The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-04
RATE BILL TO DATE.
The Measure as Reported Back by
Conference Committee.

Washington, June 4@The rate bill
conferees reached a complete agree
ment and sent their report to the
senate and house. The report. shows
the senate areceded from six amend
ments, two of which merely change
the numbers of sections. while twenty
eight of its amendments were retained
verbatim. The remaining seventeen
were redrafted and retained under
different phraseology.
Senator Tillman, chairman of the
senate conferees. gave notice that he
viii urge prompt action in the senate.
1t is safe to say the report will be
acted upon by the house with the ut
most dispatch.
The disposition of the amendments,
in the order in which they appear in
the bill. follows:
The first amendment to the bill is
that making pipe lines common car
riers. It was stricken out and in
cluded in the amendment making ex-
press companies common carriers,
sleeping car companies having been
eliminated, so that the amendment
now reads
1.-The term common carrier as used
in this act shall include express COM
panies and all persons or corporations
engaged in the transportation of oil by
pipe lines, or partly by pipe lines and
partly by railroad, or partly by pipe
lines and partly by water"
The next amendment is that pro-
hibiting passes. It was entirely re-
drafted. made much more stringent.
all excepted classes being eliminated,
and either to issue or receive free
transportation was made a INSIDE
meanor. The amendment is as fol-
lows:
NO carrier subject to the provi-
sions of this act shall after January 1,
1907, directly or indirectly issue or
give any interstate free ticket, free
pass or free transportation for pass
age. Any carrier violating this provi-
sion shall be deemed guilty Of a mis-
demeanor and shall upon conviction.
thereof be punished by a fine of not
exceeding $1,000; and any person who
uses. solicits or accepts for himself or
for another any such interstate free
ticket. free pass or free transportation
shall be deemed guilty of a INSIDE
meanOr and upon conviction thereof
shall be subject to a like penalty
The Elkins commodity amendment
was retained practically in the form
originally agreed upon and the provi-
sions later inserted eliminating timber
and the manufactured products there
of were stricken out. AS agreed to,
the amendment provides that after
May /. 1913, II snail be unlawful for
any common carrier to transport any
article or commodity, manufactured
mined or produced by it, or produced
under its authority, or which it may
own in whole or in part, or in which
it may have an interest direct or indi-
rect except such articles or commodi-
ties as may be necessary and intended
for its own use in the conduct of its
own business.
The requirement that common. car
riers shall, upon application of any
shipper. construct and operate switch
connections with private sidetracks was
amended to include the applications of
lateral or branch lines of railroads
This provision was offered in the SEN
ate. bat was not adopted and the state
ment was made today that it would be
objected to when the conference report
reaches the senate.
The senate receded from the Jim
Grow" amendment. which declared that
equally good service and accommoda-
tions should be given. to all persons
paying the same compensa ton for in
rterstate transportation of passengers
The provision was stricken out.
The several senate amendments. 20
in number, relating to the publication
of schedules of rates and charges of all
kinds were agreed to and to that pro-
vision relating to joint rates was added
the following:
IF no joint rate over the through
rate has been established the several
carriers in such through rate shall file,
print and keep open to public inspec-
ton as aforesaid the separately estab-
lished rates. fares and charges applied
to the through transportation
The original penal sections of the in
/ terstate commerce law which were re-
pealed by the Elkins law and placed in
the bill by the senate were retained
The senate amendment. however. was
amended by striking out the words,
knowingly and willfully" in the pro-
vision relating to offering or accepting
rebates, concessions or determinations
The conferees also eliminated the pro-
viso which declared that the penalties
should not apply to rebates or consid-
erations received prior to the passage
and approval of this act
All of the senate amendments to sec
ton 4, which is the rate making sec
ton, were retained. Among these are
several relating to the Allison compro-
mise. The most important includes the
striking out of the words I'm its judg-
ment. and the words and fairly re-
1 munerative.