The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1901-03-01
THE NEW RAILROAD LAW.
A Drastic Measure In the Interest of the
shlpper-The Pledge OF the Republican
Party Redeemed in Unmistakable Lam
guage.


guage.
The new railroad law. to take the
place of the defunct court of vista
ton, has been prepared and agreed to
by practically every Republican men,
Der of the Senate and House. and 1t is
so reasonably certain of passage as it
is now drawn, that it is fair to con-
slider it as law.
The manner in which this
no" bill was prepared is in
~"' """o such striking contrast to
the star chamber methods that marked
the preliminary steps in the Court of
Visitation bill that it is worth con-
sidering. II will be remembered that
when the Court of Visitation bill was
incubating, no one knew anything
about until it was brought into the Pop
caucus ready made. 1t was rushed
through the caucus under whip and
spur, without amendment or debate,
and put through both houses in the
same way. The authorship of the bill
was variously ascribed at the time to
David Overmeyer, e. c. Little, David
Martin and Attorney General Boyle,
but each of these gentlemen fastened
to deny any part or lot in it. Perhaps
when Bailie Waggener is on his DEATH
bed we may learn who wrote it, but
until that time it's parentage remains
unknown. Bastard in its makeup as
well as parentage, it remains found
ling whom no one will acknowledge.
The present railroad bill is Repub
lican measure and was framed in this
way. The two railroad committees OF
the Senate and House, composed OF
some of the ablest members of both
branches, and representing all political
parties, first met in joint session. They
considered the three or four railroad
bills that had been introduced. They
listened to everyone who desired to be
heard, farmers, cattle shippers, millers,
grain men, lumber men, coal men,
railroad attorneys and freight agents,
in short, all classes who are interested
in transportation. For days and weeks
the hearings were had, open to every
one. Then the various bills, the rail-
road commissioner law, and the sim
ilar. laws of other states were carefully
analysed and discussed in the light OF
the hearings already had. Opinions
were interchanged and gradually the
sentiments and views of the full COM
mittees crystalliZed into shape. Then
a subcommittee from both houses was
appointed who prepared bill in the
light of all that had been gathered
from all sources. Then this bill was
submitted to the full committees meet
ing jointly. 1t was again considered
line by line. Changes were made and
then a Republican caucus was called,
attended by every Republican senator,
and 81 out of SO members of the
House, and the completed bill was sub
mitted to this caucus Here 1t was
again read and discussed line by line,
and few important amendments
made, and so it stands as Republican
bill
No legislative measure in Kansas
was ever so carefully, openly and pub
licly considered and formulated as this
bill, and it stands to-day the strongest
railroad law ever adopted by any state
in the Union.
The bill is too long to re-
me Bin produce in full. 1t con-
LII Detah sists of forty sections,
and briefly analysed it provides for a
Board of Railroad Commissioners,
of three members, one of
whom must be of the minority party,
chosen by the executive council on
April l, 1901; one for one year. one for
two years and one for three years and
every year thereafter one member is
chosen for q term of three years. The
members receive $500 per annum and
select a secretary at 81 800 and stem
ographer at 81 200. This cuts off one
clerk from the old law and makes it
cheaper in cost than any other COM
in the country. The board is
given general supervisory powers over
all railroad lines, express companies,
sleeping car companies and common
carriers 1t has power to subpoena
and examine witnesses, administer
oaths and compel the production of
books and papers, and a refusal to
appear before it and testify or produce
books and papers is made INSIDE
meanor.
1t may order additions to
Wlde row rolling stock and equip
ers Granted ment of railroads, ad.
ditions or changes in station houses,
cDanR6 TeuuCllOll ouIl
general changes in the manner of oper-
ating or conducting the railroads of
the state as may be shown to be to the
public interest. 1t may provide for
owning or leasing of cars by shippers
with regulations for loading, hauling
and returning same and charges for
both, as we'll as for loading by COM
pany on return haul. 1t may order
connecting switches and tracks be-
tween crossing or parallel lines and
regulations thereof, order construc-
ton of new depots, switches and side
tracks to accommodate traffic. It has
full control over questions concerning
crossings of one road over another and
complete and absolute power to SUI
pervise and reduce rates of transpor-
tation.
Any person desiring to do
s"i.cn so may condemn land for
PRIVILEGES a switch. build the same
and connect it with the tracks of the
railroad company except that between
stations on the main line; this can
only be done with the consent of the
company. This latter restriction is of
course for the general protection of
the travelling public. In order that the
Board may be advised of complaints it
is provided that the mayor and council
of any city. or the trustee of any town
ship may make complaint that the