The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-03-13
RAILROAD BILL
PASSES SENATE
Notwithstanding Elimination OF
Objectionable Matter OPP
position Is Met With.
SMITH DEFINES POSITION
WOULD FAVOR STATE REGULA-
TON OF COAL PRICES.

After eliminating the provisions author
izing railroad ownership Of coal mines,
the senate yesterday afternoon. by vote
Of II to T. passed the Bonner X Smith
railroad bill which has caused so much
comment. Those voting in the negative
were Senators Lawrence. Gardner, Seeiy
and President Love.
The measure is intended to codify the
railroad laws of the state, but in its
original form went further than that and
attempted to give the companies power
70 own and operate coal and iron mines.
Inns last provision attracted considerable
attention and was the cause OF mucn nos
Tile comment Ii was finally stricken out
by the railroad committee and no one at
tempted TO have il inserted yesterday as
an amendment
During the debate Benner X. Smith ex-
Planned his attitude on this question oy
saving that although he would not Ia
Vor II as il stood in the original Dill,
nevertheless he would IL the senate would
consent TO an amendment giving the
state absolute control over the products
OF these mines, with authority 10 Fix
rates and prices
State Could Fix Prices.
I'VE cannot control the independent
dealers in this manner" he said, but
we could control the railroads, because
their right to transact this business would
be derived from the state and they would
be amenable to the authority of the
state.
This bill was not drawn by me- he
continued. but 1 suppose by some rail-
road attorney. who handed il to me TO
introduce. and | think il my duty to lay
before this body any measure which any
citizen of the state deems worthy Of con-
sideration II this objectionable section
could be amended SO as to provide that
the companies could operate mines sub
Ject to such regulations may be pre-
scrlbed by law / would support it. l
don't know of anything that would be
more beneficial TO the state than to be
able to regulate the cost of coal at the
mines tie cost of transportation to the
markets and the price to consumers. The
great objection has been that we are pay
! ing too much for our coal, and / am in
clined to think that to be the case. and
that the railroads are partly responsible
for the existing conditions. / would say
let the railroads mine and the legislature
regulate OF course we would have to
| allow fair margin of profit"
Only Saving Clause.
In reference to the clause at the end
OF the act, which repeats several exist
| ing laws with the provision that all rights
which have accrued to the companies IN
der, these acts are confirmed, Mr.. Smith
of the companies under the old laws and
| that they weHld have to wind up their
| affairs and cease d9ing business If this
| SHOULD be stricken cut.
Prior to this en- amendment granting
railroads the right to condemn and own
water rights was Inserted upon motion of
Mr.. Smith. This met with considerable
/ opposition. and Mr.. Smith said in sup
port of the amendment that transporta-
| ton companies should certainly have
/ these rights IN order that they might Sc
cure water and pipe II to their right Of
| way
9 II was finally decided to allow the
amendment with provision attached
| that the water so secured could only
be for yard. car and depot purposes.
thus shutting out all use of the power
which might be thus obtained for gene
| rating electricity TO run street car sys-
| TENS. as the measure also covers these
companies 10 certain extent.
Sees No Need of IT.
! Senator Lawrence was the chief OBJ
/ iector to the measure. and even after il
had been amended said that he saw no
necessity for passing it.
| 1T is hard to tell how il changes the
existing laws" he declared, land as the
| provisions incorporated in the original bill
| are contrary to the federal statutes re
Gently enacted, l cannot see that the
remainder of the measure amounts to
! anything after these provisions have beer
| eliminated. 1t must certainly amplify I'll.
| powers of the railroads or they would
not be down here trying to get it passed
/
ures. after the experiences of six years
| ago when the state sold its birthright tc
Hartman upon the glowing promises thai
he was to build new depots here and eX-
| tend his lines in every direction. You gee
| what he has DONE
Opposed by Love.
President Love spoke along similar
lines He said that after the Legislature
passed the famous railroad bill six years
ago. Hartman used the money he wa,
able TO secure through its provisions. moi
for improving the service here, but by
purchasing the Southern Pacific and thu
Illinois Central Some day. he said, som.
reform writer would come here and eel
Of the SHANE of Utah" drawing his
material from the railroad legislation
passed by the legislature
Other speakers were Senators Seely anS
Miller the former opposing the bill be
! cause Of the right it gave railroads Il
condemn water rights. and the latter sup
porting II is its amended form.
The roll call showed all the member
present.
InEhTu nE MPC ELL MED