The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1910-02-11
USEFULNESS OF COMMISSION
WAS NOT DESTROYED.
HAD ALREADY BUILT DEPOT
Rates That Are Beyond Reach of Fed
eraI Judges Are Saving Much to
People of Oklahoma.

Guthrie, Okla, Feb. 1.-THE effec
Of complaint lodged with the corpor
alton commission where the public has
a rightful claim to attention from q
railroad company was shown in the
case of G. E. Miller ct al, citizens Of
White Oak, against the Frisco com
pany, which was set for trial in
Guthrie on Tuesday of this week
When the case was called it was found
that the depot for which the petition
ers prayed had already been built
since the complaint was filed, and
there was no occasion to hold the trial
White Oak has its depot and the peo
pie have what they started out to
secure.
On the same day that the White
Oak case was to have been tried a
case in behalf Of the people of Swink
Choctaw county, was called, and the
railroad appeared an asked for dis
missal on it's stipulation that a depot
would be built and an agent pro-
vided for both passenger and freight
business for that town by June l.
New depots are appearing all over
the state as result of the discovery
of the public that the corporation
commission is ready aud able to Sc
cure recognition as it is entitled to for
any community.
The idea that the decision of Judge
Hook in st. Louis, adverse to the low
passenger and freight rates, has de-
stroyed the usefulness of the corpora
tion commission, is entirely erroneous.
The commission has secured for in
dividual shippers in the past few
months refunds in cash of freight over
charges aggregating more than $1,000.
Inasmuch as each case, even though
involving an amount as low as 10 or
Is cents, involves proposition the
settlement of which in favor of the
shipper establishes a new basis for
charges that makes a like saving on
every 100 pounds Of freight handled
in the future 1T will be seen that the
specific amount secured for the ship
per filing the complaint and securing
the refund is but an insignificant part
of the whole saving to the public re-
sulting from the claim. The commits
sion knows of cases where as many as
100 refunds have been secured as a
result of one claim filed with the com
mission resulting in a correction of a
rate. Additional train service is be-
ing secured for towns in all sections
of the state frequently, better treat
ment of the public is being brought
about, and the public is protiting by
the acts of the commission in a multi
tude of ways that it does not realize.
The interstate rates on freight,
which have been reduced on lumber,
live stock, grain, oil and oil products,
anu fdItOuo OIuCl COluInOuiLiCD SOu-
sidered at the Oklahoma commissions
conference with southwestern railroad
managers at Kansas City few months
ago, are saving the shippers of Okla
homa tens of thousands of dollars
every month, and these rates, of
course, are beyond the reach of the
federal judges.
The gain Of the little Gown Of White
Oak, while not a matter of great Inn
portance In itself, is important to the
people Of that town. and serves as an
indication OF the very important
work for the betterment OF individual
communities all over the state, as well
as work for the advantage of the
state as whole, that the corporation
commission is doing.