East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-08-29


pensatlon to be paid there for, within
the limits prescribed by law and sub
ject to alteration by the legislature.
To regulate the force and speed of
their locomotives, cars
and to establish, execute and enforce
all needful and proper rules and reg
ulations for the management of its
business transactions usual and prop
er for railroad corporations" This
generosity must have prostrated the
railroads!
Lower Rates In Twenty-One States.
An analysis of the general results
shows that passenger fares were eth
er actually reduced or affected In FL
states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia,
Indiana, Illinois, Iowa. Kansas. Mary
land, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississip-
pi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Caro-
lima, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Penn
sylvania, South Dakota, Virginia,
West Virginia and Wisconsin. Two
cent rates now prevail In Arkansas,
Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri.
Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and Wis
consin; and In Ohio, since 1906; two
and-one-h -half-cent rates In Alabama
and North Dakota. North Carolina
has established a two-and- -one-quar-
ter-cent rate West Virginia, a two
cent rate for railroads over SO miles
in length; Iowa, sliding scale OF
from two to three cents per mile;
Michigan, a two, three, and four-cent
rate; Kansas, Maryland and Mssip-
pi, two-cent rates for mileage books;
the railroad commissions of Georgia
and South Dakota have been author
lied to establish a two-cent and a
two-and-one-half-c rate, respect
lively; and oklahoma specifies in its
new constitution a maximum charge
of two cents for passenger fare. Vir-
ginia's corporation commission has
adopted a two-cent rate for trunk
lines. a three-cent rate for minor
roads, and a three-and- -one- half-cent
rate on one or two lines.
Kansas may adopt fiat two
cent rate on the supposition that what
is remunerative In Nebraska shoull
prove equally remunerative in Kan
sas! Georgias legislature is in ses-
sion as we go to press.
Other Recent Legislation.
Freight charges were lowered in
many states. The commodity freight
rate law of Minnesota is probably the
most scientific and equitable, and is
being used by many western roads as
basis. Commissions In other states
have adopted II as a model.
Laws prohibiting free passes were
enacted in Alabama, Indiana, Kansas,
Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada,
New Hampshire, New York, Oklaho-
| ma, Oregon, South Dakota and Texas.
Eleven states created railroad COM
missions: Colorado, Indiana, Michi-
gan, Montana, Nevada. New Jersey,
New York, Oklahoma, oregon, Penn
| sylvania. and Vermont. Sixteen 9TH
ers gave increased power to existing
commissions, apart from rate regula-
ton: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,
Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota,
| Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire,
| North Carolina, South Carolina,
South Dakota, Texas, Washington and
Wisconsin.
| Montana's new commission held its
first meeting at Helena on July 10,
and declared the freight and passen-
ger rates now in force to be the maxi
mum rates hereafter to be charged,
with the exception of coal rate on
| the Great Northern, and a lumber
rate on the Northern Pacific, which
will be fixed by agreement after con-
sultation with the roads
! Res,>ant Litigation.
Suits have been instituted to test
the legislation recently adopted in
| Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa,
Minnesota, Missouri Nebraska, Ne
vada, North Carolina. Pennsylvania
and Virginia. The railroads in Ar
kansas, Kansas, Michigan and Wis
consin are giving the new rates a
trial; similarly. in Illinois, for 90
days. after which suit will be filed if
the laws are confiscatoyy.
In Missouri the state and federal
courts became involved and by agree
ment the two-cent law went into ope-
ration for 80 days from June 10. Af-
ter its practical results are known
the federal court will pass on its con-
stitutionality. A similar conflict be-
tween state and federal authority has
been precipitated In Nebraska by the
filing of counter suits; while In North
Carolina. Judge Pritchard, In the