The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-06-06
THE RAILROAD BILL
Salient Features Of Measure A
Adopted By Senate.

bill as it passed the Senate Friday
night may be described as follows:
The bill provides for the creation
of a new court of commerce for the
exclusively of appeals
from orders of the interstate com
merce commission. The court is to |
consist of five judges, to sit in Wash
ington; their powers are to be CO. |
ordinate with the judges of the fed
eral circuit court, they are to receive |
the same pay and are to be appointed |
in the first instance by the President
for terms respectively of one, two,
three, four and five years. Each as
he retres to take up the work of a
circuit Judge, is to be succeeded by a
designation from the Circuit bench,
these and other vacancies to be filed
by appointment by the chief justice of
the Supreme court. While the offices
of the court are to be in Washington
and regular sessions are to be held
here provision Is made for sittings
anywhere in the United States. The
government rather than the inter
state commerce commission is made
the defendant in all cases coming be-
fore the court. but the commission is
permtued to intervene as are other
interested parties. The defense is
placed under the direction of the at
torney general, but the commission
and interested parties are permitted
to have counsel and to carry on the
suit in case of the failure of the at
torney general to do so. Appeal may
be taken to the Supreme court.
The long and short haul provision
of the present interstate commerce
law is amended to permit greater
charge for a short haul than for a
/ long haul only with the consent OF
! the interstate commerce commission.
Especial provision is made against
/ the fixing of a lower rate destroying
water competition.
Railroads must furnish written
statements Of rates upon the written
application of shipper, under pen
atty of $3.50 for misstatement or for
failure to comply with such appica-
ton. In addition. the shipper could
bring suit for additional damages.
Either upon complaint or upon its
own initiative the commission may
determine the reasonableness of in
diyidual or Joint rates or classified
ton, and if such rates are found to be
unreasonable or discriminatory, the
commission may determine and pre-
scribe a proper maximum rate.
Rates reduced to meet water compe-
tition must not be restored unless az
ter a hearing by the commission 10
determine whether conditions have
changed otherwise than by the elimi-
nation of the water competition.
Unless set aside by a competent
court, orders Of the commission are
TO continue in force for two years.
The commission may investigate
any new rate regulation or classified.
ton, individual or joint of any com
mon carrier and pending such hearing
suspension for ten months of the
rate, classification or regulation is
provided for The carrier Is requir.
ed to refund all charges found to be
excessive
Authority is also given the commits
sion TO establish through routes and
Joint classification or 10 prescribe
maximum rates over the same when.
ever the carriers neglect TO do so
This regulation also covers water
lines which are connecting carriers.
Shippers are given the right TO des
ignate a through route or part of a
route over which their property shall
be carried a penalty OF $4,000 IS
imposed upon carriers for DISCLOSING
any information concerning shin
ments
At intervals of six months the com
mission Is required to make an analy
+ sis Of tariffs and classiicatons anC
10 investigate the advlsablty OF a un
form classification.
! Telegraph and telephone lines ar,
p placed under the jurisdiction OF IN,
81 interstate commerce commission. TIL,
= commission Is authorized TO deter
( mine the reasonableness OF rates anC
a penalty is imposed OF from 500 {,
7 $1,000 against granting franks for IN,
transmission of messages. Specia
b night and press report rates are auth
/ orized
The only provision In the bin ap
J plicahle 10 other than railroad cor
/ poratons is one regulating injunc
, tons by the federal courts which sus
pend the operation OF state laws. /
. is provided that such action Shout,
. be taken only when presented to
, Justice OF the supreme court or a cir
p cult Judge and heard by three judges
q one of whom should be suprem,
, court justice or a circuit court Judge