The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-11

| These orders are not subject to review
Section provides that If any carrier
shall refuse or neglect to obey or per-
form any order of the commission above
authorized, obedience and performance
shall be suinmarily enforced by writ
| of injunction or other process TO be
| issued by any circuit court OF the
United states upon petition of the com
mission; and in addition thereto the
offending carrier is subjected to Il
penalty of not less than $4,000 for every
| days continuance of the violation oi
| such order. When any order of the
| commission which involves the rate III
traffic passing in part over any line OF
railroad In "a foreign country and ~
| part over a line of railroad In the
United States is not observed the con,-
| mission or the court having jurisdiction
| shall enforce thn order against such
| traffic by suspension of the movement
thereof within the United States.
| Section declares that any act of an
| agent or officer of a carrier corporation
which constitutes Il misdemeanOr under
| the Interstate commerce law shall bt
| held to be a misdemeanor by such COR
poration. and subject the corporation
to like penalties prescribed against in
dividuals. Imprisonment penalties here
tofore prescribed are abolished. Fail
ure to observe published tariffs. or any
departure therefrom by means of the
payment of rebates or otherwise, SUBJ
hn ipp tn nGs lpS q
than $1,000. nor more than $4,000 for
each ofiense; and the wilful completely
of any person Interested in the ira tiic
on which any departure from publish
ed tariff rates is made is declared Il
mtsdemeanor punishable by like penal
ties prescribed against the carrier.
Section provides that in any pro-
ceeding for the enforcement of the
statues relating to Interstate COM
merce, all persons, in addition to the
carrier interested in or affected by the
rate, regulation or practice under con-
sideration. may be included, and orders
may be made with reference to such
additional parties in the same manner
rs to carriers.
Section 8 authorizes the commission,
whenever it has reasonable ground for
belief that u commentaries is trans
porting freight or passengers at less
than published tariff IA tes or is render
ing any additional service beyond what
is specified in its published tariffs. to
present Il petition to the circuit court
of the United States having jurisdic-
ton alleging such practice, whose duty
it shall be to summariy enquire into
the circumstances and. upon being
satisfied of the truth of the allega-
ton, to enforce observance to the pub
process, which shall be enforceable
both against the parties interested in
the traffic and against the carrier.
Section Z provides that all existing
laws relative to testimony in cases or
proceedings under or connected with
the "act to regulate commerce. shall
also apply to any case or proceeding
authorized by this act.
The need of provisions like the above
have been repeatedly shown, never
more clearly than in the case of Coke
Bros. against the Lehish Valley Rail-
road company, involving discriminating
tolls against independently mined an
thracite coal At present the inter-
state commerce commission is little
more than II clerical body useful for
purposes of inquiry but without power
to enforce its judgments. In these days
OF rebates and determinations in
freight charges affecting both persons
and places, it is highly essential that
the strong hand of the federal govern
ment should be lifted effectually for
the prosecution Of the guilty ana the
protection OF the weak. The foregoing
bill is still too lenient in its penalty
provisions; but inasmuch as it repre-
sents ar advance beyond existing legis-
lation its enactment should be strongly
urged.