The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-11-18
A e. RaiIway Commission Laid.

The politicians are already figuring a new railway
commission for Kansas probably also on who shall
its fat places member Of the late court Of
visitation which court the supreme court invadated it
announced is now at work upon which win be intro
dueed the legislature meets. The experience
with railway commissioners in the past has
ot BEEN encouraging The proposed author of the pro-
posed bin declares that commission is necessary as
legal body which shippers with grievances may appeal
Very few such appeals past amounted to any
thing Where there any real grounds for the
complaints railroads were always found ready to rec
My adjust That being the case why not leave
shipper with grievance to appeal to the proper rail-
officials direct the rule now? Since the abolish
She state board Of commissioners and that later
court of visitation. there has been little if any complaint
heard. Railway managers are human and as a rule are
ready do the fair and honorable thing and where
The gevance IS either personal or local one of real
merit to correct it, OF course when it comes to interstate
commerce or where several lines are involved it is ipos
be right some Determinations or wrongs because of
conflicting interests beyond power of the management
appealed TO- to correct such cases state board is
utterly without power do anything as such board can
have no jurisdiction over interstate traffic The only
grievance Of Importance arising since aboshment of
the court of visitation Kansas was the rates on southern
lumber which have never been equaby adjusted because
Of the conests of outside competing lines and Of the
lumber producers But state board could not have had
any jurisdiction southern lumber rates as such rates
determined by terminal markets and by roads which
do not touch this with their lines being lines
which southern lumber comes in competition with the
northern lumber product The man who has real grev-
stands better show satisfactory and speedy
adjustment by going the railroads direct than to com
mission that has adequate power and which at best is
but an advisory aeurehead for ordinary suits for dam
the plaintiff so direct to the courts board or no
board AID such boards state railway commissioners
and Che like are created fer the politician than for
the people The average railway commission is more
Of fence and defender railways and their methods
than solicitor adjusting tribunals for railway patrons
whether such patrons Pc localities or indviduals Very
many things enter into the adjustment or fixing Of freight
rate schedules including vastly adverse and intricate com
peye interests Of both producers ana consumers as well
of transportation lines the greatest factor being relative
tonnase Of which thngs can be dominated or con-
troned ny board however strongly clothed
with power Even The United states board Of railway CON-
issoners made up Of eminent lawyers and railway ex
ps after years EFFORT and experience reported to con
that unless clothed mandatory powers Of
hsh court and with practically unlimited jurisdiction or
jurisdiction superior state lines they must remain but
advisory board with facts enumerated and ssu
mating from experience e hare utre or no fata in th
proposed Kansas state board Of railway commissioners no.