Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-04
Provides Sweeping Changes :.
Interstate Commerce Law.
CREATES A NEW BUREAU
To Deal Especially With the Com
plants of Shippers.
UNLIKE TAFT MEASURE
Prepared by Chairman Mann Him
self Last Summer and Referred
Today to His Committee.

A bill making sweeping changes in the
interstate commerce laws for the regula-
ton of railroads was introduced in the
House today by Representative Mann oh
Illinois, chairman of the committee on in
terstate and foreign commerce. The bill
is not in accord with the one prepared by
the committee acting under the direction
of President Taft and known generally
as the administration railroad BILL. but
was prepared by Chairman Mann during
the summer vacation of Congress.
The measure does not provide for
special court to hear interstate commerce
cases, as has been reported would be the
form Of legislation on this subject which
President Taft would recommend. II
proposes. however, to create in the De-
partment of Commerce and Labor a
bureau to be called the bureau of trans
portatiOn where a shipper may hle com
plant against a railroad. If, after an
investigation, the commissioner of the
bureau of transportation finds that there
is justice in the complaint, he must re-
port the facts to the Attorney General
of the Nnited States, and il the Attorney
General is. satisfied that there Is a cause
of action he is required to file petit
ton with the interstate commerce com
mission and prosecute the case at the
per may, if he prefers. still file his com
plant direct with the commission and
prosecute 1t at his own expense, as the
present law provides.
Duty of Carriers.
The bill makes it the duty of common
carriers to establish just and reasonable
classifications and regulations. and au-
thorizes the interstate commerce commits
sion to prescribe what they shall be.
The long and short haul clause of the
interstate commerce act would be
amended so as to provide that the charge
for short haul shall in no case be
greater than the charge for a long haul
and the charge for a through rate shall
be no greater than the aggregate Of the
local rate. False or padded claims fol-
damages by shipper are prohibited as
rebates are.
to filing complaints authorizing the
commission to adjust complaints and
fix rates are very much enlarged and
they give power to the commission, not
only to fix rates upon complaint, but
also to adjust and prescribe classified
lions, regulations and practices gener-
ally. The commission may suspend the
taking effect of any proposed rate or
change in classification until a full
hearing can be had on the subject.
ic IS dlSO given Tic po W Ut
to establish through rates and joint
rates, and the shipper to select the en-
tire route over which q shipment shall
be transported.
Must Furnish Rates.
Railroads are required to furnish rates
on written application. Every shipment
of property on which a rebate is paid is
made a separate offense, and the Eiklns
law Is amended to that extent. The rail-
roads. under the Mann bill, may exchange
transportation for advertisement of their
time tables in newspapers.
A common carrier is prohibited from
owning or acquiring ownership of stock
In any competing carrier. The bill also
makes 1t unlawful for railroad company
to issue any stock or bonds, except for
the acquisition of property, the construc-
ton of its lines, the improvement of its
service or the discharge of it's obligations.
and. after filing with the commissioners
of transportation a statement setting
forth the full details of the issue. The
bill requires stock to be sold for not
less than par. and bonds for not less than
the reasonable market value, and provides
a penalty of $4,000 fine and Imprisonment
for five years for the illegal 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 connect
ing line, and forbids any form OF owner
ship to acquire control of two competing
lines of transportation unless permitted
by the interstate commerce commission.
The bill was referred to the committee
of which Mr.. Mann is chairman.