The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-02-15
A COLI BRICK COMMISSION BILL.

The railway bill prepared in Attorney Cen
eral Atkinsons the direction Of W. W. Cotton
attorney for the O. r. N Company 'thunders in the
index" but makes a complete fzze when it comes to its
declared purpose regulating railroad rates in this state
In the bill there is much sound and fury and
one would think that Mcbride himself had writ
Just hear this:
An act to establish a railroad commission for the
state of Washington discrimination and exor
ton in charges be prevented and
just and service and tariff
NAV he corrected and established; authorize commits
sion to make rules and regulations for its
government carrying effect the provisions of
this act; give said commission the to regulate
tickets and correct and provide charges
for hauling empty trackage proper
train sufficient freight and passenger rooms
just reasonable joint rates and demurrage charges
to prescribe violation of this act and to
provide rules for its enforcement
This gliding that covers the worthless brick to
passed off the people of this state as pure gold
of the provisions of the act shows that
commission is given to fix rates in the first
instance rate modified on complaint of a
shipper of both Sides but the
order aside by the superior
county pending the decision of an appeal
by concerned If the railroad chooses it can
to the court OF the United
the will affect the rate on
only article out of hundreds which extortonate
may be charged
By making complaint against the railroad the shipper
becomes man, punished by all sorts
of determinations against during that his
may be pending and for years afterward.
the contrary, if the commission given power
instance, the burden of proof would
be the railroad to that the rates were not reason
able and they would be in effect until set aside by the
highest The of the state would be
commission and back of shipper who might
That the kind of commission that Walla
Waas members of the legislature publicly pledged them
selves endeavor They promised to work and
commission such Governor Mcbride and Sen
Toman advocated the kind for which the repub
platform declared 1902"an appointive
ative railway commission consisting three members not
than of whom shall be of the political
with full fix, regulate and control freight
and passenger in this state"
The emasculated that agreed upon
by the joint railroad committee
short of the kind of commission bill Waa Waa egisla-
pledged 1t their duty to do their
utmost the bill amended to give the COM
mission plenary rates bill modelled after
the Townsend passed by national house of
representatives would do This bill took
the place of the Hepburn BILL which much the same
of gold brick railroad lobby has agreed put
through state Legislature.
The Cotton-A tknson bill is than at all.
1t is spineless oothless will
much the Oregon railway commission of a
will o this SIS 900
10 maintain this mpotet commission solely for the
benefit of three political avorites drawing $4,000
each and their nigh saaried assistants
When the Sweeny supporters from Washing
ton Sam Piles elected him United States
it stipulated King county in
passing railway to
Washington The farcical measure agreed by Van
de Vaner's railroad satisfactory
EN- Washington please nobody the railroads
that il
The people of Washington
not be duped by such
legislature will give the people of railway
commission taat they asked a legislature
e'ectes next time that will obey the peoples will