he entertained"