The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-22
RATE ARb|TERS
URGE NEW Law
Commerce Commissioners Want
Congress to Control Railway
capitalization.
DOUBT THEIR OWN POWER
TO REGULATE PHONE TOLLS
Report Says Fight Against Dis
elimination Is Far From
Being Won.

WASHINGTON, Dec. Gin its
twenty.fourth annual report, submitted
to congress today, the interstate com.
merce commission gives particular
prominence TO the consideration of the
eastern and western freight cases which
are now pending before the commission.
The cases have been assigned for argu-
ment on January 9. 1911, and succeeding
days.
Immediately following the passage of
the Mann Ekins law, the commission
began to exercise the most far reaching
power conferred upon it, the authority
TO suspend proposed advances in rates
pending investigation. In the first half
OF 1916, numerous carriers had given no
tice Of general advances in rates.
AS a result of conferences between
the government and the carriers, the
dates of the proposed advances were
suspended pending the enactment OF the
law. Thereupon two general lnvestiga-
tions were instituted, one relating TO
the general advances proposed by east
ern and the other TO those proposed by
western carriers.
Carriers Trying Hard.
The carriers, the report says, are
making sincere efforts TO harmonic the
conflicting features of the various class
ifcations, but il will be necessary to
apply the stimulus of requirement un,
less satisfactory results are obtained |
soon.
Since December |. 1909, forty four !
indictments for criminal violations of |
the act to requisite commerce have been /
returned. Forty three. prosecutions
have been concluded since then, and
thirty.one pleas of guilty were received.
The aggregate of penalties assessed was
S6S, 500. Two verdicts of acquittal were
rendered.
OF the forty-four indictments re-
turned within the year, twenty five were
against carriers and nineteen against
shippers OF passengers. OF the forty
three prosecutions concluded, twenty one
we're against carriers and twenty-five
against shippers of passengers. Con
cerning the matter of prosecution, the
report says;
''The fight against discrimination is
by no means won, practices still re-
naming which are more insldious and
more difficult of extirpation than open
rebating, by reason of the fact that
they are hidden in contractual arrange
ments entirely legal, except for the eff
feet produced. To speak generally, these
arrangements depend for their vice upon
some unification of shippers and car
riers, by which shippers secure an inter
est in carriers profits.''
By the act of June Is, 1910. telegraph
and telephone companies doing an in
serstate business were placed under the
jurisdiction of the commission. Steps
have already been taken for the formu-
larion OF system of operating tariffs,
and it is expected that this system
will become effective July ], 1911. Con
cerning the application of the law as
to telegraph and telephone companies,
the report says:
"There are from $4,000 to 10000
telephone companies which make pro
vision for interstate communication, aud
the commission is in doubt whether il
is the intent of congress to place all
these companies under its supervision
and control. No opinion is expressed ut {
this time as to the administrative in {
terpretation that should be placed upon /
the law in this regard. - (
The wisdom and urgent need of pro Z
per legislation for the control of rail ,
way capitalization are urged upon con I,
gress.
Inquiry into railway accidents within
the year ended June so, 1910, shows
that the number Of passengers killed !
in train accidents was 227, as compared ,
with 131 the previous year. The num- /
Der of employees killed in coupling ac- c
cldents increased from 16l in 1909 TO
o01 in 1910. or % per cent
1t is pointed out that, notwithstand- /,
ing increase in casualties. marked i'm :
provement is noted in the practices of I
in guarding against violations !
Of the safety appliance law. :