The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-02-07
INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION RECON-,
MEND MANY REFORMS.
IN TRANSPORTATION LAWS
Interstate Commerce Commission
Should Be Granted Power to
Do Certain Things.

| Washington, Feb. 6.-The industrial
commission has submitted it's finel re-
port to congress. 1t is a document of
more than 1000 printed pages. The
first part, which has been made pub
| lie, deals with the progress Of the
nation--agriculture, mining and trans
portation. The committee advises
control of railroads, as originally laid
down in the senate committe report
of 1886, and embodied the following
year in the interstate commerce act
be revised and strengthened
That authority of the Interstate
commerce commission, necessary for
the adequate protection of shippers,
and clearly intended by the trainers
powers and functions of the commits
sion be enlarged practically as con-
templated in the so-called Cullom bill
of 1900, except as to authority to pre-
pare and enforce uniform classifica-
ton.
Such legislation should provide for
more stringent regulation of the
conditions under which freight and
passenger tariffs are published and
filed.
mo rate or classification ought to
be changed without at least $50 days
notice to shippers. unless specifically
authorized by the interstate commerce
commission.
''That strict adherence to published
tariffs be required and rebates or dis
elimination prevented by increase of
the penalties.
"That long and short haul clause
in section four of the act of 1887 be
strengthened and rigidly enforced un-
less carriers shall be released by
special order of the interstate COM
IuSlS
For a definite grant of power to
the interstate commerce commission,
never on it's own initiative, but only
on formal complaint to pass upon
reasonableness of freight and passen-
ger rates or charges; also a definite
grant of power to declare given rate
unreasonable as at present, together
with power to prescribe resaonables
rates in substitution.
For early hearings upon complaints
and for prompt decisions by commits
sion. the purpose being to obviate in
tolerable delay.
'.For specific grant of power to in
terstate commerce commission over
classification, both as to items and
grouping.
Coupled with this. however, we dis
sent from the section of the so-called
Cullom bill requiring interstate COM
mission within a certain period to
promulgate uniform classification for
the United States.
s'For the establishment of perma-
nent corps of expert auditors who
shall have authority under the super
vision of the interstate commerce
| commission to examine periodically
the accounts of all railroad companies
whether operating or financial in their
nature,
''That violation of the act, respect
ing keeping and filing of annual re-
ports by carriers, should be made mis-
demeanors and promptness in making
4 such returns should be required.
"That to fruther the effectiveness
of the commission. it's membership
should be directly representative OF
the various interests concerned in
the persons of shippers or business
men, traffic experts Grail and water)
and men of legal training, and the
number of commissioners should be
increased to seven.
'That legislation analogous to the
anti-stock watering statutes of Mas
sachusetts be enacted by the several
states
'That railroad companies be prohib
| tied by law from making lower freight
rates upon imports billed tointerior OF
| this country in connection with ocean
/ transportation or otherwise, than arc
] made on similar articles from the sea
board to the interior or than are.
made from one inland point to san-.
other, when the distance is not great
or"