The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-01-28
PROVES A EIzlE
IN CALIFORNIA
Railroad Commission DeCried
in Governor PaTdee'S
Last Message.
RESULTS ARE NEGATIVE
EXECUTIVE SUGGESTS TRIBU-
NAL BE ABOLISHED.

The results attained by o railroad corn
mission in California have been referred
% in connection with the agitation TO
secure similar conn sgion for Utah.
The reference 10 the matter in Governor
corccC Pardee's last messange to the
caHforria legislature is as follows.
Tho regular biennial report of the
state board Of railroad commissioners
win Do laid before YOU. and from il YOU
,,ly be- able to determine. whether ,he
tscfuncse r. this branch of ne state
e,,crrucrt IS great enough TO justify
fse expense it Involves. % is . matter
of common knowledge that FOR a good
many years The amount oi business trans
sc,,d hN Csc board has been small and
tr4t Few VERSIONS who consider tnat they
have suf.ttu srlctdrcts g., tnc hands OF
trc railroads. manifest Il dIspOs ZION to
submit thcm 60 that tribunal. have
r,litsrd ar examination OF tNe minutes of
The board t0 hc made and from this il
appcafg th3, during tine lasr two years
about dozen more % less trifimg COM
p1in,s wcro aI which were brought To
b. attention of the commissioners. tho
uuthors of these complains generally
dropped th"m when called IpCn 20 maxi.
formal showing. and n al that ime
there mas not rCeu single contested
case calling FOR INC taking Of testimony
aad the hearing of arguments. In short.
zee board EJS, practically. done no buS-
ness. because Il has no busi-.ess to do
lts main function IS sagDOsed 10 be the
fixing Of transportation rates. but il has
fixed no rates. unless il be uDon an
agreed basis for = long time past Even
tee compilation and publication of the
railroad statistics OF the state which
WIS formerly done with some thorough
ness. has been abandoned in recent years
and whcn. not long since. one OF the lead
Ing railroad companies asked for "A com
TfIrffUu nI railroad lax and HpeiCipnc in,
California. the commission answered that
St could not be furnished because OF lack
Of funds
rThe railroad commissions OF some of
The other states are kept continuously
mSy with a variety or useful work
n0ugn Ina most cases they have less
power ia regard to the fixing OF rates
than has the California commission. They
are charged with such duties as reguiat-
ing grade crossings. inspecting the track
age. bridges and equipment of railroads
in the interest OF safety. Investigating the
causes of disasters in which loss of life
occurs, and examination of railroad ac-
counts. The New York and Massachu-
setts boards OF, railroad commissioners.
for example. are, required by law to keep
Informed on such matters and he pre-
pared To make recommendations concern
ing the physical condition OF all railways
and their equipment and the degree TO
which their train service affords reason
able accommodation TO the public. They
ara also required 10 investigate all acct
dents involving loss of life. II i'm their
judgment Investigation is needed
BY the trainers OF our constitution Il
WAS doubtless expected that the Califor-
MIA commission also would he a busy.
working commission. and an administra-
tive authority. rather than court of ap-
peal; but they failed TO assign to the
board these additional duties imposed
On other state railroad commissions. and
IL IS at least questionable whether the
field or duty defined by the constitution
can be enlarged by statute. But IL Is
plain that if the California commission
cannot be made more useful than 10 is IL
should be abolished, and I recommend
that the legislature consider the advisa-
hilty of submitting r constitutional
amendment 10 that end