Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-01-25
REGULATES RATES
SENATOR ELlKlNS PUTS FORTH
HIS MEASURE.
THE MOST IMPORTANT SECTION
Courts To Enjoin Carriers from En-.
forcing illegal Charges and Require
Them, After investigation, to Name
Reasonable Ones.

WASHINGTON - Senator Elkins,
chairman of the senate committee on
interstate commerce, has made public
his bill for the regulation of railroad
rates which he proposes to offer for
the consideration of congress. The
commission is increased from seven
to nine members. The expenses of lit
igation are to be borne by the United
States. The bill has not been COM
pleted fully, but the section relating
to the fixing Of rates embodies most
of the important features and is as fol-
lows:
That whenever the Interstate Com
merce commission shall he of the opin-
ion that reasonable grounds exist for
believing that any rate. fare or charge
established or charged by any common
carrier or carriers for any transporta-
ton or other service subject to said act
approved February 4, 1887. or any act
amendatory thereof, is unjust and un-
reasonable, or that any such carrier
or carriers shall be making any unjust
discrimination or be engaged in any
other practice or be doing any other
act in violation of any provision of
any of said acts, it shall be lawful for
said commission to institute suit
or proceeding in equity in the circuit
court of an" district in
which the principal Office of any
cerrier defendant in the suit
or proceeding shall be located.
to restrain such carrier or carriers
from continuing in force such rate,
fare or charge. or from continuing
such unjust discrimination or other I'M
lawful act or practice. The commits
sion in it's discretion may institute any
such suit or proceeding upon it's own
motion or upon the application of any
person, firm or corporation interested
in the matter complained of, and the
commission shall not be required be-
fore instituting any such suit or pro-
ceeding to give notice to the parties
defendant therein or grant a hearing
or make report, finding, recommen-
dation, decision or order in respect of
the matters complained of, but the
commission shall have power before
insulting any SUCH suit UT pTOC66ulIlS
to make such investigation as it may
deem proper.
Any suit or proceeding authorized
by this act may be instituted by petit
ton, briefly setting forth the matters
complained of, and any parties inter-
ested in such matters may be made
defendants. The court shall have
power to hear and determine such
suit or proceeding speedily without
the formal pleadings and proceedings
applicable to ordinary suits in equity
and such snort notice to the defendants
as the court shall deem reasonable. but
in such manner as to do justice in the
premises: and to this end the court
may cause evidence to be taken before
such officers and in such manner and
within such time as the court may pre-
scribe
If it be made to appear to the court
that any such rate, fare or charge of
any carrier complained of in such suit
or proceeding is unjust and unreason-
able or that the carrier is making any
such unjust discrimination or is en-
| gagged in any such other practice or
| is doing any other such act in viola
ton of law, the court may, by its
order or decree, mandatory or other
wise, restrain and enjoin such carrier
from continuing in force such rate
fare or charge.