The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-28
THEY DO NOTHING
Carr Taylor Makes Savage At
tack on Railroad Board.
Refuse to Use Machinery Of Law
for the People.
HE SINGLES OUT ONE.
Says Wheatley Has Favored the
Railroad Companies.
Now They Return Favor by
Urging His denomination.
IL SINGLES OUT ONE.

carr W. Taylor attorney lol has has
hoard of railroad comnlssl .,-t,5cf
given out long statement IA -
p T7arizes all the charges ne
800 made against the state pose - -
- -sil,oad commissioners, accuses 1ils
hoard of being under the 80 +,,s+
railroad Influences, ana cL@i . 10
George ". Wheatley' OF o fa4el.s'' ;s in
IS a candidate for renouAllsa 49, -
fl,l1 svnnathy with the raNroaos.
rr,e rbarge is made that the bOal
.e-iac+s ire duties Mr.. Taylor ar
- -Sav have a good deal OF lnllu-
ence with the delegates 70 tiie tTbe
convention next Wednesoas'
article In full is as follows 4
O1s ~ fh. most important depdit-
,,enfs connected with the state soN
eminent fs that Of the Doara u -
road commissioners II Is me -
Dortatfon department Of the stas9 49, 49,
as such is clothed with alillvat -
ted authority to regulate the ram osAe.s
~ ttfe state and the rates they may
charge for the carriage OF Irelslas- 1lie
hoarS Of railroad commissioners may
Fe ssfd to be the child of the ieglsia-
tire It acts for and in the pace OF
the legislature in the supervisor -
the railroads of the state
AS the railroad mileage lhcITs FL
IN The T7nited states and especially III
the respective states it early became
annarent that it was necessary -
Mace restrictions upon ralifoao coilt-
Danfes and to regulate transp oI "a ~
4t,aroes in order to prevent excessive
- 80 ar dfscrfminative rates;
and the process of regulating the LalI-
roads and freight charges BY the reg
isla41tre was of such an expensive
character that the Legislature OF Kan
sas created the board of railroad COM
rnissfoners a body to remain IN con-
perform the work necessary TO De
done 1t became absolutely necessary
to establish such a department IN the
state In order to compel the respective
railroad companies OF the state 70
conduct their respective lines IN sucH
a manner as to conveniently saley
and expeditiously transact the trans
nortatfon business of the public; ana
for the further reason that the con-
tract for the transportation or goods,
wares and merchandise between the
shipper and the railroad company is
wholly one sided. the railroad COM
many having the sole right to fix the
freight charge for the carriage OF
goods. the shipper being unable TO OBJ
tain redress where the rate Is Excess
sive, except through railroad COM
mission.
IN a word. the board Of railroad
commissioners is an arbitration de-
UaELInGELt SiduQill5 DElWCEll AA4E AcAAA7
roads and the people, created for the
purpose of regulating the railroads
and preventing them from charging
excessive, extortionate or discrimina-
tive rates contrary to law.
It was the intention of the Iegis-
lature that this department should re-
main in session all Of the time, for the
purpose of performing the duties i'm
posed upon it by law. The law ex-
plicitly provides that no person own
ing any bonds, stock or property in
any railroad company, or who Is in the
employment Of, or who is in any way
or manner pecuniarily interested or
otherwise obligated in any way to- any
railroad company, should be eligible to
the Office of railroad commissioner;
and, further, that the members of said
board OF railroad commissioners shall
not hold any other Office under the
government of the United States or of
this state and shall not while such
commissioners engage in any Occupa-
ton or business inconsistent with their
duties as such commissioners. The
latter clause of the law, that the mem
bers of the railroad commission shall
not engage in any occupation or BUSH
ness Inconsistent with their duties as
such commissioners. is very broad and
far reaching in its effect It means
that the members of the board of rail-
road commissioners shall give their
time in the discharge of the duties
resting upon them. The law requires
each commissioner to execute a bond
70 the state of Kansas in the sum of
$4,000, conditional for the faithful
performance of the duties of the ONCE,
and further provides that each com
missioner shall take an oath to
the due and faithful performances of
the duties Of his office before entering
upon the discharge of same.
Board Neglects Duties.
Where railroad commissioner gives
one day out Of each week to the Der-
Torrance of the duties Of his once
and the other five days to the atten-
ton OF his own private business. he
violates not only the spirit but the
letter, of the law.
II his private business is of such a
character that it requires him to give
I'VE days of his time each week to #
Il Is inconsistent with his duty as a
railroad commissioner.
Inc laws Of Kansas clothe the hoard
81 railroad commissioners with the
power to make thorough inspections IF
the respective lines of railroad doinp
business within the state and provide
mat whenever 1t appears to said board
OF railroad commissioners that any rail-
road corporation or other trapeT,o,-,.s