The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-01-08
TO CREATE new
RAILROAD BUREAU
MANN BILL MAKES SWEEPING
CHANGES IN INTERSTATE
COMMERCE LAWS,
BY REP. MANN OF ILLINOIS
Measure Is Not In Accord With One
Prepared Under Eye Of TAFT
Department Of Commerce and
Labor to Handle Complaints.

Washington. Jan. ga bill making
sweeping changes in the Interstate
| commerce laws for the regulation of
railroads was introduced in the house
by Representative Mann of Illinois,
chairman OF the committee on inter-
state and foreign commerce. The bill
Is not in accord with the one pre-
pared by the committee acting under
the direction of President Taft and
known as the administration railroad
BILL" but was prepared by Chairman
Mann during the summer vacation Of
congress.
bureau Of Transportation"
The measure does not provide for a
special court to hear interstate com.
merce cases. as has been reported
would be the form of legislation ON
this subject which President Taft
would recommend. 1t proposes, how.
ever, to create in the department of
| commerce and labor bureau to be
called the bureau Of transportation"
where shipper may file complaint
against railroad. If, after an inves,
tigation, the commissioner Of the
bureau Of transportation finds that
there is justice in the complaint, he
must report the facts to the attorney
general of the United States, and II
the attorney general is satisfied that
there is a cause of action, he is re-
CURED to file petition with the inter.
state commerce commission and pros
scute the case at the expense of the
government The shipper may, if he
prefers. still file his complaint direct
with the commission and prosecute, it
1T his own expense, as the present law
provides.
The bill makes 1t the duty OF com.
mon carriers to establish just and rea.
sonable classitications and regulations
and authorizes the interstate COM
msscs commission to prescribe what
they shall be.
| Tho Long and Short Haul.
The long and short haul clauses of
the interstate commerce act would be
amended SO as to provide that the
charge for q short haul shall in no
case be greater than the charge for IL
long haul and the charge for through
rate shall be no greater than the
aggregate of the local rate. False or
padded claims for damages by ship.
per are prohibited, as rebates are.
The provision of the law in regard
to filing complaints and authorizing
| ho mic sion m oaincf nj iv,su
and fix rates are very much enlarged
and they give power to the commits
sion not only to fix rates upon com
plant but also to adjust and prescribe
| classfications, regulations and prac-
tees generally. The commission may
suspend the taking effect of any pro-
posed rate or change in classification
until full hearing could be had on the
subject. The commission is also CIV
en- the power to establish through
rates and Joint rates, and the shipper
to select the entire route over which
q shipment shall be transported.
Railroads are required to furnish
rates on written application. Every
shipment of property on which re-
bate is paid is made a separate Of
tense, and the Elkins law is amended
the Mann bill. may exchange trans.
portation for advertisement CT their
time tables in newspapers.
Ownership Of Stock.
A common carrier Ia prohibited from
owing or acquiring ownership Of
stock in any competing carrier. The
bill also makes it unlawful for a rail
road company to issue any stock or
bonds except for the acquisition Of
property, the construction Of It's lines,
the improvement of It's service or the
discharge Of it's obligations, and after
filing with the commissioner OF trans
portation statement setting forth the
full details of the issue. The bill re-
quires stock to be sold for not less
than par and bonds for not less than
the reasonable market value, and pro-
vides penalty of $4,000 fine and i'm
prisonment for five years for the IL
legal issuance of stocks and bonds.
The bill also makes it unlawful for
any railroad to acquire by purchase,
lease or otherwise, the ownership Of
any connecting line and forbids any
form Of ownership to acquire control
of two competing lines of transporta-
ton unless permitted by the interstate
commerce commission.
The bill was referred to the commit.
tee of which Mr.. Mann Is chairman.
BaJIInoer Probe Committee.
Washington, Jan. 5.-The personnel
Of the Joint committee Of the senate
and house, which will investigate tho