Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-06-28
Important New law for HE Regulation OF
Interstate Commerce Has Passed Both
Houses and Received The Sanction OF
fhe President.
DUTIES OF "COMMON CARRIERS" ARE
DEFINED IN THE STRICTEST TERMS
Heavy Penalties Provided for VioIafions-Thirty
Days Notice of Change in Rates. Fares and
Charges Must be Given-Provision for Appeal
to Interstate Commerce Commissions

mates OF hospitals and charitable AMI
eieemosynary institutions; to INDECENT,
destitute and homeless persons, and to
such persons when transported ty
charitable societies or hospitals, and
the necessary agents employed in such
transportation; to inmates of the ma
tional homes or state homes for dis
ahied volunteer soldiers and OF SOL
diers' and sailors homes, including
those about to enter and those return
ing home after discharge, under ar
rangements with boards of managers,
and female nurses that served during
sailors and ex-confederate soldiers;
and to owners and caretakers of live
stock when travelling with such stock
or when going to point of shipment or
returning from point of delivery.
Exceptions to the Rule.
Provided, that this provision shall
not be construed to prohibit the inter-
change of passes for the officers, agents
ard employees Of carriers, and members
OF their immediate families, nor to
prohibit any carrier from carrying
passengers free with the object of pro-
yiding relief in cases of general cpl
demic, pestilence or other calamitous
visitations, nor prevent such carrier
from giving free or reduced transport
tstion to laborers transported to any
place for the purpose of supplying any
demand for labor at such place.
Amy carrier violating this provision
sba!! be deemed guilty of misde-
meanor and shall for each offense pay
to the United States a penalty Of not
less than $40 nor more than $4,000, and
any person, other than the persons ex-
cepted in this provision, who uses, or
who solicits or accepts for himself Or
other person, any such interstate free
ticket, free pass, or free transportation
shall be subject to like penalty and
fine.
Cannot Own Coal Mines.
From and after May l, 1908, it shall
b. unlawful for any common carrier TO
transport from any state, territory or
district Of the United States to any
ether state, territory or district of the
United States, or to any foreign coun-
try any article or commodity manufac-
tured, mined or produced by it or I'M
der its authority or which it may own
in whole or in part, or in which it may
have any interest, direct or indirect ex-
cept such articles or commodities AS
may be necessary or used in the conduct
OF its business as a common carrier.
Provided, however, that pipe lines
operated by oil companies may trans
port :heir own commodities as well as
those offered for transportation by
competitors.
Any common carrier subject to the
provisions Of this act shall promptly,
upon application of any shipper ten
dering interstate traffic for transporta-
ton, construct, maintain, and operate
Upon reasonable terms a switchc on
nection with any private side track
which may be constructed to connect
with It's railroad, where such connec-
ton is reasonably practicable and can
be put in with safety and will furnish
sufficient business to justify the con-
struction and maintenance of the
same; and shall furnish cars for the
movement Of such traffic to the best If
its ability without discrimination in "a
vor OF or against any such shipper.
1t shall be the duty OF carriers en-
gagged in interstate commerce to give
equally good service and accommoda-
tons to all persons paying the same
compensation for interstate transporta-
ton OF passengers.
The amendment requiring that the
interstate commerce commission be
given five days notice before the is
suance of any interlocutory order, in
junction or decree suspending an or
der OF the commission Is retained.
This is an extremely important provi-
sion. It's presence in the law will pre-
vent court from giving snap judg-
ment on a complaint filed by a COM
mon carrier against decision Of the
commission. The commission will have
to be informed of the nature of the
complaint and will have ample oppor-
tunity to make reply.
Railroads carrying lumber are ex-
empted from the operations of the
Elkins amendment prohibiting CON-
mon carriers from transporting their
own product. This was done because
there are so many small railroads in
the south and west that own tracts
of timber and haul their own products,
which would be ruined if they were
not exempted.
Section q. That section 6 OF said act
as amended March 2, 1889, be amended
so as to read as follows:
Rates to Be Posted.
Section 6. That every common car
rier subject to the provisions of this
act shall file with the commission Gre
ated by this act and print and keen