Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-05-22
Miseellaneuus 8sading.
THE NEW RATE BILL.
Summary of Provisions For Railroad
Regulation.

! lHE NEW KATE BILL.
Summary of Provisions For Railroad
| Regulation.
The principal purpose of the rail
road rate bill passed last Friday is t
permit the interstate commerce com
mission to fix rates. The provision
comforting this authority is found II
the fourth section Of the bill ant
amends section Is Of the interstate
! commerce law so as to accomplish
that result. That section directs tn
commission to investigate complaint
Of unjust and unreasonable charges ol
| the part Of common carriers in th'
transportation of persons or propert!
| or of regulations or of practices af
| fecting such changes 1t also author
ICES an inquiry as to whether the rate
| or practices are "unjustly discrimina
tory or unduly preferential or preju
dicial or otherwise in violation of tn,
| act, and in case any of these condi
tions are found to exist, the commits
sion is empowered to determine ant
prescribe what will be the just ant
reasonable maximum rate and wha
| regulation or practice Is just, reason
able and fair. Further, authority i
given the commission to enforce IT.
| orders and they are to go into effec
| within thirty days and continue II
force for two years unless suspended
| modified or set aside by the commits
sion or by a court Of competent juris
| diction. Other powers conferred by
this section are: to apportion join
fares, establish through routes anC
maximum joint rates and prescribe
their division and to determine the
compensation to be paid to shipper!
doing service for carriers. Section II
of the present law Is so changed as tc
provide for an award Of pecuniary
damages to complainants found enti
tied, and in case payments are no
promptly made in accordance witt
this award, the beneficiary Is au
| thorized to file suit I'm United State!
circuit court to compel compliance
The findings of the commission Is tC
be received as prima facie evidence O.
the facts in such suits and the petit
toner Is absolved from all liability fol
costs. Another provision renders le
gal the service of the orders Of thC
commission through the mails ant
provides that these orders shall take
effect thirty days after service unles!
suspended or modified by the com
mission or suspended or set aside by
the courts. A penalty of $1,000 fol
each offense In disobedience Of the or
der Is imposed, and the penalty Is tC
accumulate at the rate Of $1,000 6
day in case Of continuous violation
Orders other than those for money
payments are to be enforced by the
Federal courts through writs of man
damus or injunction, and in case o.
appeal to the supreme court, thes'
cases are to be given precedence ovel
all others foxcept-those Of crimina
character.
The bill was amended by the senate
so as to give the United States circui
courts Jurisdiction to entertain suits
brought to annul or change the or
ders Of the commission and also t
provide against the granting of inter
locutory DEGREES without hearings ant
making appeals from such orders di
rect to the supreme court.
Other provisions extend the defini
ton of the word railroad" so as t
make it include switches, spurs
tracks terminal facilities, freight de
pots, yards and grounds and define!
Transportation" so as to make 1t EN-
brace cars and other facilities foI
shipment or carriage. irrespective o.
ownership or Of any contract" the In
tention being to make the railroads
responsible for all special car service
It is made the duty Of carriers to fur
nish special car service upon reasona
BILE request.
Senate amendments include oil pipe
lines, express companies and sleeping
car companies under the head o.
common carriers" and make then
amenable to the requirements OF th'
bill. Other senate notifications pro
hibit the issuance of passes or the
granting Of special favors to one class
of passengers over another, prohlol
railroad companies from transporting
commodities produced by themselves
require combines to put in switches
at reasonable request of shippers
prohibit the granting or. acceptance o.
| rebates. and reinstate the imprison
ment penalty for violation of the law
There are also changes in the Law
relative to the reports to be required
of common carriers, and a penalty O
500 a day is imposed for failure u
comply with the report requirement.
The commission is given access Il
the accounts of the companies affect
ed by the act, but examiners are for
| hidden under penalty of heavy NM
and long Imprisonment from divulg
ing the facts ascertained Fines o
$500 for each failure to keep propel
account is provided. falsificatiol
of accounts Is made punishable by fn'
and Imprisonment.
Circuit and district courts OF th'
| ITpitad StotaS are given iuriSdic tiOI
over all complaints by the commission
| of failure to comply with its orders
and such courts are required to ISSUE
writs of mandamus compelling suci
compliance.
THE SEISMoGRAPH.
How the Earthquake Indicator Records