The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1910-01-07
TO CREATE NEW
RAILROAD BUREAU
MANN BILL MAKES SWEEPING
CHANGES IN INTERSTATE
COMMERCE LAWS,
BY REP. MANN OF ILLINOIS
Measure Is Not in Accord With One
Prepared Under Eye of Taft
Department of Commerce and
Labor to Handle Complaints.

Labor to Handle Complaints.
Washington, Jan. "a bill making
sweeping changes in the interstate
commerce laws for the regulation of
railroads was introduced in the house
by Representative Mann of Illinois,
chairman of the committee on inter-
state and foreign commerce. The bill
Is not in accord with the one pre-
pared by the committee acting under
the direction of President Taft and
known as the administration railroad
BILL" but was prepared by Chairman
Mann during the summer vacation of
congress.
bureau Of Transportation"
The measure does not provide for a
special court to hear interstate COM
merce cases, as has been reported
would be the form of legislation on
this subject which President Taft
would recommend. 1t proposes, how
ever, to create in the department of
commerce and labor a bureau to be
called the bureau of transportation"
where shipper may file complaint
against a railroad. If, after an inveS-
tigation, the commissioner of the
bureau of transportation finds that
there is justice in the complaint, he
must report the facts to the attorney
general of the United States, and if
the attorney general is satisfied that
there is a cause of action, he is re-
quired to file a petition with the inter-
state commerce commission and pros
ecute the case at the expense of the
government. The shipper may, if ne
prefers, still file his complaint direct
with the commission and prosecute it
at his own expense, as the present law
provides.
The bill makes it the duty of COM
mon carriers to establish just and rea-
sonable classifications and regulations
and authorizes the interstate COM
merce commission to prescribe what
they shall be.
The Long and Short Haul.
The long and short haul clauses of
the interstate commerce act would be
amended SO as to provide that the
charge for a short haul shall in no
case be greater than the charge for a
long haul and the charge for through
rate shall be no greater than the
aggregate of the local rate. False or
padded claims for damages by ship
per are prohibited, as rebates are.
The provision of the law in regard
to filing complaints and authorizing
the commission to adjust complaints
and fix rates are very much enlarged
and they give power to the commits
sion not only to fix rates upon CON-
plant but also to adjust and prescribe
classifications, regulations and prac-
tees generally. The commission may
suspend the taking effect of any pro-
posed rate or change in classification
until full hearing could be had on the
subject The commission is also CIV
en- the power to establish through
rates and joint rates, and the shipper
to select the entire route over which
shipment shall be transported.
Railroads are required to furnish
rates on written application. Every
shipment of property on which re-
bate is paid is made a separate Of
tense, and the Elkins law is amended
to that extent. The railroads, under
the Mann bill, may exchange trans.
portation for advertisement Of their
time tables in newspapers.
Ownership Of Stock.
A common carrier is prohibited from
owing or acquiring ownership of
stock in any competing carrier. The
bill also makes it unlawful for a rail
road company to issue any stock or
bonds except for the acquisition of
property, the construction of it's lines,
the improvement of it's service or the
discharge of it's obligations, and after
filing with the commissioner of trans
portation statement setting forth the
full details of the issue. The bill re-
quires stock to be sold for not less
than par and bonds for not less than
the reasonable market value, and pro-
vides penalty of $4,000 fine and i'm
prisonment for five years for the il
lCSdl looudhCS VI oCOCho ouu JULIUS.
The bill also makes it unlawful for
any railroad to acquire by purchase,
lease or otherwise, the ownership OF
any connecting line and forbids any
form of ownership to acquire control
of two competing lines of transporta-
ton unless permitted by the interstate
commerce commission.
The bill was referred to the commit
tee of which Mr.. Mann is chairman.
BaIIinger Probe Committee.
Washington, Jan. 5.-The personnel
of the joint committee of the senate
and house, which will investigate the
Ballinger-Pinchot forestry controver-
sy, is practically complete. The COM
mittee will consist of the following
members of the two houses:
Republicans.
Senator Knute Nelson, of Mime
sofa, chairman.
Senator Elihu Root, of New York.
Senator George Sutherland, of Utah.
Senator Frank P. Flint, of Califor-
MIA.
Representative John Dalzell, of
Pennsylvania.
Whipped Cream Cakes.