The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1910-06-28


finding out whether the new rates are
just and reasonable should be referred
to in some detail AS the existing law
reads, the commissioners can not origi.
nate inquiry into the reasonableness OF
any railroad rate. They can act only
on complaint filed by shippers or other
Interested parties. The new law, which
is being finished in conference, gives
the commissioner authority to origi-
nate Investigations, without regard to
complaints by shippers, and also author
ICES them to suspend such rates for a
considerable period Of time. The new
act, as it passed the senate, allows in
creases in rates, to be suspended for
100 days. while the commissioners are
conducting an investigation and then,
in their discretion, for six months long
er, The duration of suspension win at
least be 100 days in the new law. That
lis power the commissioners have
never had before and it is regarded as
very important in the present contro-
sersy.
There will be a big batch of filings
about July l and the commissioners
will then be able under the new law TO
say whether these increases shall con
tinue in force while the rcasonableness
of such increases is being Investigated.
It is understood that the commission
win probably suspend such of the in
creases as promise to affect materially
the towns and cities to which they APP
ply. Where the increases are of com
Iparatively minor Importance, the COM
missioners will not suspend them. The
outcome Of the inquiry win be watched
with keen interest, for it is the most
important undertaking in the history of
government regulation of interstate
transportation. The new law will also
contain several other provisions facili-
Itating the inquiry. Among other things
t will probably place a larger burden
of proof upon the railroads than has
ever before been required.
Right on the heels of the White
House talks with railroad presidents
Ind the agreements resulting therefrom
came nice little combat between the
senate and the house over the enact
ment of the new law. The house had
passed its railroad bill several weeks
ago. The senate passed its railroad
bin just before the talks were held with
the railroad presidents. On the sup
position that the bill would go into con-
ference the senate leaders accepted
number Of rather radical amendments
with the intention of dropping those
amendments in conference Thus they
avoided some debate and contention.
The Democrats and insurgents in the
house promptly started a campaign for
the acceptance of the senate bill just
as it stood A motion to recede. and
concur has high privilege. The Presi-
dent wanted provision allowing the
law to become Immediately operative
instead Of in 90 days as both the senate
and the house had provided. The mo
ton to recede and concur was made in
the house, with a proviso that the law
should come into effect at once. The
regulars made spectacular fight to
send the bill to conference and they
won in the house by vote of 1852 to
1856.
-Four Tammany Democrats and two
Democrats from Alabama saved their
bacon for them. These six voted for
conference. There has been lively
struggle in conference, where the Re-
! publican conferees are all regulars. The
next interesting chapter will come after
these conferees have made their report
as they are expected to do before the
end of the week.