Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-05-27
CLIPPED RAIL BILL TO PASS.
Sadly Altered Measure Certain to Get
Thru Senare.

Washington, May 27.-The admins
tration railroad rate bill, sadly altered
and clipped, in all probability will be
passed by the senate.
The passage Of the measure has been
assured thru coalition Of the repub-
lican "old guard" and the democrats in
the upper house Of congress. In the
shape in which it will be adopted it
will not by any means represent the as
pirations of President TAFT or of the
insurgents, nor is it entirely satisfac-
tory to the conservatives, altho they
have robbed it of many of Its restric-
tive provisions.
The senate bill will be interesting as
a piece of legislation for these reasons:
/. It creates a court Of commerce
for the enforcement of orders Of the
interstate commerce commission.
(a) The court will be composed of
five judges, designated by the chief
justice of the United States from
judges of the circuit court of appeals,
for the period of five years.
(b) Appeals may be taken from the
court of commerce to the supreme
court of the United States
(c) The attorney general will control
the interests Of the government in all
cases in the commerce court, but the in
terstate commerce commission and any
party in interest to the proceeding be-
fore the commission may appear as
parties thereto before the court and be
represented by counsel
(6 The attorney general is pro-
hibited from discontinuing any pro-
ceedings over the objection of an in
tervenor, and the latter may continue
the proceeding unaffected by the action
or nonaction of the attorney general
g. No railroad shall charge any
greater compensation for a shorter
than for longer haul, except in cases
where such action is authorized after
investigation by the interstate com
merce commission.
3. Railroads will be compelled to
state In writing the rate or charge ap-
plicable to a described shipment.
a. The interstate commerce COM
mission upon complaint is authorized to
determine and prescribe the just and
reasonable Individual or joint rate as
the maximum to be charged, and what
individual or joint classification, regu-
lation. or practice is just, fair and rea-
sonable.
5. The commission may suspend the
operation of any new rates, classifica-
ton, regulation, or practice for a per-
iod not exceeding 120 days, and extend
the time of suspension for a further
period not exceeding six months, after
which time the new rate, classification,
regulation, or practice will become ef-
fective unless the commission orders
to the contrary.
s. All waybills or interstate ship
ments where increased rates apply
must show the date, charge, and var
ious other details. In case the increas-
ed rate Is found unreasonable, then the
carrier must refund to the party pay
ing it the difference between that and
the rate as Ut existed before the in
crease was made.
Z. The commission may establish
thru routes and joint classifications
and joint rates as the maximum to be
charged whenever the carriers them
selves refuse to do so.
8. The commission Is forbidden to
establish any thru rate, classification,
or rate between electric railways and
railroads Of a different character.
8. The right Is given a shipper to
designate one Of several thru routes
by which his property shall be trans
ported to it's destination.
10. Every failure to obey an order
of the commission shall be punished
by a fine Of $1,000.
1. Copies OF classification, tariffs,
etc, furnished to the commissions
shall be public records.
The senate declined to adopt the fol-
lowing important recommendation
made by the administration:
1. Prohibiting railroads from ac-
Quiring or holding an interest IN
competing line. but permitting rail-
road owning not less than so per cent
OF the securities Of another railroad
corporation to acquire the property OF
the latter.
2. Authorizing the inteT state
merce commission to control and regu-