Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-16
generals backwardness should permit the
offenders to go unpunished.
SAN FRANCISCO CALL
WELCOMES MORAL AWAKENING

Under the heading "Rai1rond Com
missions Long Sleep Broken" the san
Francisco Call, in discussing The Her
AIDS campaign to induce the railroad
commission to obey the mandates of
the constitution of California, says;
The state railroad commission, after a
long slumber, sits up and takes notice.
Whether this unexpected activity is a lit
tie piece of political comedy or an ear
nest endeavor to enforce the law and
the constitution must be left to time for
determination. The record of this body
Places it under suspicion.
For nearly thirty years the constitution
of California, as pointed out recently In
these columns, has forbidden the rebates
and determinations granted by railroads
to favored shippers. Severe penalties are
provided for infraction of this law, but,
although the grant of rebates on inter-
state business has been notorious for
years, no action has ever been taken
by the state commission to check the
practice or punish the offenders. There
never has been any special Difficulty IN
getting the evidence. Commissioner Gar
field stated the facts In his report on
the oil industry in California, made 10
e department of commerce and labor
and published nearly two years ago.
Quite recently Interstate Commerce Com
missioner Lane, at an inquiry conducted
here developed an extensive body OF
evidence bearing on this practice.
That was more than a month ago. 1t
fs announced now on behalf of the state
board, that Commissioner Irwin 1mme-
diately went on "still hunt for evil
dence of discrimination on freight busi-
ness within the state. Mr.. Irwin's hunt
appears to have yielded no important ex-
posure, and now the commission falls
back on the results of Commissioner
Lanes inquiry and will ask for tran
script of the testimony taken before him
as basis for prosecutions, If it shall
appear that the law has been broken.
It may be that Mr.. Irwins belated
activity was inspired by the publication
in these columns OF the provisions Oh
the state constitution bearing on this
subject, and among others this:
"Anv railroad corporation or transpor-
tation company which shall fail or refuse
to conform to such rates as shall be
established by such (railroad commits
sioners or shall charge rates in excess
thereof shall be fined not exceed
ing 100000 for each offense, and every
officer, agent or employe of such cor
or company who shall demand
or receive rates In excess thereon snail
be fined not exceeding $4,000, or be I'M
prisoned In the county jail not exceeding
We note that the stern resolve of the
commission to enforce the law after
twenty-five years neglect has a string
to it. The commission will be guided In
it's future action by the advice of At
torney General Webb. The Indifferent
observer may doubt whether. Mr.. Webb
will relish the responsibility so thrust
upon him. In the meantime Mr.. Irwin
is no longer still hunting, but has called
out the brass band. 1t is observed with
that Commissioners Irwin
and Summerland have bitterly and in
public way repudiated their wicked col
league, Andy Wilson. They asked Andy
to resign, but he would not. What did
they expect?
In the meantime the Call welcomes the
great moral awakening that has struck
the railroad commission after sleep of
twenty-five years, and we hope it may
last over a blue moon. Attorney General
Webb keeps the paregoric