The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-11
CARR TAYLOR NAMED.
He viii Be Attorney for the Railroad
Commissioner.

AS has been expected for several
days. Governor Hoch has named Carr
W. Taylor. of HUTCHINSON. as attorney
for the state board of railroad com
missiOners under the new railroad
law.
The place is one of great import
ance, for upon this attorney devolves
the duty of setting in motion the ma
chinery to secure equitable freight
rates in Kansas, and the prosecution of
all complaints fled before the board
unless the complainants wish to en-
ploy other counsel.
The final decision of whether exist
ing rates are unjust or not will, of
course. rest with the commissioners
themselves
Mr.. Taylor has had some experience
In trust busting" 1t was he who
first started the litigation which re-
suited recently in the decision of the
United States supreme court unfolding
the Farrelly antitrust law.
-Four years ago Mr.. Taylor was
county attorney of Reno county. The
farmers cooperative shipping move
ment took a strong hold down there
but ran up against the grain trust.
Mr. Taylor instituted proceedings
against the trust summoning E. J.
Smiley secretary of the Kansas Grain
Dealers association, as one of the wit
nesses- Smiley refused to answer
some Of the questions put to him, and
Taylor had him committed to jail by
the late Judge NJ. p. Simpson for con-
tempt of court Smiley Immediately
brought habeas corpus proceedings in
the supreme court for his release
After Taylor had started suit against
the grain trust, a similar action was
started in Rush county in which Mr..
Smiley was named as one of the de-
PENDANTS That action was prosecuted
Through the district court and Mr..
Smiley was found guilty. That case
was also appealed. and that and Tay-
lOr'S case were argued together in the
nd
against Smiley Then an appeal was
taken to Washington in the name of
the Rush county case, as that was a
criminal action and could be pushed
more rapidly than the other. and the
decision UNFOLDING the antitrust law
has just resulted
After Mr.. Taylor had served the
customary two terms as county attOr-
ney OF Reno county he was succeeded
by his law partner J. u. Brown, and
Taylor has since been the deputy.
Taylor was the boss buster leader
IN Reno county year ago, and did
much towards the success of the Hoch
campaign He was director of the Re
publican speakers bureau during the
campaign. and was a candidate for
hank commissioner since When the
new railroad law was passed recently
carrying with it a $4,000 attorneyship
TaylOr's boom was switched to that
place and Governor Hoch appointed
him.
The law goes into effect at once. and
MT Taylor can get busy just as quick
as he likes He can file complaints
before the board alleging unjust rates.
and he also prosecutes all other com
plants made before the board free
of charge. This allows any citizen in
the state to bring a complaint before
the board without cost to the COM
plainant If a shipper desires other
consel, however. he can employ it.
No interchangeable Baggage Book.
Commercial travellers seeking to Sc
cure an interchangeab excess bag
gage ticket and a reduction Of one
third in the rate now charged have
been turned down by the roads in the
Central Passenger association. The
railways plead the old excuse that thew
ere carrying this business at ruinous
=tes already, and that to grant this
quest would be only another step
- the downward path toward bank
Suptcy. At the same time they We're
bound to acknowledge that the roads
in the association derive a. revenue OF
$750,000 annually from this source
The excess baggage rate is 121k per
cent of the regular first class fare for
each 100 pounds over the 150 pounds
allowed on every ticket. It is pre-
sumed that the charge for hauling this-
$50 pounds is figured in the price Of
the ticket. At the present rate it