The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-16
COMMISSION WILL.
HAVE HANDS FULL
Rest of Railroad Law Goes
Into Effect Wednesday IN
creasing Jurisdiction
MANY COMPLAINTS
FROM BOTH SIDES
Must Also Grapple With Safety
Appliances" Act and See
That Regulation is
Followed.

WASHINGTON. II. C.. August Is
Two sections of the railroad law took
effect June Is. when 1t Vas passed;
the remainder OF the voiamin"us
statute will be in force Tomorrow
and with the wiaenea jurisdiction and
additional duties II places upon the
ALREADY uuruensd Interstate commerce
com mission, Things Will hum at the
headquarters OF the institution this
fall, winter and thereafter. Lights
viii CLEAN late at night from the
windows OF the Offices OF those holding
responsible places under the commits
sion.
Sections authorizing the commission
TO suspend proposed increased rates
pending investigation anu empowe ring
IaIt to appoint a commission TO in
vestigate the issue Of stocks and bonds
by the railroads, took immediate ef-
ieet. The commission has literally
used its suspension power by hold
ing up proposed universal increase
ia rates In all parts Of the country
except in the south. The president liz
nov engaged in recruiting members
of the stock and bond commission.
hearings on the increases sought by
the railroads to he made In eastern
rates are in progress In New ork, and
begin at Chicago August ~.
Get To ork.
In September the mem hers of the
interstate commerce commission VIII
assemble in Washington TO tackle the
new problems. While the Jurisdiction
of the commission under the old law
concerned increased rates II nov has.
besides the power OF suspension, the
regulation OF all services In eonnec-
ton with the receipt. delivery. eie
walton, transfer, ventilation, icing,
storage and handling or freight: the
supply of cars to shippers. excess
baggage. and the establishment of
through routes. These new Eespon-
stbilities viii produce many new
problems tor solution,
An increase in the number OF COM
plains ia already perceptinle in the
business OF the commission, The COM
plants came In last year at the rate
Of one and one-haif a cay. and they
no waverage from to 10 day
A heap of work will come from the
west as the result OF the section OF the
law providing that railroads shall not
charge less for longer than
shorter haul OF freight unless, for
special reasons the commission per-
mits the practice. Freight charges
almost everywhere are higher to In
terror than to coast points and there
are many instances among interior
points where the same railroad
charges more for carrying freight
short than longer distance
Many Protests.
All the railroads will ruxh An with
these rates. asking that tho commits
sion authorize their continue n :, Rail-
road officials win offer whatff ~ con-
slider strong reasons for tn tmainte-
nance of the disseminating rates.
People who have TOR years been
T6Tced 10 pay higher rates oTl9freight
than was paid by Others ~ gooas
passing through their towns - points
100 or 1000 miles beyond. wall make
bitter protest against the continuance
of discrimination Between these two
the commissioners Will need to pray
for the wisdom OF solomon to guide
them in making adjustments Every
station and every commodity Will
have to be considered, and there VIII
be an enormous hunt Der of cases
Regulation of telegraph and telegraph
companies provided by the new Law
VIII add much to the work of the
commission. No complaints have yet
been received, but they win not be
lacking. The forms OF tarirs. ac-
counting system and monthly and an
nual reports to be made by the teie-
graph and telephone companies Will
DE eupSNFtB%A ny the GbthuiiSSibus his
Is now done in the case of railroads.
Complaints arising from interstate
telegraph and telephone service will
be handled In the same way as are
railroad complaints
Safety appliances.
A big chore assigned TO the COM
mission by congress- In a Law passed
last April provides that within six
months, there shall he designated a
standard system of safety appliances"
on cars 10 be adopted by all railroads.
This applies 10 couplers. ladders. hand
holds, grab irons and all ether con-
trivances used in the operation OF
cars. Experts OF the commission and
the American Railway Association are
working cut the problem and the
commission will be ready to notify
the railroads to get into line with a
uniform system when the time limit
expires in October.
A law passed In May authorizes the
commission TO investigate railroad
accidents and gives 1t all the power
necessary to learn the bottom facts.
These Investigations may also add ma