The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-12-30
THE LEGISLATURE.

in part:
~ recommend that the Legislature
confer upon the board of railroad com
missioners full judicial power to try
hear and determine all questions rs tt
the reasonableness and unreasona BILE
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'
thorzed to try determine and enter
| Judgment declaring what are at the
time of rendering their decision rea-
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-
sonablc 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 it's delivery to the con-
signee, and that they be authorized
either at stated times or on the COM
plant of any person, corporation, or
municipality, to hear, try and deter
mine any complaint made against the
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 clas-
sitications of freight to be used in the
determination Of all questions
affected thereby; that the legislature
I ba aud oh n
determined by them to be reasonable
shall be the rate to be thereafter
charged by the railroad companies,
and the only ratio which they shall be
authorized to demand or receive until
such time as the board upon like
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 o reasonable rate it would
seem to me reasonable that the rates
now charged by the several railroad
companies would be declared to be the
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 classi6-
cations prepared or used by the rail
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, but 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 advance
except on pcrishable property or
that having no marketable value at
the point of delivery. All written con-
tracts should be prohibited.
"The commissioners should be given
abundant power to carry their judg-
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 be
reasonable all persons injured should
have the right to recover their dam
ages, with reasonable attorneys fees,
in any court of competent jurisdictions
70 be efficient the law must strengthen
the hands of the people interested Sc
that they shall not be wholly depend
ent on the action of public authorities
for the enforcement of the law.
"a law should also bepassed 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 l see
between a bond issue by the state
and railroad bond is that the
money to pay the interest of a state
bond is collected by taxation,
while the money to pay the interest
on a railroad bond is levied by
the company upon the productions OF
the country. The people must as
surely pay one as the other; therefore,
they have right to protect them
selves with law that will limit such
Indebtedness to the actual cost of the
road either by purchase or construc'
ton"
The governor recommends that
the state reimburse the railroads,
counties and persons who contributed
to the Kansas exhibit at Omaha. The
total amount is So, 073.90.
Dec 22.-The Republican member:
presented a protest in both House:
against the extra session, terming il
revolutionary. 1t was not allowed tc
be spread on the record. Both Houses
adjourned to give the railroad com
mittees time to prepare a bill. The
Senate passed a resolution allowing
every member clerk.
An $50 600 Fire In Maiden, Mo,