The Detroit times., 1910-06-04
RAILROAD BILL
PASSES SENATE
II Goes Through by Vote of so to IL
Foes See Good Points in
Measure.

WASHINGTON, June "A step
forward" is the comment made By
many senator's OF their action In vot-
ing for the senate railroad bill yes
terday. That is the reason that close
: contests on many important amend
ments were followed by the over.
4 whelming vote OF so TO IL In favor OF
the bill when IL was passed, IL was
case OF taking that or nothing ana
the dissatisfied ones decided TO ac'
: cept the bill for the good II contained.
and 10 hope for he day when the Cd
! 1ectionable features might be elimiu-
Y ated by amending the new law,
The creation of a court or COM
merce which is to be devoted entirely
TO the consideration OF cases grow
ing out of the interstate commerce
law viii be the hardest to swallow ny
progressive senator's Against the
fcourt there was urged the claim OF
lack OF necessity; that II II had been
An existence during the last three
years Il would have been called upon
for the trial OF only 20 cases; thar IT'S
! creation would be an demonstrations!
act; that Il was unwise to place such
tremendous interests as are involved
In the transportation business under
the jurisdiction of a small body OF
men; that In time the railroads with
their great influence would get their
own men on the bench OF the court
and that IT'S creation was a useless cx-
pense
The feature OF the bill most favor
able to railroads, as II was reported
by the Interstate commerce commit
tee. were eliminated before it reached
the final vote. These provided for the
repeal of the Sherman antitrust act
to the extent of permitting railroads
to enter into agreements as to rates.
for the merger OF railroads and for
the alleged control by the interstate
commerce commission of the issue OF
railroad securities. The latter, said
Senator La Toilette, left open to the
railroads six different ways OF issuing
watered stocks.
There are a number of provisions
fiji the senate and house bills that are
identical in terms and therefore can
not be altered by the conference COM
Mittee. >
Telegraph and telephone lines are
placed under the jurisdiction OF the
Interstate commerce commission. The
commission is authorized to deter
mine the reasonableness or rates ami
a penalty is imposed OF from 500 to
80 1000 against granting franks or
passes for the transmission of mes
cages. Special night and press re-
rorts rates are authorized.
A balm is offered by provision In
each bill permitting railroads to issue
passes 10 the families Of persons who
are killed by trains.
II q railroad lowers rates to kill
competition by water II can never
raise them without the consent OF the
interstate commerce commission.
The commerce court provision Is IN
both bills
Shippers may be represented In the
commerce court on appeals from ie-
cisions OF the interstate commerce
commission, right denied them by
the bill in it's original form.
Railroads are prohibited from
charging more for a through route
than for the aggregate OF the local
rates.
A heavy penalty is provided for
railroad employees who give false in
formation to shippers who ask for
rates.
A shipper, I'm case there ere COM
retitive routes, may dictate the route !,
over which his goods shall be carried.
The interstate commerce commits
sion may suspend new rates. The bills
differ as 10 the period of suspension,
however the senate making 1t ten
months and the house four months.
The commission may on its own
Initiative, or on complaint. establish
through routes, joint classifications
and joint rates. New reports are re-
quired OF the railroads and the COM
mission ID given wider authority than
at present
The law will go into effect 60 days
after the bills passage