New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-06-15
WINS ON RAILROAD BILL
Continued from first page.

restrain the enforcement of orders of the
commission. 1t is required, however, that
the appeals must be taken within thirty
days.
1t was provided by the House bill that
the Commerce Court should not issue in
functions suspending orders of the COM
mission except in cases where irreparabie
damage would ensue To that the confer
rees added a Senate amendment requiring
the giving of three days notice to the
commission and the Attorney General, and
that the suspension should not be for more
than sixty days. The Senate provision that
all parties in interest in a proceeding be-
fore the commission should be informed
when 1t is to begin, was stricken out, but
the provisions of both the House and Sem
ate bills in regard to the appearance of
parties In proceedings in the Commerce
Court by intervening on motion or other
wise was retained
Under Senate amendment adopted every
railroad will be required to designate an
agent in Washington to receive service IN
any proceeding against the roads. The
conference report leaves out the House pro-
vision extending existing law to water
transportation between the Hawaiian ISL
ands and also over the district OF Alaska.
but retains the House provision requiring
railroads to furnish reasonab bic facilities for
operating through routes and for the ex-
change and return of rolling stock used
therein. 1t also retains the House provision
requiring railroads to establish and enforce
reasonab BILE classifcations of property for
transportation and regulations and practi-
ces affecting classifcations rates or tariffs.
tickets, receipts and bills of lading.
Telegraph and Telephone Control.
The clause placing telegraph, telephone
and cable companies under the Jurisdiction
OF the commission is that adopted by the
House, with a further provision agreed on
IN conference that messages may be
cIasslfed as day, night, repeated, unrepeat-
ed, letter. commercial. press. government.
and such other classes as are just and
reasonable. and authorizing different rates
to be charged for different classes of mes
sages. In respect to the use of telephone.
telegraph and cable franks it is provided
that they shall not be prohibited when used
by officers. agents and employees of corpora
tons and their families within the scope
Of the Interstate commerce law.
The House provision for the investiga-
ton of the physical valuation of railroad
property was stricken out, but the amend
ment authorizing the owner of lateral
branch line Of railroad to require a main
line of railroad TO make proper conrec
lions was retained.
Long and Short Haul.
To the House provision on the subject of
long and short hauls, which is designed
to prohibit railroads from charging a
higher rate for shorter than for longer
distance. was added the following:
Whenever a carrier by railroad shall in
competition with water route routes
reduce the rates on the carriage of any
species of freight to or from competitive
points, Ii shall not be permitted to increase
such rates unless. after hearing by the In
terstate Commerce Commission, ii shall be
found that such proposed increase rests
upon changed conditions other than the
elimination of water competition.
This clause was adopted in place of far
more radical provisions introduced by Sena-
tors Simmons and Burton, and adopted by
the Senate.
Senate amendment submitted by Mr..
Shiveiy, of Indiana. authorizing shippers TO
sue railroads for damages resulting from
Interpretations of rates was eliminated.
The House amendment to Section 10 Of
the interstate commerce act TO prescribe a
penalty for attempting to obtain advantage
actually obtaining it through false repre-
sensations. etc. was retained. The con-
ferrees also accepted the House provision
striking out the specific languag sc of the
present law as 10 the character of objects
about which complaints may be filed be-
fore the commission and authorizing the
commission to make Investigations on Its
own motion to the same extent as though
al inf had bepp
Suspension of Increases.
In retaining the Senate provisions au-
thorzing the suspension of an increased
rate for a period of eleven months and
putting the burden of proof on the railroad
as to the reasona bleness of such increa Sc
the conferrees added provision as fol-
lows:
The commission shall give 10 the hearing
and decision of such question preference
over all other questions pending before il
and decide the same a s speedily as posi-
bic.
Senator Paynter's amendment requiring
the issuance of waybills indicating the old
and the increased rates and to require rail-
roads to reimburse the shippers for the
amount of the increase in the event the
commission declared il to be unjust was
stricken out. The House provision author
izing the commission to make through
routes between suburban interurban and
steam railroads was retained, the
Senate provision giving to the shipper the
right to say over what railroads his freight
should be routed.
Railroads and their agents will be pro-
hibted. through the retention of a Sen
ate amendment, from disclosing infoTma-
ton concerning a shippers business ex-
cept under due processes of courts. The
penalty for violations of this provision was
fixed a not more than 5000 for each Of
fence.
The conferrees struck out the Senate pro-
vision requiring the commission to make
an analysis of classifcations and tariffs
every six months.
Senator OveTman's amendment in refer
ence to interlOcutory injunctiOns restrain
ing the action of state officers on the
ground of the unconstitutionality Of state
statutes was accepted by the conferrees.
w. C. BROWN OPTIMISTIC
Satisfied with Railroad Situa-