The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1906-11-01
SEVEN RULE RAILROADS
MEN WHO CONTROL EVERY RAIL-
ROAD IN THE UNITED STATES

mented membership and increased
powers. now begins What is practical
" the administration OF industrial
property valued at the prodigious
sum of over thirteen billion two hum
dred million dollars. -
Interstate Commerce Commission as
reorganized is composed OF seven
members. whose yearly salary is $780,
900, has supervision over 2104 rail-
roads In the United States:
Valued MISUNDERSTANDING
Miles OF trackage.. ..s 277,071
Number Of locomotives. 46,743
Number of cars. ....... l,798,561
Number Of employees. 1,2S4,442
Average capitalization
per mile ......... 2,071, 32T,860
Wages paid employees,
1Ju0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 7S7 $3.50, O29
In other words, the Interstate Com
merce Commission, today has virtual
control Of every railroad In the United
States. 1t will fix rates, arbitrate diff
ferences, issue general orders, insti-
tute court proceedings and supervise
the accounts of over 2100 railroad
lines, with total trackage Of 277.O71
miles.
In short, the provisions of the rail-
road rate bill, which was whipped
into shape and became the measure
pre-eminent of the first session of the
Fifty-ninth Congress, become effec-
tive, and the vast railroad interests
OF nearly the whole of the continent,
which but recently were operated by
private corporations and individuals,
Is now operated under the supervis-
ion of what is probably the most i'm
portant administrative body in the
United States.
Never before in the history Of gov
eminent has such vast industrial sys-
tenn been under the control of any sim
gle body Of men. If all the railroads
OF every country in Europe were put
in charge of similar body of men,
1t would not control nearly as great
interests as the new Interstate Com
merce Commission at Washington.
The commission is now composed of
seven members, and is virtually a new
body, although four of its members
have served for many years. They
are Francis M. Cockrell of Missouri;
Judson G. Clements, of Georgia; Mar,
tin A. Knapp, OF New York, and
Charles A. Prouty, of Vermont. Re-
Gently Franklin Lane, of California,
took the oath and entered upon the
duties Of the Office, and on the day
before the law took effect E. e. Clark
of Iowa, and James S. Harlan, Of Chi
cage, a son Of Justice Harlan, of the
United States Supreme Court, were
sworn in, and the commission was
reorganized. The salary of the mem
bers of the new commission, dating
from today, will be $4,000, an In
crease from $500, which heretofore
obtained
The provision of the new rate bill
with which the commission will have
most to do is that which gives it the
authority to determine and prescribe
wnat will be the just and reasonable
rate or rates, charge or charges, to be
thereafter observed, in such case, as
the maximum to be charged" This
provision gives paramount power to
the commission, transferring all such
power from the railroad interests.
The provisions OF the railroad rate
bill, which also applies to all pipe
lines, is, summarized, as follows:
Confers on the Interstate Commerce
Commission the indisputable right to
make all rates, fix all tariff schedules,
hear all complaints bearing on such
subjects as railroad and pipe line
transportation.
Gives 1t free access to all books. .ac-
counts and papers, kept by common
carriers, and imposes a fine of $500
per day upon all carriers refusing to
give the commission such access.
Provides for enforcement OF enact
ments Of the bill by injunction pro-.
ceedings, and stipulates that no In
junction restraining any order of the
commission shall be granted except
after five days notice to the commits
sion.
Provides penalty Of from $1,000 to
$4,000 for the offering, soliciting,
giving or accepting of rebates. favors,''
etc.
Provides against the issuance OF
passes, directly or indirectly, to per-
sons who are not legitimately entitled
to receive such, and defines who such
persons are.
Provides that precedence shall be
given for transportation of troops and
material in time Of war.
Provides that corporation shall be
held responsible for anything done or
omitted to be done by any Of its Of
ficers or employees which would con-
stitute a misdemeanor on the part or
the corporation.
Stipulates what penalties shall Be
imposed for failures to observe the
provisions Of the bill. These penal
ties range from 800 to $500 per day,
md Prom e1nnn ~. con mn 80 ev@nr{a<,