Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-18
URGES SHIFT OF DUTY
Interstate Commerce Com
mission Makes a Report.
TELLS OF LOCAL RAILWAYS
Suggests Public Utilities Commis-
sion or Other Body.
EXPERIENCE WITH PROBLEM
Control Should Be With a Power
More Closely Identified With
the District
TELLS OF LOCAL RAIL WAYS
EXPERIENCE WITH PROBLEM

Our experience with this problem leads
us to the conclusion that it is advisable
for the Congress to vest the duties i'm
posed on this commission by the act OF
May 23. 1908. in commission or body
more closely identified with the District
Of Columbia and which will be enabled
to give more immediate attention to the
problem of street car service in this
District than it Is possible for the inter-
state commerce commission to give"
In the foregoing language the inter-
state commerce commission in a special
report to Congress upon the street rail-
way situation in the District fulfills the
expectation that it would recommend
the creation Of a public utilities commits
sion. or a special commission to deal with
the subject.
The special report Of the interstate
commerce commission recites the pro-
visions OF sections 16 and II OF the act
of May %; the action OF the commits
sion in calling to its assistance the body
designated as the District electric rail-
way commission; the belief of the inter-
state commerce commission that, owing to
the demands on it's time in carrying out
the provisions OF the act to regulate
commerce, 1t had the right to call to its
aid such assistance as was needed to
perform the additional duties made
necessary by the act Of May 23: the
precise extent of the Jurisdiction confided
TO the District commission: the fact that
its attempt in this way to secure needed
information. and data had been thwarted
by the railway companies; the further
fact that the jurisdiction Of the interstate
commerce commission has been queS-
toned and that the act itself does not
give the necessary powers to enforce GER
tain needed reforms. and concludes with
the suggestion that the act be SO amend
ed as to, clearly indicate what power. il
any. Congress wishes to bestow in the
matter.
Signed by Full Commission.
The report is signed by the full commits
sion. and, as addenda, gives the corre
spondence that has passed between the
commission and the District commission
and between the two commissions and
the railway officials. as well as the orders
passed by the interstate commerce com
mission on the recommendation Or as
the result Of facts submitted to it by the
District commission since the latter'S Gre
alton in July.
1t also appears from the correspondence
published in the addeuda that President
Hamilton of the Capital Traction July
II met the first request of the District
commission for information as TO sched-
ules with the claim that supervision Of
the street railways having been given the
interstate commission, the information
asked should be given only to that com
mission, and that the function of the Dis
trict commission 10 confined to investi-
eating and reporting on matters COM
planned Of to the interstate commerce
commission, as to which his company
would act as required by law, when no
titled by the last named commission. Then
follow two requests from Secretary Eddy
for an interview with the officials of the
Capital Traction Company on matters OF
.peci1c complaint. and the reply of PreSi-
dent Hamilton declining the requested in
terview, whereupon Secretary +. Moseley
Of the Interstate commerce commission.
by direction of the commission. further
advised President Hamilton of the scope
Of the power and duties of the District
commission, and concluded by asking him
to state the course of policy which his
company intended to pursue IN the mat
ter.
Justifies Its Refusal.
President Hamilton replied November >
iustifying it's refusal to deal with the
District commission. because it would ul-
timately deprive the company of the hear
ing to which. under the law, il was en-
titled by the interstate commerce COM
mission, and which he designated as a
constitutional right, and signifying the
willingness of his company To deal di-
rtctIy with the interstate commerce COM
mission. bu. not with the District com
mission.
Substantially the same position was as
sumed i'm a letter dated November from
President Norment OF the Washington
Railway and Electric Company.
The report concludes with a report from
Gen John NJ Wilson showing the action
taken by the District commission from
It's creation. outlining the complaints re-
ceived and investigated, the recommenGa-
tons made and the ord RS passed on such
recommendations by the interstate COM
merce commission.
The District Commissioners in their last
annual report urged that they be invested
with the powers Of public uti'ities COM
mission, TO embrace the supervision Of the
railway systems of the District