The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-11-15
A TRIBUNAL WITHOUT POWER.

TRIBUNAL WITHOUT POWER.
Additional evidence that the inter.
state commerce commission Is without
power to compel compliance with its
rulings appears in the terminal charge
case at Chicago. Every a of live
stock that reaches the Chicago market
il taxed two dollars as q terminal
charge, in addition to the usual rail-
road rate, and for years past the live.
stock interests have been seeking re-
lief from this imposition. As far back
as 1896 the interstate commerce COM
mission decided that the terminal
charge was unjust and unreasonable,
and notified the railroads to cease
from collecting it, but the railroads,
knowing the impotence Of the commits.
sion to do anything lore effective
than making decisions, refused to
comply with the orders OF that tribu.
nal. The present status of the case is
described by the Drovers journal to
this effect:
A decision that al much to the
livestock shippers Of this country, and
reveals q condition that demonstrates
the far-crying need of greater power
for the interstate commerce commits
sion, has just been issued.
This decision is held to be q distinct
victory for the Chicago Live Stock
Exchange, which as an intervening
body with the Cattle Raisers' associa.
ton of Texas took up the fight to Sc.
cure for the livestock shippers of this
country relief from the 81 terminal
charge imposed by railroads in addi-
ton to regular freight charges.
Were the commission in position to
Immediately enforce this ruling its
benefit would be far-reaching, as the
shippers to other markets where ter.
minal charges are in force would re-
ceive the benefit as we'll of this final
ruling that has been won by the Chi.
cago exchange and the Texas associa.
ton after an expensive fight extending
over o period of nearly ten years.
AT yesterda avs session in Washing.
ton the interstate commerce commits
sion for a second time placed its brand
of disapproval on the e. terminal
charge. This decision is a renewal Of
its former ruling that a q terminal
charge was unreasonable and that any
charge in excess of 81 would be unreal
sonable, holding that in all cases
where the cost OF delivery in Chicago
has been Increased by the trackage
charge paid by the railroads to the
Stock Yards company the railroads
are entitled to made o terminal charge
of not TO exceed 81 q a
Once before the interstate commerce
commission issued q decision almost
identical in substance. That decision
was entirely ignored by the railroads
against whom the ruling was made.
The interstate commerce commission
then, as now, a by the faulty provi-
sions Of law utterly unable to enforce
its ruling in the matter and appealed
to the United States supreme court to
secure q decision from that body com.
Polling the railroads to obey the rul'
ing. The action Of the supreme court
was to remand the case back to the
interstate commerce commission to
determine whether the terminal rates
had not in some territory been re.
duced since the proceedings against
the railroads were started back in
1896.
Yesterd avs action OF the commits
sion is the result Of further investiga'
ton of the matter and the ruling is a
practical substantiat alton Of the charges
that were made back in 1896 in thu
battle then started in behalf Of thu
live stock shippers OF this country by
the Chicago Live Stock Exchange.
Officials of the Chicago Live Stock
Exchange and members almost unani.
mously feel that this decision Is q
victory in the long and expensive
fight that has been made and that the
only unfortunate condition in the
situation Us 1t stands today is tina
the interstate M com
mission does not today possess
the power to enforce the immediate
execution of its order for the beneti
OF the shippers. This again demon
strates the urgent need Of rate legis
lation that has been so earnestly al
vocated by President Roosevelt an
every prominent live stock shipper.