Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-07-05
The New Railroad Law.

has just become a law, is for a com
MERGE court This tribunal is to have
the Jurisdiction now possessed by
United States circuit courts over the
enforcement of orders of the inter
state commerce commission, with GER
tain specified exceptions. These eXcep-
tons include orders for the payment of
money, cases to annul orders of the
commission, and mandamus proceed
ings provided for in sections 20 and %
of the act of Feb. 4, 1887.
The commerce court Is to be COM
posed Of five judges. appointed from
among the circuit judges by the chief
justice OF the supreme court for five
years. In the first instance, however,
the court is designated by the presi-
dent to serve one, two, three, four and
five years, respectively, in order that
the term of one may expire each year
thereafter.
An appeal from the decision of the
| commerce court may be taken within
/ 60 days to the supreme court, but such
an appeal is in no case to supersede or
stay the decree of the commerce court
unless the supreme court so directs.
! Appeals from it to the supreme court
| have priority over all other causes eX-
| cept criminal cases. Suits brought to
stay an order of the commission do
not suspend the operation of the order
unless expressly directed by the COM
merce court.
The provisions of the interstate COM
merce act are extended to include per
( tv-oro oil
or any other commodity Except water
and natural gas in pipe lnes), tele-
graph and telephone companies, both
wire and wireless, cable companies, eX-
press companies and sleeping car COM
panies. All service in connection with
the receipt, delivery, elevation and
transfer in transit, ventilating, refrig-
Grating, icing, storage and handling is
included in the term Transportation"
as used in the act.
The commissions powers over rates
are greatly increased under the new
law. When a new rate is proposed the
commission may suspend it for 120
days in addition to the usual 80 days
notice pending an investigation of its
reasonableness. If the time for inves-
tigation is not sufficient it may be eX-
tended for an additional six months.
The commission must give preference
over all other matters to questions con-
corning rates and render the speediest
decision consistent with proper con-
sideration of the issues.
If the commission finds a rate or
regulation unreasonable, unjust or dis
criminatory, it may fix a reasonable
rate, and may also act upon its own
initiative without waiting for a formal
complaint. Orders of the commission
are to take effect in not less than 50
days and are to remain in force not
more than two years, and may be mod
flied or suspended by the commission
or the court. If carriers fail to agree
on the division of joint rate the com
mission, after a hearing, may apportion
the rate. If carriers neglect to estab-
lish through routes and rates the com
mission is empowered to do so.
The new act makes it unlawful for
common carriers to charge more for
the transportation of passengers or
freight for a short distance than for
longer haul in the same direction on
ed within the longer distance; or to
charge more as a through route than
the aggregate of the intermediate
rates, but this is not to be construed
as authorizing any carrier to receive
as great a compensation for a shorter
as for a longer distance. The commits
sion is empowered, however, 10 author
ize a carrier to charge less for a longer
than for shorter distances in special
cases.
Rates now existing are not to be
changed by reason of this act within
six months after its passage. If a /
railroad cuts rates to compete with a
water route it may not thereafter in |
crease the rate unless it can show at a |
hearing before the commission that the |
proposed increase is due to other con |
ditions than the elimination of water |
competition.
Any officer or agent of a carrier who |
knowingly assists or permits any per-
son to obtain transportation at less
than regular rates through false billing,
or weight or any other
means, is deemed guilty of a misde-
meanor, and may upon conviction be
subjected to fine of $4,000 or two
years in the penitentiary, or both.
Shippers who are found guilty of such
acts are liable to the same penalties;
so are those found guilty of inducing
Or attempting to induce a common car
rier to discriminate unjustly in their
favor against other shippers.
The president is authorized to APP
point a commission to investigate ques-
lions pertaining to the issuance of
stocks and bonds. An appropriation is
made to defray the expenses of the