Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-19
FREIGHT RATES
ARE PROTESTED
DEMOCRATS APPEAL TO STATE
RAILROAD COMMISSION
DECLARE MEMBERS HAVE POWER
TO ACT
CHARGE That Present Traffic Charges
Are Unreasonable, Unjust and
Oppressive Are Made in
Open Letter
Especial to The Herald. ]


SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 1S.-Demo
Gratis of California are making strong
protest against the increased freigh
rates introduced by railroads ant
steamships, and which took effect OF
the first day of the year. At the state
conference of Democratic editors anC
legislators recently a set Of resolutions
was drawn up, addressed to the STATE
railroad commission, calling attention
to the unwarranted action of the trans
portation companies and asking the
commissioners to do their duty anc
protect the people.
The letter to the board Of railroad
commissioners, which was signed by
Theodore A. Bell, Joseph II. Call
George W. Cartwright, \. z. Camp
bell and A. Caminetti, members OF tine
committee, is as follows:
At a meeting Of the Democratic
state conference held at San Fran
cisco on Saturday, January s, 1910,
the undersigned committee was
appointed for the purpose of caus-
ing complaint to be filed with the
interstate commerce commission
against the increase of freight rates
in California, which took effect
about January !. 1909; and also for
the purpose of making complaint
aginst the unlawful combination
that exists between some Of the
railroad and steamship lines doing
business in California, Under the
terms of the interstate commerce
law of the United States the rail-
road commission of any state is
authorized to make complaint to
the interstate commerce commission
against any common carrier that
attempts to collect unreasonable
and oppressive rates; and accord
ing to section 40a of an act of the
California legislature approved
March 10, 1909 (Statutes, 1909, page
513), your commission is author
lied and directed when public in
terests require to file petitions for
investigations, or complaint or
complaints, with the interstate
commerce commission, and to file
such suit or suits in tribunals or
courts of competent jurisdiction as
are permitted under the terms of
what is known as the interstate
commerce act, complaining of any
thing done or omitted to be done
by common carriers subject to the
provisions of the interstate COM
merce act. Said board is also here
by authorized and instructed to
file petitions for investigations or
complaint or complaints and to
commence such suit or suits in
tribunals or courts Of competent
jurisdiction complaining of the or
der or orders of any tranSconti-
mental railroad company or other
common carriers, either railroad or
steamship, raising freight rates or
entering into contracts or combtna-
tions to raise or maintain rates or
to take any action that will pre-
vent competition to and from or
to or from California points to
points in the United States outside
OF California.
In addition to the foregoing pro-
visions of law the legislature at its
last session directly referred the
subject of the unlawful increase in
rates and the alleged illegal COM
binations between common car
riers to your honorable board for
action.
That the increased transportation
rates are unreasonable, unjust and
oppressive, are largely in excess
of a fair and remunerative return
upon the invested capital of the
transportation companies seems to
be universally conceded and
to the restoration of reasonable
rates and reparation for the unlaw-
full charges already collected is
imperatively demanded. But mas
much as your commission Is espe-
cially charged with the duty Of
initiating proceedings to set aside
unreasonable rates the undersigned
committee is of the opinion that
before causing complaint to be filed
with the interstate commerce COM
mission through other channels this
contemplated action should be first
brought to your attention, in the
hope that your board may speed
lily inaugurate the proceedings that
are necessary for the protection Of
the people of this state. We would
respectfully remind you that the
increase of freight rates. amount
ing on an average to about 10 per
cent, has been collected for more
than one year; and, representing a
considerable body of California
citizens, we feel that we are JUS
titled in requesting an explanation
of the silence and inactivity of your
board upon a subject of such gen.
eral Importance. The committee will
postpone further action until you
have been given reasonable time
in which, first, to state your rea-
sons for having failed to make
complaint against the offending
transportation companies, and, sec
ondly, to inform US what action, if
any, you intend to take for the cor
rection of existing transportation
abuses and the restoration of Just
and reasonable rates in this state.
Please direct your reply to John
F. Murray, secretary of Demo-
L. 80 ,N,.o1
21S Argonaut hotel. San Francisco.
Very respectfully yours,
THEODORE A. BELL,
JOSEPH H. CALL,
GEORGE w. CARTWRIGHT,
A. e. CAMPBELL,