The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-05-23


demand is proper, to construct suitable
sidetracks for shippers.
Equal service for equal pay is
demanded in passenger and freight
! traffic.
Both joint rates and pipe line
rates are to be posted the same as 9TH
er rates.
| In time of war the government is
to have right of way for the trans
portation of troops and supplies over
all interstate roads in the country.
Criminal Penalties.
The criminal penalties for rebating
are restored. The penalties were re-
| moved three years ago by the Elkins
anti-rebate law, on the request of the
commission, which said they hindered
rather than helped the work of get
ting convictions.
BY civil suit three times the
| amount of any given rebate may be
recovered.
The orders Of the commission are to
remain in force for two years. They
are to go into effect within thirty days
after their PRONUNCIATION, as the COM
mission may direct.
Routes which are partly by rail and
partly by water are brought under the
provisions of the act.
! thorized to assume jurisdiction and
hear all suits brought to them from the
commission. This is the so-called Alli-
son amendment. There must be a no
tice of five days and full hearing be-
fore any preliminary injunction against
the commission may issue. Here, as in
all the other cases where the work of
the commission gets into court, the ex-
petition statute is to apply.
Bill Of Lading Provision.
| For many years shippers have been
trying to induce congress to enact a
law providing for a bill of lading I'M
der which the railways may be held
responsible for damages sustained by
goods in transit. The rate bill carries
a satisfactory bill-of -lading provision.
1t will be unlawful for these bills of
lading to contain any provision by
which it is sought to evade this re-
sponsibility for damages.
The senate struck out the words
fairly remunerative' from the Sec
ton of the house bill defining the char
acter of the rate the commission is to
fix. These words had been inserted at
the presidents request with a view to
modifying Senator Knox. The sena-
tor refused to be notified and the
words, again at the presidents request
were taken out The senate also struck
out of the original bill the words 'in
it's Judgment for reasons stated at
length in these dispatches for the past
two days. 1t was feared that their re-
tention might invalidate the entire
law. This was the opinion of the
greatest lawyers in the senate. Not a
single lawyer Of reputation, excepting
Senator Dolliver, defended the words
during the day and a half the senate
occupied in debating them.
Statute of Limitations.
On the suggestion of Senator Lodge
the bill contains the words knowingly
and wilfully' in connection with the
clause forbidding the giving or receiv-
ing of rebates.
A one-year statute of limitations is
added against accrued claims of per-
sons claiming injury as the result OF
failure by the carrier to observe the
commissions orders.
On the suggestion of Senator La
Toilette, the bill was amended at the
last session so as to extend the free
pass privileges to the officers of the
great organizations of railway en-
ployes when travelling on official bust
ness.
The house bill increased the number
Of interstate commissioners from five
to seven and their salary from $500
to $4,000 a year. The senate debated
this question for several hours and
then struck out the house section, but
} inserted nothing of it's own, thus leav-
| ing the commission to consist of the
same number as at present and to re.
ceive the same pay.
All these amendments will be close
ly scrutinized by the conferees on the
part of the two houses, who will be
named early next week and at once
proceed to work.
TWO BIG AUTOS BURN.
Waste on Garage Floor Flames Up ane