The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-01-05
MANN AND HUMPHREYS
RESPECTIVE AUTHORS
Changes In Interstate Com
meTce Laws and Increased
Pay i0T Carrying Mails
(By Associated Press.)


Washington, d. oil, Jan. 5.-A bill
making sweeping changes in the in
tersfate commerce laws for the reg
ulation Of railroads was introduced n
the house yesterday 5y Representa-
tive Mann, chairman OF the commit
tee on interstate and foreign com
merce. The bill is not in accord with
the one prepared by the COMMITTEES
acting under the direction Of Presi-
dent Taft and known as the admin
istration railroad bill" but was pre-
pared By Chairman Mann during the
summer vacation of congress
The measure does not provide for
a special court to hear interstate Goa.
merce cases as has been reported
President Taft would recommend. Il
proposes. however TO create In the
department Of commerce and labor
the bureau Of transportation" whefe
a shipper may file complaint agains
railroad, li after an investigation,
The commissioner OF the bureau OF
III. ailsportallon iinds Justice in the
complaint. he must report the facts
to the attorney general Of the United
States, and ii the attorney general
is satisfied there is cause OF action
he is required to file petition wiia
the interstate commerce commission
and prosecute the case at govern
ment expense. The shipper may, i
he prefers, still file his complaint di.
rect with the commission and prose
cute 1t at his own expense, as the
present law provides.
The bill makes 1t the duty of con-
mon carriers TO establish just and
reasonable elassifications and regu'a-
lions and authorizes Inc Interstate
commerce cpmmssion 10 prescribe
what they shall be.
The long and short haul clause o.
the Interstate commission act would
be amended 10 provide that the
charge for short haul shall in nc
case be greater than the charge foi
long haul and the charge for a
through rate shall be no greater thar
the aggregate Of the local rate. Falst
or padded claims for damages By q
shipper are prohibited, as rebates
are.
The provisions of the law give
power to the commission not only
fixed rates upon complaint but alsC
TO adjust and prescribe classifications
regulations and practices generally
The commission Is also given tni
power to establish through rates ant
Joint rates. and the shipper to selec
the entire route over which a ship
ment will be transported.
Every shipment of property o.
which rebate is paid is made !
separate offense and the Ekins Law
ii amended to that extent. The rail
roads, under the Mann bill may ex
change transportation for advertis
ing of their time tables in newspa
pers.
A common carrier is prohibite
from owning or acquiring OWNERSHIP
III stock In any competing carrier
The bill also makes it unlawful 70
a railroad company to issue an
stocks or bonds except for the acau
sition Of properly. the constructio
Df It's lines. the improvement OF i
service or the discharge of its obi
cations, and afteJ filing with tn
commissioner 90 transportation
statement sci ing forth the full d
tails Of the issue. the bin require
stock t0-be sold for not less than pa
and bonds for moi less than the rel
sonable market value. and provide
penalty OF $4,000 fine and impri
onment for FIVE years OF the illegi
issuance Of stocks and bonds.
The bill also makes II unlawful fe
any railroad to acquire NY purchas
lease or otherwise, the ownership
any connecting line and forbids an
form Of ownership TO acquire contr'
OF two competing lines Of transpo
tation unless permitted by the inte
state commerce commission
The bilf' was referred TO the COZ