The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-09-23

tiles of J. D. Farrell. AS member of
the committee on corporations other
than municipal. Mr. Sullivan made
minority report opposing the pro-
posed railroad commission section in
the article on corporations. and in
many other ways he worked openly
and secretly. against provisions which
met the disapproval of the railroad
and other corporate interests.
The original article on corporations
other than municipal as reported b.
the committee having that branch Of
the work of the convention in charge
contained provision for an elective
railway commission. Several clauses
providing for a railroad commission.
among them one by Judge Turner, had
been submitted to the committee for
consideration. The one reported by the
committee is found on page 1877 of
the official journal of the convention
and provided:
consisting of three members. is here
| by established. The railroad commits
sioners shall be qualified voters of the
state and shall be elected by the
/ state at large at the general state
elections and their term Of Office shall
| commence on the Monday following
no let Of 1op
| ing their election. In the event
of a vacancy existing in such COM
4 mission the governor shall fill the same
| by appointment and the person so ap
pointed shall hold office until the next
general election, and the person cleo
| ed shall hold for the remainder of the
| commissioners shall have power to
transact any of it's business. 1t shall
be the duty OF such railroad commits
sioners to exercise a supervisory con-
troll over all railroad, canal and other
/ transportation companies, associations
! and corporations, and over all COM
/ mon carriers, ana, III tne absence VI
! legislation on the subject to regulate
fares and freights and prescribe and
limit the charges therefor, to prevent
/ and correct abuses. determinations
and extortion by such companies, as
sociation or corporations, and to per
form such other duties as may be pre-
scribed by law. The Legislature shall
enact all laws necessary to carry the
foregoing provisions into effect and
tons. powers, duties and response
blities and fix compensation of rail-
road commissioners"
When this report was presented P.
c. Sullivan as a member of the COM
nittee which presented it, presented a
minority report dissenting from the
recommendation on the section quoted
and offering in it's stead the less eff
fective section now in the constitution,
a section under which the railroad
lobby has thus far succeeded, through
eight successive legislatures, in pre-
venting effective regulative railroad
legislation.
The reports of the committee We're
accepted by the convention and re-
ferred to committee of the whole for
consideration. A strenuous effort was
made by the pro-railroad members to
kill Section y in the committee, but
it failed. and on the vote 80 of the rs
members of the convention voted for
the retention of the section. This vote
was taken on Saturday, Aug. g.
Section q was discussed in COM
of three whole days. While the news
paper reports Of the discussion are but
meager they reflect the intensity with
which the opposing forces We're ar
rayed for and against the provision.
Files OF the Olympia Standard at that
time contain the account from which
these quotations are taken:
Session of Aug. 3:
When Section u was called, the
! friends and opponents rallied their
! forces and the long-looked for struggle
/ commenced. This section is generally
| known as the one establishing a board
/ Of railroad commissioners, consisting of
/ three qualified electors. to be elected
! at the state elections, which also fixes
| the term of office. The railroad COM
! panies and their friends are especially
| DESTROYS of defeating this section as
are many others.
THE minority report signed by P. c.
| Sullivan of Pierce provides that the
| Legislature shall pass laws establish
| ing reasonable maximum rates of
charges for the transportation of
| freight and passengers, and to cor
rect abuses, and also provides that it
may establish a railroad commission.
Mr.. Sullivan moved to adopt the
minority report and Mr. Kinnear
moved to substitute the ma iOrjty re-