The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-06-16
Features Of
Railroad Bill

WASHINGTON, June. 3.-Follow-
ing are the important features Of the
railroad bill which passed the Senate
today and which have been opposed
by the chief railroad presidents of
the country:
A new court of commerce" is Great |
ed for the consideration exclusively
of appeals from orders of the Inter
state Commerce Commission. The
court is to consist of five judges, to
sit in Washington. Their powers are
to be coordinate with the Judges of
the Federal Circuit Court, they are
to receive the same pay and emolu-
ments and are tC be appointed in
the first instance by the President
| for terms, respectively of one, two,
three, four and five years. Provi-
sion is made for sessions of the court
anywhere in the United States. The
! government rather than the Inter-
State Commerce Commission, is made
the defendant in all cases coming be-
fore the court, but the commission Is
permitted to intervene, as are other
interested parties.
The long and short haul provision
of the present interstate commerce
law is amended so as to permit a
greater charge for short haul than
| ,,,;tI h.
sent of the Interstate Commerce
Commission. Especial provision is
made against the fixing of lower
rate for the purpose of destroying
water competition.
Railroad companies are required to
. furnish written statements of rates
from one place to another upon the
written application of a shipper, un-
der a penalty of $3.50 for misstate-
ment or failure to comply with such
application. In addition, the shipper
can bring suit for additional damages.
|, Either upon complaint or upon it's
, own initiative the commission is au-
thorized to determine the reasonable
, ness of individual or joint rates or
= classifcations and if such rates are
, found unreasonable, discriminatory,
preferential or prejudicial the COM
| mission is authorized to prescribe a
, proper maximum rate. Rates re-
duced to meet water competition must
not be restored unless after hear
ing by the commission to determine
whether conditions have changed 9th
erwise than by the elimination of
the water competition.
Unless set aside by a competent
court, orders of the commission are
to continue in force for two years.
The commission is also given author
ity to investigate the propriety Of
any new rate, regulation or classifi-
cation, individual or joint, of any
common carrier and pending such
hearing a suspension for ten months
of the rate, classification or regula-
ton is provided. The carrier is re-
quired to refund all charges found to
be excessive.
Authority is also given the commits
sion to establish through routes and
joint classification and to prescribe
maximum rates over them, whenever
the carriers themselves neglect to do
so. This regulation also covers wa
ter lines that are connecting carriers.
Shippers will have the right to de-
signate route or part of route over
which their property shall be car
ried A penalty of $4,000 is imposed
3 upon carriers for disclosing any in.
formation concerning shipments. A
i, like penalty is provided for violation
of orders under Section Is of the ex-
listing Interstate commerce law and in
this case each day that the violation
continues is to be construed as a
separate offense.
Telegraph and telephone lines are
placed under jurisdiction of the Inter.
state Commerce Commission The
commission is authorized to determine
the reasonab1eness of rates and a pc
nalty is imposed of from 500 to 49,,
900 against granting franks or passes
, for the transmission of messages
Special night and press report rates
are authorized.