The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-02-06
AN IMPORTANT MEAsUREsINrRo.
DUcED IN THE SENATE BY
~
Mr.. ELklNS.
NUMBER OF CHANGES MADE
Interstate Commerce Law Amended
in Several ParticuIars-Beside
Granting Railroads the Right to
Combine on, Rates the Commission
Is Given Authority to Fix the
Charges.

Washington, Feb. Ex-senator Ell
klns, chairman of the Interstate COM
MERGE committee, has introduced a
bill making number of changes in
the Interstate commerce law, the most
Important of which are the following:
Giving the interstate commerce COM
mission authority under certain condi.
lions to fix railroad rates, legalizine
pooling and abolishing Imprisonment
as method of Furnishing offenses
against the law.
The provision with reference to the
fixing Of rates authorizes the inter-
state commerce commission to hear
complaints of discrimination made
against common carriers and directs
that any definite order made by the
commission after such hearing, declar.
ing rate regulation or practice to be
just and reasonable, shall become op.
erative and be observed by the party
or parties against whom it is made
within 30 days after notice. Appeal
to the United States circuit courts and
to the supreme court of the United
States is authorized. The latter court
is given authority to suspend or re-
woke rate order made by the COM
mission upon application by parties
affected and all such orders are limit
ed to one years duration. -. p,
The commission is authorized to de-
termine the proportion for each of the
carriers when the rate fixed is a Joint
rate. ,,-t q" -.
The section of the bill concerning
pooling provides that lit shall be law
ful for any two or more common car.
riers to arrange between and among
themselves for the establishment Of
or maintenance of rates. It also shall
be lawful. for such carriers to agree
by. contract in writing filed with the
Interstate commerce commission upon
the division of their traffic or earnings,
or bOth.''
Authority is given to the interstate
commerce commission to hear COM
piaints~ against the fairness of such
pooling arrangements and to make an
order annulling the contract in the re-
spects found to be unjust and unlaw-
full. Failure to comply with the order
will work the annulment of the con-
tract.
Proceedings by writ of Injunction
are authorized against any party dis
obeying the provisions of the bill, and
the offending party also is made sub
ject to a penalty of $4,000 to be paid
into the treasury of the United States.
Where railroads pass into foreign
country authority is given, in addition
to the imposition of fines, to suspend
the movement of trains within the
United States until the requirements
shall be complied, with. fine of not
less than $1,000 nor more than $40 900
is provided for the willful failure of
any carrier to publish tariffs of rates
and charges as required by the inter-
state commerce law.
Authority is given to the commits.
sion to require the publication of
traffic rates, and where there is rea-
sonable ground for belief that freights
or passengers are being carried for
less than the published rates the COM
mission is authorized to begin pro-
ceedings in the circuit court of the
United States, which court is required
to enforce an observance of the pub
lished tariffs. These proceedings are
to be directed not only against the
carrier, but also against the other par
ties interested.