The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-06-14
Railroad Tribunal win Not
Discuss Action Of Governor
Marshall in Handing It a
Call down.
HAVE PREPARED LONG
LETTER IN DEFENSE
TT Is Pointed Out That the
Commission Has Tried to
Exceed It's Powers, Which
Are Very Limited.

sClA9n between Governor Marshall anu
the Indiana Railroad Commission over
the power OF the commission still at
tracts attention. There have not been
any new developments In the last day
or two, and 40 the matter now stands
It Is regarded a. stand off between
the two. Tho commission has con-
strued the full crew law and has
pointed out various ways in which
tie railroads may violate 1t without
prosecution. The Governor has given
49, commission call-down for daring
to construe the law, on the grounds
that the commission has no right to
do such thing. He tells the COM
mission that 1t has no more right to
call in the railroads and tell them
how II they will do SO and so in vio-
llation Of the full crew law they will
not be prosecuted. than to call in a
bunch Of murderers and tell them If
they will commit their murders in this
or that particular way or under such
and such circumstances they will be
safe from arrest.
Prepares Long Letter.
The Railroad Commission has pre-
pared long letter to the governor in
which 1t takes its own part, but the
members refuse to discuss the case.
When the members were asked II
since the receipt Of the governors
letter they will stick to their opinion
that they have a right to construe the
full crew law or whether they will re-
call their notice to the rail roads they
fatty refuse to discuss the matter
They are keeping very mum on the
subject.
It is believed that the result Of this
controversy between the governor
and the railroad commission will be
passed by the legislature-not such a
bill as was proposed at the last ses-
sion. but one that would amount to
something.
Has Limited Power.
1t is being pointed out that the
powers Of the present railroad COM
mission as they are laid down by the
law. are limited to practically two
subjects. The commission has power
to fix and regulate freight rates in
the iterest Of the shippers to prevent
discrimination, and 1t has power to
compel the interchange Of traffic be-
tween railroads. Beyond that it is
pointed out the commission has no
real power. But since the commits
81 v<h
and further until 1t has undertaken
to do many things besides these two.
The railroads have not paid much at
tention to the commission in anything
except the two matters mentioned. On
all other subjects the railroads have
not obeyed the orders of the commits
sion unless they pleased to do So
The railroads have commended all
along that the commission had no
power to compel them to do anything
else.
Utilities Commission.
In many instances, however, the
railroads have acted on the suggest
ions made by the commission. not be-
cause they admitted they had to, but
because the suggestions were good
them as good.
It IL being argued now that q pub
lie utilities commission could be Gre
ated by the legislature that would
take the place not only Of the rail-
road commission. but of the labor
commission. the state factory inspec-
tor and the state tax board as well,
and that such a commission. clothed
with the proper power and authority
would be 3 great Improvement over
the present system. 1t is this kind
OF a commission that will probably be
created II public utilities bill is
passed by the legislature.