The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-20


two cent postage stamp and behold the
machinery of the board in action! The
railroad attorneys wouldn't do a thing
to that kind of complaint. The very bill
the senator advocates requires the COM
plant to set forth wherein freight
tariffs. charges Or classidcations are I'M
reasonable. 1t is discredit to the
shipper that he knows practically moth
ing about the freight tariffs and classi-
ficatiOns. The small shipper pays the
freight exacted and endures extOrtions
with a feeling of helplessness against
the power of a great corporation. The
small shipper is told that if his wrongs
grow out of unreasonable schedules and
classified tons, all he has to do is to
make his letter long enough to cover
his own grievances as well as the griev-
anceS of all others similarly situated in
the state. Very simple, exceedingly
just, only bear in mind that the com
plant may be so broad as to cover all
rates throughout the state with respect
to a particular commodity such as
grain, lumber coal or cattle, and the
board upon that complaint has full
power to correct grain, lumber, coal or
cattle rates everywhere in the state?
How many shippers-especially small
shippers-would assume that remedial
work? 1t is well known that individ-
uals cannot and will not take upon
themselves such tasks. For that reason
they are asking this Legislature to write
into the statute not only a request but
a direction to remedy all general unjust
exactions when found to exist.
Curtails the Power.
mot satisfied with striking down
section of the house bill, in order to
still further protect the railroads from
interference, the Smith bill must take
W section 10 of the original act of
1901 and emasculate it so far as it
concerned freight rates. 1t appears as
section 9 in the Smith bill. This sec
ton is mostly advisory In character,
but it does authorize the commission
ers, on their own motion and without
complaint, to do certain things Among
other things, the board is authorized
to call upon the railroads to change
their rates for transporting freight
when, in the judgment of the board,
such rates are unreasonable. In con-
nectiOn with section 4 of the house
BILL section 10 of the existing law is
good enough so far as it goes. But
the senator seems determined to leave
the railroads untrammeIled IN the
matter of freight rates. SO far as the
commissioners may act on their own
hence the necessity to strike
out even this meagre power which the
board now has. Doubtless this, too is
in the interest of the small shipper,
who brooks no such interference with
his right to patiently pay the freight.
''In the same spirit section 10 of the
house bill is also ennaSculated in favor
of the railroads and against the in
by striking out the provision authoriz-
ing the commissioners to correct
abuses which appear upon any hear
ing on a complaint. even though the
correction involves the changing of
tariffs and cIassifications not specifi-
cally set out in the complaint. But no,
the commissioners must not lay their
impious hands upon the sacred right
of the railroads to extort, discriminate,
build up one concern or locality at
the cost of the ruin to another; no
matter how obvious the wrong, the
board must be inpocenS until some
private citizen draws the weapon of
defense. 1t has not been explained, |
but that change likewise was prob
ably made in the interest Of the small
shipper
Only a Thin Cloak.
1.-The provision for another assistant
general is a thin cloak for
the deficiencies of the butchered house |
bill. The latter (Sec. 81 makes it the |
duty of the attorney general to aid I
and assist in all hearings when re-
qUested by the board 1t was not
thought that any necessity existed for /
the creation of another officer; that
the attorney general with the two as
he now has could perform this
additional service. There is. however,
no objection, unless on the ground OF
unnecessary expense. to section OF