The Monticellonian., 1899-03-17
SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR.
House Railroad Commission Bill Approved by the Chief
 Executive.
COMMISSIONERS TO BE NAMED IN FEW DAYS
Measure Not What Gov. Jones Desired, But He YeiIds to the Judgment of the Majorlty-The New Law and Its Pro- visions.


 eleventh hour Gov. Jones affixed his signature to the house railroad com mission bill passed by the general as sembly. The governor stated frankly that the measure did not meet his views, but he did not presume to set up his judgment against that of the major ity of the legislature, and for that req son signed the measure. There is much speculation as to who the commissioners will be, there being about 75 applicants for the three positions. Below IS given the bill
 i railroad commission Is hereby created, to 1 be composed of three persons, to be appointed i by the governor, until the next general elec- 1 tion, by and with the advice and consent of the 1 general assembly In joint session, one to be l chosen from the First and Sixth, one from the | Second and Third, and one from the toufth | and Fifth congressional districts, to carry out the provisions Of this act, and whose success ors shall be elected at each general election thereafter After the expiration Of the term Of office of the commissioners first appointed, the terms of office of their successors shall be two years The salary of each commissioner shall be t2 800 per annum, to be paid h the same manner as other state officers.
 The commissioners shall be resident citizens of this state and qualified voters under the constitution, and not less than g years Of age. No one shall be appointed or elected us such l commissioner who Is directly or indirectly 4h- | terested in any railroad in the state or out or It. or in any stocks, bonds, mortgages, security Or the earnings of any railroad, and in case any commissioner becomes disqualified from any cause or in any way, he shall at once re- move the disqualification or resign, and on failure so to do he must be suspended by the governor
 The governor shall fill all vacancies in the office Of commissioner by appointment, and the person so appointed shall fill out the unexpired | term Of his predecessor.
 The commissioners appointed shall meet at | Little Rock and organize and elect one of their 1 members chairman. A majority shall consti- ute quorum to transact business, Said | commission may appoint secretary at sal ary not to exceed si 000 per annum, and one stenographer at a salary not to exceed sl GOO per anuum The secretary shall keep full and correct minutes of all transactions. and per | form such other duties as may be required by fhe commission. The commission shall be | furnished with an office in the capitol, with necessary furniture. stationery supplies and all necessary expenses, not to exceed Son per annum.
 The commissioners secretary and stenogrs- 1 pher shall be entitled to receive from the state 1 their actual necessary tfdNttiuB tAItuStS Said commission may hold session at any place n the state when deemed necessary to facilitate the discharge of their duties or for the convenience Of the parties litgants
 Every person or corporation operating 1 any railroad or express business in the state Is l hereby required to furnish the commission, l within f5 days after notice to do so, with the rate sheet and tari7 Of charges for transpor- | tation Of every kind over such railroad and iG shall be the duty of said commission to exam | inc and revise said rate sheet and tariff Of 1 charges for freight or express matter for each railroad in this state, and determine whether l or not. and in what manner, if any, said charges and rates are In violation of any of the l provisions of this act; and said commission | will make reasonable and just rates of freight, express and passenger tariGs to be observed 1 by all persons and corporations operating any railroad or engaged in transporting persons or | property as express or freight in this state; | shall make rules and regulations to charges | at any and all points for the necessary hauling | and delivering of express or freight, regulate | rates an charges for such service all rail- roads as, in their judgment justice to the pub | lie and said person or corporation may re- | duire Said commission, In making any such | rules and regulations shall first give the per | son or corporation to be affected thereby notice | to appear and show cause, if any 1t can, why | no change should be made in the rates then in force and shall take into consideration the l character ana nature or tut StINlCt to De per | formed, the entire earnings of any railroad or express company, the expense of operating the 1 same the income and the value thereof. And | when any tarin Of charges IS corrected and | approved said commission shall append a eer' | tf6cate of it's approval to said tartr Of charges and give notice thereof to any officer or agent | of the railroad or express company to be af- fected thereby, and said tarin Of charges shall be kept posted up for 1t least five days before the same shall go into effect Said commits sion shall not alter or change any tarif or charges so approved by it except upon ten days notice in writing to the person or cor poraton operating the express company or railroad to be affected by such change.
 There shall be schedules which shall state the different kinds and classes of property to be carried the different places between which property shall be carried, the rate of freight or express charges for carriage between such places and for all services connected with the transportation Of such property, from it's re- eeipt until it is delivered or forwarded Such schedules shall be posted for at least five days before the same shall go into effect All the provisions of this act shall apply to all prop erty and all the services in and about the transportation thereof on one actually or sub- stantiaiiy continuous carriage, or part there Of and to the compensation therefor whether the same is carried wholly on one railroad or partly on several railroads, provided. that at such points where freight CT express are sub feet to competition UN water routes not COL trolled by this act nor complying with it's pro visions the schedules herein provided for may be posted and go into immediate effect
 It shall be unlawful for any person or cor poration engaged alone or associated with others in the transportation of pass >ngers or property by railroad in this state as freight or express, directly or indirectly, to demand or receive from any person. firm company or cor poration any greater or less rate or amount of compensation than is demanded or received from any other person, firm, company or COZ poration for substantially similar service.
 It shall be unlawful to make or enter into any contract, directly or indirectly, for the pooling of freight, or to pool the freight of the different railroads lines by dividing be- tween them the gross or net earnings Of such railroads, or any part thereof or by equaliz- ing. evening up, or dividing the property or passengers carried by such railroads.
 It shall be unlawful to demand or receive any greater amount of compensation for a similar amount and kind of property for carrying or | delivering the same under similar conditions for shorter than for longer distance, which includes the shorter distance; and the road o any person or corporation shall include all the
 railroads in use by it. whether owned or oper.
 ated by 1t under a contract. agreement of leas, by such corporation or with which it has traffie contract
 Each and every act, matter or thing in thi act declared to be unlawful is hereby prohib tied and m case any person or corporation shail be guilty Of any of the violations of ,h,
 provisions of this act, such person or corpora
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