Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-14
SENATOR BELL IS RIGHT

0ENh lOH DILL 10 hAOilA
Announcement is made that state
Senator Bell Of Pasadena and Los An
geles will this week introduce a bill in
the assembly to abolish the state board
of railway commissioners Of California.
And the senator Is right That board,
provided for in the constitution because
Of popular demand, was by the railroad
influence shorn Of power and authority
in law. Since It's establishment It has
ever been merely a soft snap for rail.
way pets and corporation favorites, ex-
cept in one or two well known in
stances. It's members have not even had
the decency to compile a few railroad
or shipping statistics to cause an ex-
cuse for drawing their large salaries
The law does not require them to do
much, 1T is true, but they have done
even less than the law allows.
In eastern and middle western states
the boards of railroad commissioners
are not creatures of the constitution,
but Of the statutes, and their duties are
biennially enlarged so that they have
come to represent the people in a most
advantageous way, having authority to
fix rates within the state limits, to In
spect railway trackage, to inquire into
railway accidents and to generally over
see and superintend the railway busi-
ness a $ agents of the people. One of
the most important powers and duties
f1Ar .A., go
that Of preventing freight discrimina-
tions, and they constitute a court sinh-
lar to that of the federal interstate
commerce commission, where shippers
may file complaint and secure redress.
Such were the purposes of the people
of California I'm establishing railway
commission in this state, but as usual
the railroad influence proved powerful
enough to prevent the commission from
having many powers or duties.
1t must be remembered, however, that
in establishing the state board of rail.
way commissioners the constitution eX-
pressly provided that said commits
sioners shall have the power, and it
shall be their duty, to establish rates of
charges for the transportation of pas
sengers and freight by railroad or other
companies, and publish
the same, from time to time, with such
changes as they may make; to examine
the books, records and papers of all
railroad or other transportation COM
panies, and for this purpose they shall
have power to issue subpoenas and all
other necessary process; to hear and
determine complaints against railroad
and other transportation companies"
etc. "In all controversies" says the
civil or criminal, the
rates of fares and freights established
by said commission shall be deemed
just and reasonable"
What has the board of railroad COM
missioners ever done about all these
provisions? Simply moth
ing. What shipper ever complains 70
this board as to freight rates or dis
And what would happen
course, for the railroads select and elect
the members of that board and they see
to it that nothing is DONE while the
assembly sees to it that no annoying
laws are enacted to enforce and carry
out the constitutional provisions.
In his last message Governor Pardee
says to the legislature: IF the Cali
fornia commission cannot be made more
useful than it is, it should be abolished"
And the governor reports that during
the past two years not more than
dozen more or less trifing complaints
have been brought to the attention Of
the commissioners"
Probably the board cannot be abol-
ished, save by the adoption of a consu-
tutional amendment, but, in the Ian
guage of Governor Pardee, it should
certainly be abolished if it cannot be
made more useful.