The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-06-03
THE RATE BILL IS COMPLETED House and Senate Con-
 ferees Agree. EXPLANATION OF THE MEASURE Nearly All of Upper Chambers Amendments Accepted. sJim Crow. Provision One of Few to Be Stricken out--senator TiiI-
 man Say. He win Urge
 Early Action.
EXPLANATION OF THE MEASURE


 measure as 1t was passed by the Sem ate. The report was signed at about p m- and almost Immediately pre- scented to both Houses. It shows that the Senate receded from six amend nnents, two of which merely change the numbers of sections
 Twenty-eight of its amendments were retained verbatim and the remaining seventeen amendments were re-drafted and retained under differnt phraseol- ogy.
 Senator Tillman, Chairman of the Senate conferees. gave notice that he will urge prompt action on the report in the Senate. As soon as disposed of there. 1t is safe to say 1t will be act ed upon by the House withthe utmost dispatch.
 The disposition of the amendments in 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 includ- ed in the amendment making express 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 compa- nfes and all persons or corporations engaged in transportation of oil by pipe lines or partly by pipe lines and partly by railroad. or partly by pipe and partly by water"
 Prohibiting Passes.
 The next amendment is that prohib- iting passes It was entirely redraft- ed, made much more stringent, all ex- cepted classes being eliminated and to either issue or receive free trans portation being made a misdemeanor The amendment follows: NO carrier 04rh tA hA rtutA shall after January 1, 1907. directly or Indirectly, issue or give any interstate free ticket, free pass or free transpor- tation for passage. Any carrier vio- latinE this provision shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor or shall upon conviction therefor be punished by g. fne of not exceeding $1.000: and any person who uses, solicits or accepts for himself or for another. any such in- terstate free ticketh free pass or free transportation shall be deemed guilty of disdemeanor and upon conviction thereof be subject to like penalty"
 The Elkins commodity amendment was retained practically in the form originally agreed upon and the provis- ions later inserted eliminating timber and the manufactured products thereof from its application, was stricken out As agreed to the amendment provides that after May 1, 1908. 1t shall be un-
 
 transport any article or commodity manufactured, mined or produced by 1t, or produced under It's authority, or which 1t may own in waole or in part or in which 1t may lave an interest, direct or indirect, except such articles or commodities as may be necessary and intended for its own use in the conduct of its business as common car- rier.
 The requireI9ent that common car riers shall upon applications of any shipper, construct and operate switch connections with private side tracks, was amended to include the applica- tions of lateral or branch lines of rail- roads. The provision will proba bly, be objected to when the conference re- port is taken under consideration by the Senate.
 The "Jim Crow" Amendment.
 The Senate receded from what is which declared that equally good ser vice and accommodations should be given to all persons paying the same compensation for interstate transporta- tion of passengers. The provision was stricken out of the bill.
 The several Senate amendments (twenty in number). relating to the publication of schedules of rates and charges of all kinds were agreed to and the provision relating to joint rates was added the following: If no joint rate. where the through rate has been established. the several carriers in such through rate shall file, print and keen open 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 were repealed by the Elkins law and plac~ ed in the bill by the Senate were re- tafned by the conference committee The Senate amendment however was amended by striking out the words knowingly and wilfully" in the pro- vision relating to offering or accent ing rebates, concessions or discrimi- nations by the act. The conferees all so eliminated the provision which de- clared that the penalties should not apply to rebates or considerations re- ceived prior to the passage and ap- proval of this act.
 All of the Senate amendments to section four, which Is the rate mak- ing section of the bill were retained. Among these are several having rela- tion to the Allison compromise. The most important of these were the striking out of the words fin it's judg- ment." and the words and fairly re- munerative."
 The Senate provision was retained proyidinK that the order of the Com
  sonable time not less than thirty days as shall be prescribed in the order of the Commission. In the same section the Senate amendment was agreed to which provides that through routes ana joint rates established shall apply when one of the connection carriers Is A water line. The proviso in relation to complaints for the recovery of dam ages which shall be filed with the Com mission within two years from the time the cause of action accrues, is amend cd so that 1t reads: That claims ac- crued prior to the passage of this act may be presented within one year."
 The senate receded from the7Mccum Der amendment changing the word Ire gularly" to lawfully in relation to service upon the carrier of notice of disobedience of orders of the commits sion
 The portions of the Allison amend ment covered by Section of the bill