The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-07-18
TWO-CENT RATE TANGLE.
Judge Prltchard Ties Up State Of vir.;
ginia-OffieiaIs Are Warned and
Newspapers Are MuzzIed.

A Richmond, Va, special says: The
corporation commission and any or all
it's members, agents or employees
were notified Thursday by United
States Marshal Treat of the Injunction
issued by Judge Pritchard of the fed
ecal circuit court, against any further
attempt to enforce the two-cent rate
law upon the railroads engaged in con-
testing it, and were forbidden to pub
lish orders placing it into effect.
The newspapers Of Richmond are
forbidden by Injunction to publish the
general order of the corporation COM
mission Of April 2, promulgating the
two.cent rate.
Judge Mcpherson OF the federal
court at DesMoines, Iowa, Thursday de-
nisd the application of the two stock.
holders of the Iowa Central and the
Minneapolis and st. Louis for re-
straining order against the directors
of these roads to prevent them from
putting into effect the 2-cent passen-5
ger rate law. The Judge based his ac-
ton on the ground that no injury by
the roads was shown; that the COM;
plaint that the new rate would cut
down dividends was not proven; that
increased passenger travel might In
crease receipts. and that under rule
No. "a of the supreme court the case
was not properly brought, as no charge
of bad faith on the part of the direc-
tors was alleged.
At Omaha, Nebr, Judge Munger, in
the federal court, refused the applica-
tion of the Adams, Wells-Fargo, Amer
lean, United States and Pacific Ex-
press companies fer a restraining Or
der preventing the Nebraska railroad
commission and the Nebraska attorney
general from putting in effect the new
laws reducing express rates in the
STATE 25 per cent.
In an opinion handed down at Wash
ington Thursday for the Interstate
commerce commission by Commission
er Harlan, the ruling as laid down.,
that while rate fixed by state stat
utes or state commission Is natural,
and properly entitled to respectful
consideration, it has not greater sane
tity, as applied to interstate traffic
than a rate established by railroad
company, and this commission would
not hesitate, upon proper evidence
that a rate so established would be-
unjust, either to carrier or to a ship
per to refuse to accept it as. a basis
for fixing an interstate rate"
The opinion in which the foregoing
announcement was made was in the
case Of Hope Cotton OIL company
against the Texas and Pacific railroad
company, and the st. Louis, Iron
Mountain and Southern railway COM
pany. The complaint alleged that a.
point through rate Of 81 cents per
hundred pounds on cotton seed in car
loads, charged by defendants from
points north of Shreveport via Texar-
kama to Hope, Ark, was unreasonable
and discriminatory, and that seven
teen and fve-tenths cents per hundred
pounds would be a fair rate. After the
complaint was filed the defendants put
into effect joint through rate OF 80
cents per hundred pounds. The COM
mission holds that the 30-cent rate is
unreasonable, and it should not ex-
ceed II $40, which Is the sum Of the
local rates. The carriers are ordered
TO put the reduced rate in force on of
before August 6.