The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-20
FRUIT GROWERS DEMANDS.
Insist on Supervision Over Rates by
Interstate Commission.

At a recent meeting of the Califor-
MIA Fruit Growers exchange, repre-
senting over 8, 600 citrus fruit growers,
shipping more than I 4, 600 cars of fruit
yearly. and paying nearly $4,000. 600 in
freight and refrigerator charges an
nually. the following resolutions as to
the control by the federal authorities
of railroad rates and private car lines
were passed:
Resolved. That the decision of the
supreme court of the United States,
rendered February IS, 1906, in the
citrus fruit cases, gives to the railways
the exclusive control of routings of
freight, and thereby, in effect, gives
legal sanction to a freight pool, eff
fectuated by means of a division Of
freight over different lines.
Our records show that during the
period the railroads controlled the
routing competition was eliminated, and
our fruit was from two to six days
longer in transit than when we routed
our shipments ourselves, causing US
losses by decay in hundreds of in
stances of from 800 to $500 per car.
This decision is the last of a series of
decisions by that court and any by
which the entire control of commerce
and Of rates has been denied to the
interstate commerce commission and
the public authorities, and vested in
the railways.
BY these decisions the present inter-
state commerce act has become jun
BILE of meaningless words
The power Of the railways in the
control and regulation Of commerce is
now equivalent to the limitless power
of taxation upon all the industries.
property and people OF the country
Such conditions of the law and limita-
ton Of public rights in their local ap-
plication to us places US and our bust
ness and property utterly at the mercy
of the railways.
We demand that the regulation of
commerce be resumed by congress as
intended and required by the federal
constitution and that the further act
to regulate commerce shall distinctly
/ empower the interstate commerce com
mission to supervise and establish rea-
souabIe rates, rules and practices re-
/ lating to interstate transportation and
/ commerce, and all agencies connected
herewith, including the express bust
( ness, cars operated under contract. and
! telegraphs, VIII enever and wherever ex-
! listing rates, rules and practices relating
/ thereto are found to be unreasonable
( or unjust and which orders and regu-
( lauons of the commission in reference
I thereto shall not be set aside or sus-
pended except by final decree of a
/ United States court upon constitutional
/ grounds.
That the interstate commerce COM
mission be expressly authorized to
Z establish through rates and through
/ routes over connecting lines engaged
in interstate transportation, and that
/ shippers be expressly authorized to Sc
/ cure and designate such transportation
over and upon any such lines upon
/ their paying the established rates. That
I the act should also provide that any
person complaining of any unjust OF
unreasonable rate. rule or practice Oh
claiming damage arising out of any in
terstate transportation. may at his
option. sue therefore in any United
States court in the district or place
where the defendant may be found OF
may be doing business.
1T is our firm conviction that if
law substantially embodying these es
sential provisions for railway contro
cannot by reason of adverse railway
/ Influences be passed without unreasOn
able delay, the country viii be driver
to utterly abolish private ownership II
railways and government OWNERSHIP
viii be the inevitable result