The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-06-05
RAILROAD RATE BILL AGREED ON
Conferees Make Report to Both
Houses Of Congress
WILL BE CALLED UP AT ONCE
Senate Receded From Six Amendments,
and Twenty-eight of its Amend
ments Were Agreed to Verbatim.
Remaining Seventeen Amendments
Redrafted and Retained Under Diff
ferent PhraseOlOgy.

ferent PhraseOlOgy.
Washington, June 2.-In practically
all essential details the cOnferees on
the railroad rate bill agreed to the
measure as it was passed by the SEN
ate The report was signed at about
D. m. this afternoon, and almost i'm
mediateIy presented to both houses of
congress. 1t shows that the senate
receded from six amendments, two of
which merely change the numbers Of
sections while twenty eight of it's
amendments were retained verbatim,
and the remaining seventeen amend
ments were redrafted and retained un-
der different phraseology.
Senator Tillman, chairman Of the
senate confereeS gave notice that he
will urge prompt action on the re-
port in the senate. AS soon as dispos-
ed of there it is safe to say it will be
acted upon in the house with the Ut
most dispatch.
The disposition of the amendments
on the order in which they appear in
the bill follow.
The first amendment to the bill is
that making pipe lines common car
riers 1t 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:
The term common carrier as used
| in this Act, shall include express COM
panies and all persons or corpora
tions engaged in the transportation Of
oil by pipe lines or partly by pipe lines
an dpartly by railroad, or partly by
water
The next amendment is that pro-
hibiting passes. 1t was entirely re-
drafted, made much more stringent,
and now provides as follows:
"No carrier subject to the provisions
Of this act SHALL after January 1,
1907, directly or indirectly, issue or
give any interstate free ticket, free
pass or free transportation for passage.
Any carrier violating this provision
shall be deemed guilty of misde-
meanor and shall upon conviction
thereof be punished by a fine of not
exceeding $1,000; and any person who
used, solicits, or acceptcs for himselr
Or for another, such interstate free
ticket, free pass or free tranespOrta-
ton, shall be deemed guilty of a mis-
demeanor, and upon conviction there
of be subject to like penalty"
The Elkins commodity amendment
as agreed to provides that after May
common carrier to transport any arti-
Gle Or commodity, manufactured, MID
ed, or produced by it, or produced un-
der it's authority or which it may own
in whole or in part ,Or in which 1t
may have any interest direct Or indl-
rect, except such articles or OcmmOdi-
ties as may be necessary and intended
for it's own use in the conduct Of It's
business as a common carrier.
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 application
of lateral or branch lines of railroads.
The senate receded from what IS
known as the Jim Grow" amendment,
which declared that equally good ser
| vice and accommodations should be
given to all persons paying the same
compensation of passengers. The pro-
vision was stricke nOut of the bill.
The several senate amendments, &c
! in number, relating to the publication
of schedules of rates and charges OF
all kinds were agreed to and the pro-
visions relating to joint rates was
added the following: ''If no joint
rates over the through rate has been
established the several carriers in such
| th rough rate shall file, print and keep
ols>n to public inspection as aforesaid
the separately established rates, fares
! and charges applied to the through
transportation.
! The original penal sections of The
interstate commerce law which We're
repealed by the Elkins law, and placed
in the bill by the senate, were retain
ed by the conference committee. The
senate amendment, however, wa:
amended by striking out the words
knowingly and wilfully' in the pro
vision relating to offering or accepting
rebates, concessions or Determinations
prohibited by the Act. The conferees
also eliminated the proviso which lie
clared that the penalties should no
apply to rebates or considerations re-
ceived prior to the passage and ap
proval of this. Act.
| All of the senate amendments Il
setcion 4, which is the rate-makins
/ section of the bill, was retained
Among those are several having rela
| ton to the Allison compromise. TIL:
most important of these were tht
striking out of the words 'In It's judg
ment' and the words "and fairly re
munerative."
The proviso in relation to complaints
! for the recovery of damages, which
/ shall be filed with the commission