Bisbee daily review., 1907-03-17

| of thousand miles or moro at ? cents mile. A bill which was bitterly fought by the railIolds and other cor pcrations, but which passed and be- came law. was the measure which | increased the gToss-receipts tax on al. most every class of quasi-public cor porations.
 WEST VIRGINIA. The Legislature of West Virginia adopted the amended 2-cent passen- ger rate bill after hard fight in both | Retrenchment on the part of the roads will follow, and already the passenger service is being cut down by the trunk l lines.
 Bills were introduced in both houses providing for tax on oil and gas piped out of the State. but the measure sn each was beaten by JoxerfUl lob by
 NORTH CAROLINA.
 Bills have been passed by the Legis- iature making the railway fare s1-4 cents per mile on all roads more than sixty miles in length. the Corporation Commission being empowered to pre- scribe it on lesser lines. The rate is | flat, displacing the present first-class rate of t-4 cents and the second-class rate of 3-4 cents. | A freight-rate regulation bill has also passed. This, as introduced, was exteremely drastic, and allowed specu- lative penalties, but this feature was stricken out by the Senate, and the House concurred in this.
 ALABAMA. The Alabama Legislature has pass ed bills fixing railroad rates on more than 100 articles, reducing the charges almost half in some instances, and put ting control of the common carriers in the hands of the commission.
 Other laws are approved reducing | passenger fares from to 1-3 cents, providing for reciprocal demurrage in the matter of delay in providing equip ment. ordering interchangeable mile | age books and prohibiting free passes and rebates. Railroads are prevent ed by laws passed from charging any | higher rates than now prevail or from removing suits rom State to Federal Courts.
 OHIO.
 The Legislature a year ago passed a 2-cent fare measure, which has been effective for nearly nine months. A 1 railroad commission was also author | ized, which has been appointed for six | months, and has to do with the regu- Ilation of rates and abuses common to | traffic, both freight and passenger. The Valentine and trust laws are on the books to provide against trusts operat- | ing in the State.
 The restrictions on public utilities are very few other than requiring them to pay a tax on their business.
 TENNESSEE.
 One of the most keenly anticipated jreports from the legislative investiga- | tion committees when the General As sembly reconvenes will be that rela- Itive to reduced railroad fares. A ru- nor has it that a maximum rate of I21-2 cents per mile will be recommend ed in place of the Scent rate now in vogue.
 The most notable public service leg. islation so far has been the passage of 1.-the Talbot telephone bill, which per mits telephone corporations to enter municipalities without obtaining fran ehises therefrom.
 KENTUCKY. The present statute in Kentucky gives the State Railroad Commission power to regulate freight rates, but it is being fought in the courts. | Candidates for the Legislature which meets next January are pledg- | ing themselves to vote for 2-cent pas senger rate, although it is asserted by some authorities that the Railroad ! Commission now has power to reduce the passenger rate if it wishes to do SC.
 The present session of the Indiana General Assembly, which will close on Monday, has been specially signih- l cant in restrictive legislation directed | against railroads. There is an act en- | largfng the powers of the Indiana Rail road Commission by giving 1t authori- ity over railroads in the State almost las great as that given by Federal stat utes to the Interstate Commerce Com mission.
 4 2-cent passenger fare bill was also enacted, and shippers bill, providing for reciprocal demurrage and making many changes in the laws relating to | freight traffic was passed Public utility corporations have fared better, but several laws have been enacted restricting their charges
 WISCONSIN. 1 Railroads have little to fear from the Wisconsin Legislature this session i The railroad rate commission law en- acted two years ago resulted in large i reductions in freight rates, in redue- ltion Of the maximum passenger rate | from 2 to 2 1-2 cents Der mile, and m I other regulations.
 Bills for the restrictions Of corpora | ton stock and bond issues and lie in- surance measures and the regulation of public-service corporations other than railroads are now in committee 1 ILLINOIS.
 The House already has passed a 2 cent passenger fare bill, applying to all roads in the State The Senate has advanced upon the calendar 2. -frs -F ell n O