The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-03-08

ative, is, in the opinion of the COM
mittee destitute of the slightest fOun-
datiOn.
The section in question carefully
preserves the principles clearly enun-
ciated in the platform and only by
a wilful distortion of language could
it be contended that this carefully
guarded provision involved any aband-
onement of the principles of compet1-
ton between naturally competing
lines" =.
Endorsing the proposed court of
commerce, the report says that the
principal argument in favor of it's Gre
alton is that it will prevent delay and
confusion in the enforcement of the
law by creating one tribunal specially
versed in the complicated and often
technical questions arising out of the
application of the interstate commerce
law to railroads and other carriers
subject to the act.
Cite Court Decisions.
Supreme court rulings are cited in
support of the contention that the
scope of review of the commissions
orders in the court will not be wider
than it is now in the circuit courts.
1t is contended that courts ought not
to be endowed with merely admins
trative powers such as are involved
in the exercise of the commissions
discretion. The claim that there will
not be enough business to keep the
tribunal occupied is not seriously con-
sidered.
The administration bill gives the at
tOrney general entire charge and con-
troll of the interstate of the govern
ment in all cases and proceedings in
the court of commerce and in the SUI
preme court on appealed cases. This
TO nha twisting
committee says that the present sys
TEN combined in the members of the
commission the functions of ineStiga-
tor. judge, and prosecutor, Which is
declared to be contrary to the cor rect
theory of law procedure. ffE
Investigate Rate increases.
Commenting upon the provision for
investigation by the commission of
proposed increases in rates, the re-
port says that a majority of the COM
mittee is of the opinion that the COM
mission should be authorized to COM
mence the investigation of a proposed
increase in rates or change in classi-
ficatiOn as soon as it is filed. The
majority supports also the proposition
that at any time before the rate or
classification becomes effective the
commission should be empowered to
postpone the effective date for a reas
gate the proposed action.
The bill fixes this reasonable period
AT. 60 days and although sthe copllnis.
sion recommended that this time be
extended to 120 days the committee
says 1t believes that with due diligence
the commission can determine within
the time allotted whether the increase
should be approved.
AS to the provisions relating to
through rates and Though routes, the
shippers right to route shipments and
the max ing of annual reports, the ma
jority follows the line of argument ad-
vanced by Attorney General Wicker
sham in his published abstract of the
bill.
Concerning the important section
relating to the purchase of competing
lines, the report says:
Make No Reference.
Criticism of this section has been
made on the ground that it did not
prohibit the acquisition by means of
holding corporation of stocks of COM
peting lines of railroad. The provis-
ions of the Sherman antitrust law so
completely cover that ground that the
committee deemed it unnecessary to
attempt a repetition of those prohi-
tons in this act.
For the same reason, it was not
deemed expedient to deal with the